BALTIMORE — In the Yankees’ high-profile universe, Jean Afterman easily moves through time under the radar.
Until Monday at the White House, that is. That’s when the team’s assistant general manager busted President Obama’s chops just as the most powerful man in the world was about to touch the World Series trophy. Now, everybody knows who Afterman is.
“I just want to say I am a huge supporter of the president, I campaigned for him, voted for him and donated money to his campaign,” Afterman said prior to last night’s Yankee-Oriole game at Camden Yards.
Monday, as Obama, a White Sox fan, was getting ready to handle the trophy, Afterman blurted out, “Do you want to hold it? You might not get another chance.”
Obama, who mentioned the White Sox earlier in the ceremony, fired back, “And you wonder why other teams don’t root for you.”
Afterman knew immediately she shouldn’t have said what she did.
“You mean aside from tremendous remorse?” Afterman said when asked what her thoughts were when the words leaked out. “Within a nanosecond, it was ‘oops.’ My biggest concern is that it would be misinterpreted as a political statement. I am a huge supporter.”