President Obama received 12 stitches in his lip today after being elbowed during a basketball game at Fort McNair with personal aide Reggie Love and members of his family.
Press Secretary Robert Gibbs issued the following statement:
After being inadvertently hit with an opposing player’s elbow in the lip while playing basketball with friends and family, the President received 12 stitches today administered by the White House Medical Unit. They were done in the doctor’s office located on the ground floor of the White House.
The president was given a local anesthetic before being stitched up.
[TPM SLIDESHOW: Obama’s Wide World Of Sports]
The elbower has not yet been identified — though CNN reports that it was not Love.
Late Update: The White House announced that it was Rey Decerega, the director of programs for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, who elbowed Obama in the upper lip.
Decerega released this statement:
I learned today the president is both a tough competitor and a good sport. I enjoyed playing basketball with him this morning. I’m sure he’ll be back out on the court again soon.
The elbowing occurred in the fifth of five games played and, according to the White House, Decerega “turned into POTUS, who was playing defense, to take a shot when the elbow hit the President in the mouth.”
