Lisa Bluder appreciates the sentiment, but she wouldn’t accept Dr. Jill Biden’s invitation — even if it were still on the table.
The first lady walked back her controversial invite of both Bluder’s Iowa Hawkeyes team and the NCAA champion LSU Lady Tigers to the White House after receiving blowback.
Bluder, however, extended an invitation of her own.
“I gratefully acknowledge the First Lady’s sentiments, but a day at the White House should belong solely to the champion, LSU and Coach Mulkey,” Bluder tweeted Tuesday. “We would welcome the First Lady and President to come to Iowa’s ‘House’ — Carver Hawkeye Arena — any time!”
Biden, who was in attendance for LSU’s 102-85 win over Iowa, suggested both team come to Washington D.C., which had been pooh-poohed by voices around both squads.
Traditionally, only winners are invited to the White House, though a spokesperson attempted to clarify Biden’s comments.
“The First Lady loved watching the NCAA women’s basketball championship game alongside young student athletes and admires how far women have advanced in sports since the passing of Title IX,” Vanessa Valdivia, press secretary for the first lady tweeted Tuesday. “Her comments in Colorado were intended to applaud the historic game and all women athletes.
“She looks forward to celebrating the LSU Tigers on their championship win at the White House.”
President Joe Biden did officially extend an White House invite to LSU, as well as men’s champion UConn on Tuesday, with the dates to be determined — and no mention of Iowa.
“We can all learn a lot from watching these champions compete,” he said, “and I look forward to welcoming them at each of their White House visits.”
Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark, who captivated the sports world with her Herculean efforts and trash-talking, told ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” on Tuesday that she wouldn’t be making a trip.
“I think LSU should enjoy that moment for them, and congratulations obviously,” Clark said. “They deserve to go there. Maybe I could go to the White House on different terms. That’s for LSU.
“That’s a pretty cool moment and they should enjoy every second of being a champion.”
LSU star Angel Reese, who famously taunted Clark with John Cena’s “You can’t see me” hand gesture after Clark had used it against Louisville earlier in the NCAA tournament, called Biden’s attempt to invite both teams “a joke” on Monday.
On Tuesday, she explained her feelings on the “Paper Route” podcast, saying she’s not sure she’ll accept the President’s invitation.
“If we were to lose, we would not be getting invited to the White House,” Reese said. “Remember she made a comment about how both teams should be invited because of sportsmanship. I’m like, ‘Are you saying that because of what I did?’