Hillary invites Eskin to White House

When a sports-talk host lands a presidential candidate as a guest - as Howard Eskin did late yesterday afternoon - interesting moments can arise.

Witness the two recent exchanges between WIP's Angelo Cataldi and Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

During the first one, the Illinois senator described his grandmother as a "typical white person," a phrase that irritated some people, including WIP afternoon host Howard Eskin.

The second time, Cataldi got Obama to say he'd rather be Dr. J in his prime than president.

Yesterday, afternoon host Howard Eskin, known for being tough on sports decision-makers like Phils manager Charlie Manuel, lobbed softballs at Hillary Clinton.

His first question: "Am I permitted to call you Hillary?"

"Compared to some of the things that I'm called, Howard, this is a nice change," she quipped.

His last question: "Now that we're friends, when you become president of the United States of America, can I get an invitation just to visit the White House?"

"You bet," she said, though not exactly agreeing to a date for dinner. "You know, we're going to have times when we get a lot of radio commentators and guys with shows like yours to come and broadcast out of the White House. We're definitely going to open the White House back up again. It's been kind of closed down under President Bush."

In response to most questions, she delivered the expected answers, staying on message about bringing experience, working hard, caring about working people, and expressing optimism the country can get back on track.

Eskin, an unabashed Clinton-backer, worked knocks against Obama into his question, mentioning the "typical white person" remark, Obama's controversial former pastor, his alleged ties to indicted businessman Tony Rezco, and the Illinois senator's recent remark that small-town people "cling" to religion and guns because they're "bitter" about their economic situations.

Clinton said the people she's talked with in Pennsylvania were offended by the religion and guns remark.

"I don't think that people in small towns cling to religion," she said. "They embrace it. It's a part of who they are."

Eskin got Clinton to chuckle as he mocked Obama for comparing her to legendary cowgirl Annie Oakley. "He's trying to reach out to young people and they don't even know who Annie Oakley is," he said.

Clinton generally focused on her strengths more than any flaws her opponent might have, though she did say John McCain, the likely Republican nominee, has admitted being no economics expert.

Eskin did work in a little sports, asking if it's tough to be a politician in New York, which has the Giants and the Jets, the Yankees and the Mets.

She said started rooting for the Yankees as young girl in Chicago because she liked Mickey Mantle, and recalls her father giving her batting lessons on the backyard.

As for the guy who buried a Red Sox jersey at the new Yankee Stadium, "when I read that, I burst out laughing," she said. "That was some brave construction worker."

She also told him not to forget New York also has the Buffalo Bills.

Her parents were her role models, and "I really admire Eleanor Roosevelt," she said.

"I wish you the best of luck, and don't back down!" was a closing Eskin comment. "DO NOT BACK DOWN!"

"I'm not going to," she said. "I'm a fighter. That's the way I was raised. This country's worth fighting for, Howard."

"All right, say hello to Bill for me, too, would you please?"

"I will. You got it."