What Refusing To Fill Out A March Madness Bracket Says About Trump As A President

The past two weeks of March Madness have brought the usual crowded sports bars, office pools, and buzzer beaters. But this year has been a bit different. For the first time since 2008, the president of the United States has decided not to join in the fun and submit a bracket.

For eight years as president, Barack Obama appeared on ESPN to reveal his picks in both the men’s and women’s college basketball tournaments.  It was light-hearted and self-deprecating. Obama would lament his busted bracket from the year before, play favorites with a school that had a personal connection to him, and toss out some corny dad jokes. All around the country, sports fans would then compare their brackets to the president’s picks.