Obama camp taps NBA, NFL stars
Washington (CNN) – President Barack Obama's campaign is tapping into some athletic star power in three new web videos meant to encourage sports fans to register to vote for the president.
In the latest video, titled "The Greatest" and posted Monday, basketball legends speak directly to the camera against a black backdrop and talk about the definition of "greatness."
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"It means keeping your eye on the ball and never losing sight of what's most important," says seven-time NBA all-star Alonso Mourning. "I believe America is still the greatest country in the world, and I am voting for President Obama."
Current and former NBA and WNBA players Dahntay Jones, Harrison Barnes, Etan Thomas, Kym Hampton, Vince Carter, and Juwan Howard are all shown wearing Obama 2012 basketball jerseys while listing off reasons why they support the president.
"Because he knows this country succeeds when everyone gets a fair shot," Hampton says.
"Because he will keep this country the greatest," Carter says.
The video ends with the athletes encouraging viewers to register to vote by going to the registration site sponsored by the Obama campaign, GottaVote.com.
"For the president, for the future, be great, vote Obama," says NBA all-star and 2012 NBA Champion Howard.
In another video released Friday, the Obama campaign used testimonials from NFL players Matt Forté, Maurice Jones Drew and Antoine Bethea to convey a similar message.
"He's fought to make sure millions more Americans get access to health care," says Pro-Bowl running back Forté.
"If you pass on the word to everyone you know, and they pass it on to everyone they know, Team Obama's going to be unstoppable," says two-time Pro-Bowl defensive back Bethea.
And in a third video released on Sunday, Victor Cruz, a half-Latino wide receiver for the New York Giants, delivers a more direct message to Latino voters.
"It's been a long time since we've actually had a voice like this and had someone that really cares about the Latin community and we need to go out there and let our voices be heard," Cruz says, before encouraging viewers to go to a website specifically for Latino supporters.
Some of these well-known sports figures have also been hitting the campaign trail for the president. The Obama campaign confirmed that Alonzo Mourning and Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers have done radio interviews on the president's behalf and Mourning has done events for the campaign as well.
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NBA, NFL go for OBAMA12.
Before all you right wing nuts go off about who cares what a jock has to say.......let me remind you that the GOP ran an ex-NFL quarterback for VP not that long ago (Jack Kemp – Ryans hero), and ex- MLB pitcher Jim Bunning served as a senator. Another high profile jock in the GOP was/is the Oklahoma Congressman J.C. Watts. So it would seem that jocks can and do get involved in politics in a serious way.
Perfect......because one need look no further than professional sports to understand that you cannot buy people out of poverty. Just listening to professional athletes trying to string two coherent sentences together in an interview is painful. I can't wait to hear them stump for the President of the United States.
If you're voting for someone based on a celebrity voting on them you're beyond pathetic to begin with.
Looks pretty obvious that they're voting based on the color of his skin. Voting based on race.
Can't get more pathetic.
First its Hollywood , now sport players , soon it will be Military personnel and real people .
Who dose Obama think he's fooling , smells fishy , right before the election.
Romney / Ryan
The sure way to regresion 2012
Great, I love it!!! A hugh thanks to all of you who risk having people being rude to you while playing or just hanging out.
President Obama needs to bring his A game to the next presidential debate so HE can tell America what he has done and will continue to do for this country instead of letting Romney ride roughshod all over him and defining him with his lies!
Forward 2012!
I wonder who the GOP will get to speak for them? Some duggars and palins? Where is the rousing endorsement from GWB?
The United States want President Obama, because he cares about giving every America a fair shot at the American dream.
I bet $10,000 Romney will use dressage horse riders for his ads.
love it
Now tell me that the democrats are smart if it takes pro athletes opinions to sway they votes. Gesh! What a sad bunch believing their own lies.
Really? Athletes on the campaign trail?
Wait until their accountants tell them how much will/have gone up.
I voted for Obama/Biden a week ago.
Well, first Obamalooney's campaign tapped the Hollywood phonies, now, of course he's going to tap Black sports figures.
Lately HE's so desperate; HE will probably "buy" Joe the Plumber and add him to his campaign rhetoric. Just like the idiotic/foolish garbage collector.
Is this the person (Obamaloney) America wants at the helm for four more years?! By the way, other than constantly calling Mr. Romney a liar; you don't hear the president calling him names like he used to do. As we all know, the tables were overturned in Obama's name calling. Now, it's left up to the campaign surrogates and confused/misguided Obamalooney supporters.
Does this MAN and his administration as well as campaign flunkies have any self respect left?! It appears NOT!!!
What a shocker!!! Good no more complaining about wealthy businesses doing the same for campaigns.