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Robert Gibbs Wears Canada Hockey Jersey, Makes Good on Olympic Bet
(Credit:
CBS)
White House press secretary emerged for his daily briefing in a Canada hockey jersey today, making good on a bet with Dimitri Soudas, spokesman for Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, on the outcome of the Olympic gold medal hockey games.
Canada won the women's game 2-0 over the United States and the men's game in overtime, meaning that Gibbs had to wear a Canada jersey during one of his on-camera briefings.
Soudas, Gibbs told reporters, is "somewhere several hindered miles north laughing."
Gibbs wore the jersey for a few minutes while making jokes with reporters. He noted that the number on the jersey, 39, was in honor of U.S. goalkeeper Ryan Miller, the tournament MVP.
He then took the Canada jersey off -- revealing that he was wearing a team USA jersey underneath it. The move prompted applause from some of the reporters. Gibbs proceeded to answer questions from reporters while wearing the Team USA jersey, which was #10 in honor of 2010.
At one point, a reporter asked Gibbs to take the jersey off, so that when he showed up on the nightly news it would not have to be explained why he was wearing a hockey jersey in a story about health care. That would look a little strange, the reporter said.
Gibbs kept the jersey on.
"It can't be any stranger than any of the other stuff I see on the news," he quipped.
(Credit:
CBS)
The reporter than shot back: "I'm just glad it was a hockey and not a wrestling bet."
(Gibbs did eventually remove the jersey, well into the briefing.)
Gibbs also announced that the White House has instructed the U.S. embassy to make arrangements to deliver one case of Molson Canadian beer and one case of Yuengling lager from Pottsville, Pennsylvania to Harper's office.
President Obama and the Canadian prime minister had wagered on the outcome of the men's hockey final.
"I'm sure Dimitri will take most of that home and consume it," joked Gibbs.
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Brian Montopoli Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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