President Barack Obama welcomed the Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers to the White House on Friday. Credit: Olivier Douliery

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The most powerful Bears fan in the world welcomed the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers to the White House on Friday, telling the team and its fans, "This hurts a little bit."

"It doesn't hurt as much as the NFC Championship game, but it still hurts," President Barack Obama said. "You guys coming into my house to rub it in. What are you going to do, go to Ditka's house next?"

Delayed by the lengthy NFL lockout, the traditional White House victory lap came roughly half a year after the team's Super Bowl victory. On the way to the title, the Packers had knocked off the president's hometown Chicago Bears, giving Friday's event that extra spice unique to a deeply embedded sports rivalry.

The president extolled the special history of Green Bay football, praised Packers stars and management, and "in the interests of good sportsmanship," congratulated the team on its fourth Super Bowl win.

Aaron Rodgers gave the chief executive a green and gold jersey with the number "1" and the name "Commander in Chief" on it, and Charles Woodson presented him with a share of Packers stock.

"It hurts us a little bit to give you this as well," quipped Woodson.

Obama said, "If I'm part owner (now) . . . I think we should initiate a trade and send Rodgers down to the Bears,'' drawing mock boos from an audience of mostly Wisconsin guests and VIPs.

Woodson interjected, "Minority owner."

That sort of gentle trash-talking was the rule Friday on the hot and sun-drenched South Lawn. Obama told the Packers to enjoy their Super Bowl win "while it lasts" because Bears fans have two dates circled on their calendar this season.

He also told them: "If you guys are on a roll by then, just keep in mind there's only one person here who can ground all planes in and out of Green Bay if he has to."

During the playoffs, the president had made it clear he was only going to the Super Bowl if the Bears were playing in it. After beating the Bears, Woodson delivered a memorable locker-room pep talk, telling teammates: "Check this out. The president don't want to come watch us at the Super Bowl. Guess what? We're going to see him."

On a January trip to Wisconsin just after the Packers-Bears game, Obama was presented with a Woodson jersey signed by the star player and inscribed with the prediction: "See you at the White House. Go Packers."

Obama recounted that history Friday.

"I've now learned something that every NFL quarterback knows too well. Don't mess with Charles Woodson," said Obama, who also lavishly praised Rodgers, saying he's "not just one of the best quarterbacks in the game, he's one of the best quarterbacks perhaps of all time."

The timing of the trip meant that some players who were part of the Super Bowl win but have since gone to other teams - such as Cullen Jenkins and Brandon Jackson - weren't there. And others who arrived after the Super Bowl win (rookies and free agents) got to attend the ceremony, though more as spectators than participants.

The Packers did include players who are gone from the team but aren't playing elsewhere, such as Mark Tauscher and Matt Wilhelm.

Linebacker Desmond Bishop wrote on his Twitter account that he was not able to attend because he left his identification on the airplane. Packers officials confirmed that he did not attend. "Just found some extra motivation" to be back next year, wrote Bishop.

The Packers planned to head to Cleveland from D.C. for their first exhibition game Saturday.

Among those in the audience for the celebration were a number of Democratic politicians and party insiders, including ex-Gov. Jim Doyle, Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele and state legislators Peter Barca, Jon Erpenbach, Mark Miller and Dave Hansen. Several Wisconsin mayors attended, including Jim Schmitt of Green Bay. GOP Gov. Scott Walker was invited but couldn't attend because of a scheduling conflict. The governor had a reception in Madison on Friday with 300 families of organ donors.

Also in attendance were the two Democratic winners in Tuesday's state Senate recall elections, state Rep. Jennifer Schilling of La Crosse and Oshkosh deputy mayor Jessica King.

A Democratic official said lawmakers paid their own way to the ceremony.

Woodson, Rodgers, Coach Mike McCarthy and team President Mark Murphy talked to Wisconsin reporters afterward inside the Diplomatic Reception Room at the White House, saying they were honored to be there.

McCarthy said it was his first trip to the White House. Rodgers said it was his second; he said he met Obama on an earlier trip to D.C. to play the Redskins, and "as a history major" it's a "special experience."

Rodgers also said he didn't expect Obama to make a big display of his new Packers jersey.

Given all the college and pro teams that have probably presented the president with jerseys, Rodgers said, "I'm not sure this one is going to make a wall or even a first storage unit; it might be one of the backup storage units."