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Autistic teen hoops star meets President Bush
ESPN ^ | Tuesday, March 14, 2006 | Associated Press

Posted on 03/14/2006 11:47:34 AM PST by MinorityRepublican

"Our country was captivated by an amazing story on the basketball court," the president told reporters gathered on the tarmac, his arm draped around the 17-year-old senior, with Air Force One, the presidential jet, in the background. "It's the story of a young man who found his touch on the basketball court, which in turn touched the hearts of citizens all around the country."

The president joked that if his aging body would let him return to the basketball court, he'd want a lesson from McElwain.

Because of his autism, McElwain didn't begin talking until he was 5 and still lacks some social skills. Despite suffering from the little understood developmental disorder, he has served as all-around motivator for the Greece Athena High School basketball team, in Greece, N.Y., a Rochester suburb.

Last month, the coach had him suit up for the final home game of the season and put him in with four minutes to go when the team opened a large lead. In his first and only appearance for the team, the 5-foot-6 manager hit six 3-point shots and a 2-pointer and was carried off the court on his teammates' shoulders.

The jaw-dropping performance was caught on a student video and made national news. His parents have received a flood of calls from Hollywood.

Bush said he learned about McElwain from seeing him on TV.

"I wept, just like a lot of other people did," he said, as McElwain beamed beside him.


TOPICS: Front Page News; US: New York
KEYWORDS: 43; autistic; basketball; bothsuchclass; bush; bushbestowsblessing; dubya; georgewbush; hoops; nothinbutneat; presidentbush; teen; w; wonderboy
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Jason McElwain, left, met President Bush when he visited Rochester, N.Y. on Tuesday.

1 posted on 03/14/2006 11:47:36 AM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

It's times like this when I'm proudest of my President. What a great honor for this young man.


2 posted on 03/14/2006 11:50:25 AM PST by demkicker (democrats and terrorists are familiar bedfellows)
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To: MinorityRepublican; b4its2late

How nice!!


3 posted on 03/14/2006 11:50:53 AM PST by lysie
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To: demkicker

COOL!


4 posted on 03/14/2006 11:51:27 AM PST by mlc9852
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To: lysie

Why can't we get more happy stories from the media?


5 posted on 03/14/2006 11:52:24 AM PST by princess leah
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To: MinorityRepublican

Bump for Bush.


6 posted on 03/14/2006 11:53:23 AM PST by jamaly (I evacuate early and often!)
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To: princess leah
Why can't we get more happy stories from the media?

But CNN said that Bush is evil?

7 posted on 03/14/2006 11:53:45 AM PST by MinorityRepublican (everyone that doesn't like what America and President Bush has done for Iraq can all go to HELL)
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To: MinorityRepublican

What's wrong with this picture? It seems blurry, all of a sudden...or is it my monitor?


8 posted on 03/14/2006 11:55:01 AM PST by Christian4Bush (I'd much rather hunt with Dick Cheney than ride with Ted Kennedy.)
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To: princess leah

I know...I know.


9 posted on 03/14/2006 11:55:17 AM PST by lysie
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To: MinorityRepublican


This story is all over the internet.
10 posted on 03/14/2006 11:57:09 AM PST by Republican Red ("How good is it? Al-Jazeera gave it 4 1/2 pipe bombs")
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To: Republican Red

Forgot to post the article that came with the picture:

http://www.13wham.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=60B1BAE4-53A0-4758-829D-1B6EBAED26BC

13WHAM's Doug Emblidge reported that part of their conversation went something like this:

President Bush: "I am very honored to meet you Jason, can I call you J-Mac?"

J-Mac: "Yes, sir."

President Bush: "You can call me George W."


11 posted on 03/14/2006 11:58:37 AM PST by Republican Red ("How good is it? Al-Jazeera gave it 4 1/2 pipe bombs")
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To: MinorityRepublican
Last month, the coach had him suit up for the final home game of the season and put him in with four minutes to go when the team opened a large lead. In his first and only appearance for the team, the 5-foot-6 manager hit six 3-point shots and a 2-pointer and was carried off the court on his teammates' shoulders.

Coach should've been suiting him up long before the final game.
Kudos to GWB.

12 posted on 03/14/2006 12:02:05 PM PST by jla
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To: Republican Red

He's an awfully tall 5'6" since President Bush is 5'11" and they seem about 1/2 inch apart.


13 posted on 03/14/2006 12:02:10 PM PST by marlon
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To: MinorityRepublican

What a great picture of this good man.


14 posted on 03/14/2006 12:04:10 PM PST by MJemison
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To: MinorityRepublican

What a great picture of this good man.


15 posted on 03/14/2006 12:05:27 PM PST by MJemison
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To: MinorityRepublican

Thanks for posting that wonderful story.


16 posted on 03/14/2006 12:11:00 PM PST by Cathy
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To: princess leah

They want to keep quiet any idea that Bush is a good man.


17 posted on 03/14/2006 12:11:16 PM PST by Ohioan from Florida (The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.- Edmund Burke)
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To: Republican Red

In Sharon Rocha's book about Laci Peterson, when she met President Bush for the signing of Laci's law ( I think that is what it was) he said the same thing to her..."I'm George W"


18 posted on 03/14/2006 12:16:23 PM PST by merry10
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To: MinorityRepublican

The posting NAZIS are coming--just wait! They hate this story, but I congratulate you for posting GOOD NEWS!


19 posted on 03/14/2006 12:26:55 PM PST by notaliberal
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To: MinorityRepublican

New making of Men In Black??? Staring Bush and the Kid.


20 posted on 03/14/2006 12:28:57 PM PST by RetiredArmy (Democrats: The communist, socialist, and Al Qaeda loving party of America.)
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