Obama cracks about "waterheads" (cracks about disabled persons even worse than thought)

Wall Street Journal ^ | MARCH 20, 2009 | White House transcript

[SolidWood]

Transcript of Obama's Interview on Leno 'The Tonight Show'

We all are aware of Obama joking about "special olympics"... but it's worse.

Leno asked him about the presidential dog (official transcript):

Q Wow. And it's, what, a Portuguese water head? (Laughter.) What is it, what kind of dog is it?

THE PRESIDENT: It's not that. (Laughter.)

Q It's not that.

THE PRESIDENT: It's not a "water head." (Laughter.)

Q Whatever they are, I don't know what they are.

THE PRESIDENT: That sounds like a scary dog. (Laughter.) Sort of dripping around the house. (Laughter.)

...

Perfunction blog reports:

Except it sure didn't sound like "dripping" --- Obama said "tripping." While making "stumbly" motions with his hands.

For information on the tragic hydrocephalic disability, look at google or wikipedia for Hydrocephalus, but WARNING MAY BE DISTURBING..

[Miss Didi]

You should tune in to Fox...the Friends Steve and Brian are pounding him. Blonde Juliet and Geraldo gave him a pass, though. I’m still shocked that Geraldo told the Friends that he was a Republican capitalist.

[Miss Didi]

[humblegunner]

clueless that the gaping mouth of hell eagerly awaits such Godless insanities.

Yeah, it's pretty retarded.

[TheSovereignIndividual]

Hydrocephalus is of course no laughing matter, but I had to laugh at this Wikipedia entry.

One interesting case involving a person with past hydrocephalus was a 44-year old French man, whose brain had been reduced to little more than a thin sheet of actual brain tissue, due to the buildup of fluid in his skull. The man, who had a shunt inserted into his head to drain away fluid (which was removed when he was 14), went to a hospital after he had been experiencing mild weakness in his left leg.

In July 2007, Fox News quoted Dr. Lionel Feuillet of Hopital de la Timone in Marseille as saying: "The images were most unusual... the brain was virtually absent."[9] When doctors learned of the man's medical history, they performed a computed tomography (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, and were astonished to see "massive enlargement" of the lateral ventricles in the skull. Intelligence tests showed the man had an IQ of 75, below the average score of 100 but not considered mentally retarded or disabled, either.

Remarkably, the man was a married father of two children, and worked as a civil servant, leading a normal life, despite having little brain tissue.

[utahson]

The comment “water head” refers to the handicap. Look it up. Then Obama makes fun of the dog “tripping” and fumbling around the house, like it has special needs, like a handicap person. Then he references the “Special Olympics” during the interview. It is disgusting. Here is the most powerful person in the world making fun of the weakest amongst us. It is very disgusting.

[tiredoflaundry]

I’m still shocked that Geraldo told the Friends that he was a Republican capitalist.

So was I!

[Miss Didi]

Fast Eddie Rendell just gave him a pass, too...saying that after all he has done for the Special Olympics, the American people will forgive him. Huh?

[DuncanWaring]

I guess Obama never learned that lesson.

There are a lot of lessons 0bama never learned.

[PapaBear3625]

And doesn’t anyone find it odd that not ONE breeder has offered up a puppy?

Pet dogs are forbidden to Muslims. There's a whole chapter in the Hadith about Mohammad hating dogs.

[TheZMan]

Exactly. This is stupid.

[Mac from Cleveland]

It’s ghetto slang-used for someone w/ a big head whether through a medical condition or not—I heard it (not directed at me)back in Cleveland in the early 70s—hell, I read an OJ Simpson P/Boy interview from the 70s where he talked about kids teasing him by calling him “Waterhead” or “Headquarters” (he had a big head-literally)- as a kid.

Most of the time it sounds like “wa’ head” as in:

“I’m a kick that big ol’ wa’head %&*&%#@’s A$$....

Charming.

[Marauder]

That the crack about special olympics was bad enough, but it pales in comparison to this “water head” stuff.

I saw by the transcript that Leno started that little ball rolling, and while it may be merely tasteless in a private conversation, its occurring on a nationwide TV show is about as low-class as you can get.

[ShandaLear]

On the upside, it’s the only comment people will remember from the interview.

[spectre]

Pet dogs are forbidden to Muslims.

Oh darn. I was hoping he'd name his doggie "Gitmo".

sw

[rintense]

I see the left thinks the Special Olympics gaffe is no big deal yet they are still crucifying Laura Ingraham for spoofing Megan McCain as 'plus size'. Whatever.

Selective moral indignation.

[GatorGirl]

Actually Zero cannot even be called a lawyer, nor can Michelle. Both have had their law licenses suspended in Illinois. Very little information on those cases is available but Michelle’s at least was involuntary.

They are both incompetent boobs.

[dangus]

OK, let;s focus on the issues. This is the kind of controversy that encourages people to ignore FReepers.

Guess what, no-one’s going to dislike the President because
he might have said “tripping” instead of “dripping,” thus indictating that he secretly harbors an animosity to victims of an obscure disease. We’re just blowing our credibility for when we need to point out that he is a dedicated socialist.

[stevio]

Good for you to be able to redeem yourself from childish brutality, some of us aren’t so lucky.

[ChetNavVet]

“..childish brutality, some of us aren’t so lucky.”

I’d hardly call it that, and don’t know what you meant by your comment.

As a teen, I knew a teen girl (4 doors down)that was wheelchair bound with such severe CP, She could not speak. But I know she appreciated it when I talked to her, she absolutly loved the dog I had at the time, and I was happy to put a smile on that girls face.

I got lots of stories of this type, and for the record, I would never BS about this subject.

[DrC]

“That the crack about special olympics was bad enough, but it pales in comparison to this “water head” stuff.”

The Special Olympics crack was intended as self-deprecating humor, but clearly was insensitive.

I think people on this thread are substantially overinterpreting the water head comments. Michelle Obama wants a Portuguese water dog http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/portuguesewaterdog.htm I think Jay Leno made an honest mistake without knowing the negative connotation attached to “water head.” Likewise, I’m not convinced Obama knew the connotation either. I think he did say “dripping” not “tripping” and it was in reaction to his imagining a dog that was a “water head”—i.e., it would be wet and dripping all over the house.

Given the ambiguity in intent (by both Leno and Obama), I don’t see a useful purpose being served by insisting either was making fun of mentally handicapped individuals in this exchange. Unlike the Special Olympics crack, which WH immediately apologized for, you can rest assured that BHO would never own up to having slurred the mentally handicapped, so it’s a debate that essentially goes nowhere.