World Champ Celtics Honored at White House
BASKETBALL
The Keene Sentinel
Joe Vines
Boston University Washington News Service
September 19, 2008
WASHINGTON− The 2008 NBA Champion Boston Celtics were honored by President George W. Bush in the East Room of the White House Friday, commemorating the franchise’s first championship since 1986.
“So, Celtic pride is back,” Bush said to a crowd of approximately 150 guests and members of Congress. “I went to school up there and those were the days the Celtics were awesome.”
Bush then spoke of Boston’s three stars, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, but emphasized that winning a championship involves the entire team. “You might recall, I was the owner of a baseball team, and I never knew what this felt like,” Bush quipped.
”And Doc Rivers, this guy can coach,” Bush said of the Boston head coach. Bush previously met Rivers when Rivers was a coach with the San Antonio Spurs and Bush was governor of Texas.
Following Bush’s speech, the team, dressed-to-impress in expensive-looking suits, had their picture taken with the President. “Mr. President, we just want to say it’s truly an honor to be here today,” said Celtics captain Paul Pierce. Pierce then presented the 43rd president with a basketball signed by the entire team and a number 43 team jersey.
Pierce also presented the President with a check for $100,000 made out to the Red Cross for the victims of Hurricane Ike, which ravaged Bush’s home state of Texas last week. The money was donated by the Shamrock Foundation and the Heroes Among Us program, a community outreach initiative established by the Celtics in 1997, according to the team’s Web site.
“We’re definitely honored to be here today. [The Celtics] treat us very well,” said Seaman Brian M. Brooks. Brooks, 29, of Jacksonville, N.C., is stationed on the USS Constitution in Boston. He said he was a member of the military color guard for some of the Celtics home playoff games. “It was definitely an honor to do that for the Celtics,” he said. “It’s kind of intense. The spotlight’s on the singer and you.”
“It was kind of surreal,” Celtics forward Kevin Garnett said following the ceremony. Garnett said he enjoys playing for the Celtics and team General Manager Danny Ainge. “I think as a player I probably didn’t appreciate it as much,” Ainge said, speaking about visiting President Ronald Reagan, after winning an NBA championship as a player with the Celtics in 1986.
With their 131-92 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in game six, the Boston Celtics earned the franchise’s 17th world championship, the most championships by a franchise in NBA history.
The ceremony marked the final time President Bush will welcome an NBA championship team to the White House. “Should you win next year, you can find me in Texas,” he said.
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PROTESTS
The New Bedford Standard-Times
Courtney Hime
Boston University Washington News Service
September 18, 2008
WASHINGTON – Fifteen advocates for the rights of disabled persons were arrested in U.S. Rep. Barney Frank’s office Tuesday after trying to get his endorsement of their housing agenda.
Randy Alexander, an organizer for ADAPT, said his organization advocates for individuals with disabilities being allowed to live in their communities rather than in nursing homes. The group was in Washington hoping to gain support for their housing agenda, which calls for accessible, affordable, integrated housing, Alexander said.
ADAPT members met in Rep. Frank’s office because they believed the congressman had previously committed to acquiring 500 housing vouchers for people transitioning out of nursing homes and failed on his commitment, Alexander said.
Rep. Frank said the Financial Services Committee never had control over acquiring the vouchers. That responsibility, he said, fell to the House Appropriations Committee.
“To the extent that my committee could vote for the vouchers, we did,” he said, “but I never promised that I would get them.”
Despite the unmet commitment, Alexander said the group was primarily gathering Tuesday for the congressman’s endorsement.
“The folks that went into his office asked for him to support our platform,” he said. “Didn’t ask him to pass anything; didn’t ask for money.”
Bruce Darling, of Rochester, N.Y., was one of the 15 arrested in Rep. Frank’s office. Darling said the group requested to speak to the congressman but were told he was unavailable. When they refused to leave, Darling said the congressman suddenly appeared and began yelling.
“It felt more like he was lecturing us as opposed to looking at the platform,” he said.
Though Rep. Frank said he is in favor of the platform, he said he still told the group to leave because they were being disruptive. When they refused, he asked the Capitol Police to arrest them.
ADAPT members also were arrested in the offices of Sens. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., and Richard Shelby, R-Ala., chairman and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Including the 15 in Frank’s office, a total of 52 persons were arrested.
Sgt. Kimberly Schneider, spokeswoman for the Capitol Police, said all of the arrestees were charged with unlawful assembly. While some were held longer than others, all were released on Tuesday.
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