MANNY, JINKEE TO MEET PRESIDENT OBAMA AND FIRST LADY
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 08 Feb 2011
Pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao and wife Jinkee will meet US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House on February 15.
The Inquirer understands that the courtesy call on the US president was arranged by influential former US Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid.
Pacquiao campaigned in the last senatorial elections in Nevada and was believed to have helped Reid win a close contest by the swing votes of Filipino-Americans when Pacquiao spoke at a major rally in Las Vegas in the final stages of the campaign.
ABS-CBN's Dyan Castillejo reported that Pacquiao himself told her that he and wife Jinkee had received an invitation to meet with President Obama and the First Lady. However, the Inquirer understands that no other member of Team Pacquiao will join the meeting with the US President.
Castillejo quoted Pacquiao as saying he was "excited because my dream was to face President Obama and to talk to him." He told ABS-CBN he would ask Obama to help provide assistance in bringing progress to Sarangani province which Pacquiao represents in the Philippine congress.
Pacquiao also told PEP (the Philippine Entertainment Portal) that his heart was full to realize that Obama knew him and added "no matter where I go I carry our country's name."
Pacquiao will become the first Filipino boxer to enter the White House and it is not everybody who could be invited to the White House to meet with the US President. Pacquiao pointed out Obama is one of the most important people in the world.
He said his wife Jinkee was truly excited and could hardly believe that they would visit Washington D.C and meet the US President.
Pacquiao was quoted as saying he doesn't know what he will say or do when they are ushered in to see Obama and the First Lady. He said no matter what happens he hoped he wouldn't be nervous.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum who has been a close and longtime friend of senator Reid said he was "not allowed to talk about the meeting with President Obama" which is understandable as a matter of protocol since the announcement should be made by the White House and the State Department.
Meantime, Arum was ecstatic over the fact that tickets for the May 7 WBO welterweight title defense of Pacquiao against former champion Shane Mosley had "all gone."
The astute promoter who switched from HBO Sports to Showtime which is owned by the
CBS network told the Inquirer "the whole connection with CBS has been unbelievable." Arum said he expects the May 7 nfight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena to "turn in the biggest numbers he (Pacquiao) has ever done" on pay-per-view.
While HBO is linked to 26 million homes, CBS reaches 115 million and its broad-based programming is expected to spotlight both Pacquiao and Jinkee in various shows that would solidify Pacquiao's position as a crossover star.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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