Obama playing basketball with cabinet, House members

WASHINGTON–Hoopster President Obama plays basketball Thursday with several cabinet secretaries– Arne Duncan one of them–and House members, including John Shimkus (R-Ill.)

The White House basketball court, on the South Lawn, will be getting a workout. Earlier in the day, Obama will take in a game with the National Naval Medical Center Marine Wounded Warrior basketball team.

The evening game includes 11 male House members and four male members of the Obama cabinet HUD’s Shaun Donovan; Education’s Duncan; Treasury’s Tim Geithner and Interior’s Ken Salazar.

The House line-up is heavily tilted towards Democrats–nine vs. two Republicans on the court. Some of those Dems are considered swing votes. The game is social–the invites went to guys who may have mentioned to White House staff they would love to play Obama–but don’t be surprised, I was told, if some business gets done on the court.