Press Divided Into ‘Cubs’ and ‘Sox’ Ahead of Presser

Anticipating this afternoon’s press conference, President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team divided the seating for members of the media in the Hilton Chicago’s ballroom into two sections mirroring the Windy City’s two baseball teams.

On the north end of the ballroom is the “Cubs” section, while the south end is full of “White Sox” reporters. Chicago’s fans are often geographically divided, with Cubs fan residing in the city’s north and Sox fans hailing from the city’s south side. Obama, whose Hyde Park neighborhood is south of downtown Chicago, is a dedicated follower of the White Sox, and is often known to sport a Sox cap.

“But in a crime against nature, your pooler–a genuine White Sox fan, a man who attended his first twi-night double header at the Old Comiskey in 1963, who sat behind third base for the 50th anniversary All Star Game there in ’83, who knew Bill Veeck and the wonders of Disco Demolition night, who saw the great Ozzie play before he managed–has been assigned a seat in the Cubs section,” wrote McClatchy’s Steve Thomma, who reported the division of the press today.

–Michael O’Brien