U.S. President Barack Obama called New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez' admission that he used steroids "depressing news" that tarnishes an entire era of Major League Baseball (MLB) here on Monday.

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during his first news conference as president in the East Room of the White House in Washington Feb. 9, 2009.

"I think it's depressing news on top of what has been a flurry of depressing items when it comes to Major League Baseball," Obama said in his first prime time news conference. "It tarnishes an entire era, to some degree."

The president added that the usage of performance enhancing drugs was a shame, because some baseball players no doubt played it clean. He also said it sent a bad message to children.

"Our kids hopefully are watching and saying, you know what, there are no shortcuts. That when you try to take shortcuts you may end up tarnishing your entire career," said Obama.

The three-time AL MVP winner in the latest five seasons with the New York Yankees admitted Monday that he used banned substances while playing with the Texas Rangers from 2001-03.

Sports Illustrated reported on Saturday that Rodriguez, baseball's highest-paid player, had flunked a drug test for steroid in 2003.

Rodriguez joins a growing list of big name, drug-tainted stars that includes Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Roger Clemens and Rafael Palmeiro.

Obama is hardly the first politician to criticize performance enhancing drugs in professional baseball. His predecessor, George Bush, called for an end to steroid use in his 2004 State of the Union address.