March 16--President Obama is announcing more than one big decision on Wednesday.
Hours before he planned on revealing his nomination for the Supreme Court vacancy, Obama let the U.S. know who he's picking to win the NCAA men's basketball tournament.
He's going with Kansas ... again.
"Bill Self owes me," Obama said of the Jayhawks coach while filling out his bracket on ESPN. "I'm putting Kansas in here. Coach, I'm just teasing. I'm not putting pressure on you. But I think the Jayhawks in a squeaker get past UNC."
Obama must be hoping the third time's a charm with the Jayhawks -- he incorrectly picked them to go all the way in 2010 and 2011. The president hasn't chosen the eventual winner since going with North Carolina in 2009, his first year in office.
In addition to the Jayhawks and Tar Heels, the top seeds in the South and East regions, Obama has Texas A, the No. 3 seed in the West, and Michigan State, the No. 2 seed in the Midwest, in his Final Four.
"I have a tendency to pick the coach as much as anything, because typically these days, with one and done, what you see is continuity with the program," Obama said. "Coach K [Mike Krzyzewski] or Coach [Tom] Izzo or Coach Self, Coach [John] Calipari, they know how to take even their blue-chip freshmen and mold them, so that by the time the tournament comes around, they're ready.
"I haven't always picked the right top four teams, but typically it's been one of the top teams that's ended up winning the tournament."
His biggest upset of the first round is Hawaii, a No. 13 seed from his home state, knocking off California, a No. 4 seed.
