Talk about an October surprise! Barack Obama seems to be co-opting America’s pastime as the election draws even closer. First came news that his 30-minute TV commercial buy for next Wednesday would push back the sixth game of the World Series (*if necessary). Now. he’s trying to ride the Rays bandwagon to a Florida victory by having some of the Red Sox-beating team up on stage with him at a rally in America’s wang. This is after already vowing to root for the Phillies after they won the NLCS. Well, at least he didn’t have to root for the Cubs. He would’ve never been able to show his face in Chi-town again.

Pitcher David Price will introduce Obama, according to his campaign. Outfielder Fernando Perez, and teammates Carl Crawford, Cliff Floyd, Jonny Gomes, B.J. Upton, Edwin Jackson, and Jason Bartlett will also appear on stage.

According to his prepared remarks, Obama kicks off his speech by congratulation the baseball team. The Illinois senator is campaigning in Florida until Tuesday. It remains to be seen if Obama is courting any endorsements from the Philadelphia Phillies, who the Rays will face in the series and who likewise represent a key battleground state.

Honestly we expected a “Piper’s Pit”-type situation with the Rays and Obama. For example, current golden boy David Price would introduce him, and when Obama started hitting the high notes of his speech, Price would rip off his jersey and show his “Ron Paul 08” t-shirt. Then Gomes would toss him a folding chair from the stage and Price would give him a good thwap across the back. That would be some good ol’ fashioned controversy in this election that doesn’t make half the country look like racists.

Obama: Equal opportunity fan [Politico]
Tampa Bay Rays Come Out for Obama [Wall Street Journal]
Image [AP]