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Obama Taps Rooney As Ambassador To Ireland

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Mar 17, 2009 8:06 pm US/Eastern

Obama Taps Rooney As Ambassador To Ireland

WASHINGTON (KDKA/AP) ― President Barack Obama has tapped Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney to be U.S. ambassador to Ireland.

The 76-year-old Rooney is a lifelong Republican who endorsed Obama during Pennsylvania's contentious Democratic primary.

He later campaigned for him in Steelers country in western Pennsylvania.

Rooney's father, Arthur J. Rooney, founded the team in 1933.

Dan Rooney took over the presidency of the team in 1975 and is a Hall of Fame owner.

His Steelers won the Super Bowl this year.

The "Rooney Rule," which requires any team with a head coaching vacancy to interview at least one minority candidate, was developed by an NFL committee Rooney chaired.

Rooney has received the American Ireland Fund's lifetime achievement award.

Dan Rooney's son Art Rooney II released this statement this afternoon:

"We are all extremely happy for my father to possibly have the opportunity to be considered to serve our country as Ambassador to Ireland. If selected, he will do an outstanding job.

"Our operations at the Steelers will continue as they have in the past. Right now our focus is on the upcoming NFL Draft, and Kevin Colbert and his staff are preparing for that. Our offseason program has begun, which means Mike Tomlin and his staff have already started to work with the players toward putting together the team that will represent the Steelers in 2009.

"This is an exciting time for my father and for the Steelers. Our goal, as it is every year, is to win another Super Bowl championship."

Stay with KDKA for more on this story.

(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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