Ohio lawmakers razz Bush over OSU win

President Bush was on Capitol Hill today for a closed-door meeting with House Republicans about the war on terror. But what started off as a serious policy discussion erupted in laughter when a group of Ohio lawmakers decked out in school colors ribbed the former Texas governor for Ohio State’s 24-7 trouncing of UT last weekend.

“There’s nothing like poor winners,” Rep. Mike Oxley said he recalled the president saying. The game last Saturday had pitted the No. 1-ranked Buckeyes against the No. 2-ranked Longhorns in a game that drew national attention.

Oxley, an OSU law school alum from Findlay, and Rep. Pat Tiberi, an OSU alum from Columbus, burst into conspiratorial chuckles when asked how the meeting went.

“Show her your hat,” Oxley said to Tiberi, who pulled out a dark blue baseball cap with a big white ‘O’ emblazoned on it. “He's still bitter about Ohio State beating Texas,” Tiberi said.

Oxley said Rep. Deborah Pryce of Upper Arlington, also an OSU alum, wore a gray and scarlet suit with a necklace of buckeyes. Others in the delegation wore red and gray striped ties.

“It was well orchestrated. It was a conspiracy by the Ohio delegation,” Oxley said. Asked if the president noticed, Oxley laughed: “Oh yeah. It wasn't very subtle.”

He said the group presented Bush with an Ohio State flag and a pom-pom.

The president's reaction? “He said ‘Ohio State whupped us good,’” Oxley said. “I guess that's an old Texas saying.”

(Thanks to Kathy Kiely of USA Today for passing along this story!)