President Barack Obama should have known that when he tussled with Derek Jeter in Las Vegas, he wouldn't be leaving with a gift bag — that he'd be leaving with an emptier wallet and a lost bet.
President Obama visited Vegas on Monday for a fundraiser hosted by the Las Vegas Sun-owning Greenspun family. And while there, he recounted a story, according to Politico. A story that cries for a punchline: The president and The Captain met on a golf course, money in tow. And ol' No. 2 hustled the hell out of Air Force One's primary passenger.
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As President Obama told it at the fundraiser, "Derek Jeter stole money from me at Shadow Creek" — a golf course in North Las Vegas.
“It was clearly a set up, because when we got to the practice range, he was shanking balls everywhere," Obama said, via Politico. "I said, ‘You play golf Derek?’ And he said, ‘I just started two weeks ago.’”
Jeter fabricated the facts a bit. And accordingly, President Obama spotted him 30 strokes before Jeter took his legendary sweet swing to a different sport and schooled the president on the art of hustling. Jeter's reward was a photo op and some cash, as a snapshot captured President Obama handing money to The Captain after the round.
The friendly wager took place on Nov. 22 of last year, when political pundits predictably made news of the meeting. And even more predictably, some used The Captain's impervious persona to criticize the president.
Obama golfed with Derek Jeter in Vegas...too bad some of the class can't rub off on the President
— Max (@maxnrgmax) November 22, 2014One wonders the final tally, or if President Obama has improved upon his golf game scrutinized by ridiculous reports at the onset of his presidency.
"Obama is clearly not as comfortable on the links as he is the speaker's podium or the basketball court," Time published in 2008. Though a Golf Digest piece from Don Van Natta, Jr. in 2012 suggested a drive (ha!) toward improvement.
Regardless, President Obama made a bet his clubs couldn't cash. And Jeter hustled the most powerful man in the free world. Who needs #RE2PECT when you can get paid?