Is Obama a UK fan or a Kentucky fan?

What an honor it was Tuesday for President Obama to call the UK basketball team and congratulate them for the money it raised for the efforts in Haiti. UK basketball is riding high again at the top of the college basketball world and deserves the president's kudos for another job well done.

As I watched the replay of the call on TV, however, I couldn't help but think about the irony of it. President Obama lost big in Kentucky to John McCain, his environmental policies threaten Kentucky coal, its corresponding low electricity rates and economic competitiveness. Plus, Obama's chief antagonist in the Senate is, of course, Kentucky's Mitch McConnell. To add to the irony, Lexington Congressman Ben Chandler joined the president in the call. Chandler's vote for the liberal and controversial cap and trade bill in the House soiled him badly in his home district and promptly stripped him of his previous "unbeatable" status.

Make no mistake. The call to the UK squad and Coach Cal from Obama was very appropriate (and perhaps a precursor to another congratulatory call later this spring). UK basketball is bigger than politics and is probably at least one thing Governor Beshear and Senator David Williams agree upon. Still, I couldn't help but smile at how the president shined a positive light on Kentucky for a few moments; at the same time, many don't think his environmental priorities are positive for the state in any way.

Note: I wrote this prior to UK's loss to South Carolina on Tuesday night.