Sunday Special: A Busy Day for the Obama Family By Mary Compton from ABC NEWS on Nov 26, 2011

 

(JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)

Between hitting  the hardwood himself  and taking in a college basketball game with his family today, President Obama managed to wedge in something a bit more cerebral — a bookstore shopping spree with daughters Sasha and Malia.

The president, browsing the shelves at Kramer Books, a popular Washington, D.C., bookstore, with his daughters, said told fellow customers he was supporting Small Business Saturday, a day in which shoppers are encouraged to visit local small businesses after the frenzy over deals offered on Black Friday by department stores and large chain stores.

Obama, Malia and Sasha came away with a stack of books, including: “The Invention of Hugo Cabret,” “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever,” “Tails,” “The Tiger’s Wife,” “The Phantom Tollbooth,” “Zen Shorts,” and ” The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.”

Obama also purchased “Descent into Chaos: the United States and the Failure of Nation Building in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asia.”

The president was asked how he felt about personal aide Reggie Love’s departure at the end of the year.

“We’re sad to see Reggie go,” Obama said, “but he’s doing the right thing. He’s going to finish his education and as you can see, we’re still getting a little basketball in.”

Love was among those who played basketball with the president earlier in the day.
The president began his day with a trip to Fort McNair for a quick game of basketball. When a reporter asked what he thought of tentative NBA deal to end the ongoing strike between players and management, Obama gave — dressed in sweatpants, a black windbreaker and a White Sox hat — a thumbs up and said “Good deal.”

In the afternoon, the Obama family, along with mother-in-law Marian Robinson, attended the Towson University-Oregon State University men’s basketball game in Towson, Md. Michelle Obama’s brother, Craig Robinson, coaches the OSU Beavers. The OSU Thanksgiving weekend game has become a bit of a tradition for the Obamas — in 2009, they watched the Beavers defeat the George Washington University Colonials 64-57 and, in 2010, the Howard University Bison 84-74.
Clad in lots of orange and black the first family sat together in the stands. It was a casual day out for the first lady, who wore who black leather Chuck Taylor sneakers and an OSU T-shirt. The president had a hot dog at half-time.

Also attending the game were Education Secretary and Arne Duncan and comedian Bill Murray, who spent time chatting with the president.

Happily for the Obama family, Oregon State romped over Towson 66-46.

The president has had a busy Thanksgiving weekend thus far, hosting roughly 50 family members and friends for dinner on Thursday and playing a round of golf Friday.

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