As the game of political basketball escalates, former president George H.W. Bush has joined the fray in offering up his March Madness bracket.
The nation's 41st president revealed a slight home state bias in picking the West Region's No. 7 seed, Texas A&M, as this year's NCAA Men's tournament champions.
Bush, 93, holds an honorary degree from Texas A&M and his presidential library is located on the school's campus in College Station.
Tweeting with the Aggies' hashtag #GigEm, Bush noted his differences with 44th president Barack Obama, who went with Michigan State when he revealed his bracket on Wednesday.
Obama later tweeted Thursday: "41: I like the competition. And the loyalty to the home team. - 44"
Bush has A&M knocking off the West's top three seeds — No. 3 Michigan, No. 2 North Carolina and No. 1 Xavier — to reach the Final Four, then defeating top seeds Virginia and Villanova to win the title. A feat, to be sure.
And let's not forget where the Final Four is — San Antonio.
One of Obama's upset picks — Loyola-Chicago — knocked off Miami earlier Thursday, with a little help from a 98-year-old nun.
President Trump declined to fill out a bracket last year and isn't expected to this year either — although a recent poll suggested many Americans would welcome it.
Follow Steve Gardner on Twitter @SteveAGardner
