Barack Obama, Mitt Romney Talk Kevin Youkilis Trade Etiquette

The Boston Red Sox might have created a split between not only fans and those who cover the team with their trade of Kevin Youkilis to the White Sox, but also created a new item for the current President and presidential hopeful to debate. Who says baseball isn't still the national pastime?

President Barack Obama was speaking in Boston on Monday, and was booed after quipping about the trade, thanking the city and its fans for sending Youk to Obama's White Sox.

Listen closely, maybe a few of those boos were actually "Youuuuuuuuuk". This was a mostly innocent gesture, with the President reminding everyone he's a sports fan, and needling a crowd that might still be a bit stung by the loss of the long-time Sox slugger. Funny on its own, but it became funnier. Or sadder. That decision lies with you.

Mitt Romney, who is running against Obama in this year's election, spoke up in response:

Mitt Romney's campaign is chiding President Barack Obama this morning for being insensitive to Boston Red Sox fans ... the Romney campaign said Obama "went to the heart of Red Sox nation and committed an error." It added that Obama "chose to mock them for trading away one of its favorite players at a time when the team is struggling"

Politics are a big deal, and trying to get any advantage you can over your opponents can tend to get a little silly, as it did here. Honestly, anyone who changes their vote based on Obama teasing people about Youkilis -- even during such an emotionally-sensitive state as this, with a team that's in the playoff race despite not having all of its best players around all season -- might need to do some brushing up on the actual issues. Like how Obama and Romney feel about Franklin Morales sticking in the rotation when the injured starters return, or if Will Middlebrooks has taken the leap and become the elite-level prospect his Pawtucket hinted he might be, or maybe give us their thoughts on raising the luxury tax. Hard-hitting realities of life, those are.

Now, if Obama wants to start trashing Rajon Rondo for not being Derrick Rose, then maybe we'll have a problem with the Chicagoan.