Obama and Cameron watch basketball game
  • 12 years ago
ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION)

U.S. President Barack Obama welcomed British Prime Minister David Cameron by taking him to a basketball game.

The two leaders spent the first evening of Cameron's three-day visit watching the opening game in the March Madness Tournament in Dayton, Ohio.

It was a match between the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils and Western Kentucky Hilltoppers.

At half-time, with Mississippi Valley enjoying a 23-19 lead, Obama and Cameron walked on to the court to be interviewed by CBS basketball correspondent and former pro player Clark Kellogg.

"I've got to say both teams are shooting terribly and maybe nerves. These are not teams that usually end up coming to the tournament. Some of this is going to be someone getting a few outside shots to open things up. It's real clogged in the middle," said Obama.

The prime minister said he was enjoying his first time at a basketball game, but admitted trouble understanding parts of the sport.

"I'm enjoying it. It's fast, it's pretty fast and furious. It's hard to follow sometimes exactly who's done what wrong," Cameron told Kellogg.

Cameron said the U.S. president had given him tips on how to follow basketball, while Obama said Cameron was going to teach him cricket.

"He's giving me some tips. He's going to help me fill out my bracket", referring to the numerous office pools that circulate in the U.S.

Obama quipped back: "He's going to teach me cricket. Because I don't understand what's going on with that game," replied Cameron when asked if the president was helping him.

Cameron said he saw "a lot of similarities" with football, but admitted that basketball was "very fast".

During the interview, Cameron also talked of excitement about the forthcoming Olympic Games in London and stressed that "everything is ready to go".

"We're very excited about it. We're going to be rolling out the red carpet to the whole world. Everything is on time, on budget, all the stadiums are built, everything is ready to go. We're just ready to welcome a lot of people to London. My message to people is to come, come and visit, come and see the Olympics and come and stay," he said.

The March Madness tournament runs through April 2 with the final in New Orleans.
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