Posted on 03/20/2009 6:54:15 AM PDT by Zakeet
President Obama's appearance on NBC's "Tonight Show" hasn't even aired yet, and there's already some controversy brewing over a self-deprecating remark he made about his bowling being "like the Special Olympics."
Ouch.
Will media pay much attention to this potentially offensive slight to the handicapped?
According to ABC's Jake Tapper, preparing for the worst, the White House is already in damage control mode.
A video of the gaffe can be seen HERE.
Towards the end of his approximately 40-minute appearance, the president talked about how he's gotten better at bowling and has been practicing in the White House bowling alley.
He bowled a 129, the president said."That's very good, Mr. President," Leno said sarcastically.
It's "like the Special Olympics or something," the president said.
When asked about the remark, the White House said the president did not intend to offend.
"The president made an off-hand remark making fun of his own bowling that was in no way intended to disparage the Special Olympics," White House deputy press secretary Bill Burton said. "He thinks the Special Olympics is a wonderful program that gives an opportunity for people with disabilities from around the world."
Will this get much attention in the next 24 hours, and, if so, will it just get brushed off as another liberal's botched joke?
Stay tuned.
*****Update: Apparently, there's another question: will this exchange make it to the broadcast or be edited out?
Double stay tuned.
*****Update II: NYT's web-posting concerning Obama's "Tonight Show" appearance didn't cover his Special Olympics faux pas. Ditto USA Today. And AP. And MSNBC.com.
From what I can tell, of the major outlets -- not including blogs -- only the Christian Science Monitor and FoxNews.com covered this.
Speaking of blogs, USA Today's "The Oval" reported:
The president also, according to MSNBC's Keith Olbermann and the Associated Press, made a joke that seemed to compare his own bowling ability to that of a Special Olympics athlete. [...]-- Obama recently bowled a 129 game at the White House bowling alley. "That's very good, Mr. President," Leno sarcastically said. After Obama's performance at a bowling alley in Pennsylvania during the presidential campaign, 129 actually is much better.
It was then, according to Olbermann, that Obama said the 129 was akin to a score in a Special Olympics competition. Olbermann, live on the air this evening, said his producers were watching the feed of the Tonight Show taping. The AP says Obama's remark was that the score was "like the Special Olympics or something."
Olbermann guest Craig Ferguson, of CBS-TV's Late Late Show, said the White House may want to beg NBC to cut that comment from the Tonight Show broadcast.
A video of Obermann's response can be seen HERE.
Yikes. Even Olbermann thought this was out of line.
Imagine that!
This kind of sh*t happens when I get away from my handler.
marginalize groups?
Of course, over exposed celebrities like Paris Hilton often say or do stupid things and embarass themselves in public. But, hey, he wants to constantly be in the spotlight (guess he has nothing better to do) so I guess he'll have to take his lumps.
I understand from another thread that the Teleprompter has plausibly denied any responsibility....
This clown cannot get out of campaign mode. He loves the crowds, the adulation....what he absolutely does not love is doing the actual job of President. But then again, it’s not easy to enjoy engaging in work you are supremely unqualified to do.
Barack Obama is a fool. His handlers got him where he is . My only question is who they are.
When does this CLOWN have time to practice BOWLING????
Read some of the comments below the You Tube video.
Apparently 0Bama’s supporters now think its ok to make fun of the handicapped, and this just shows that he’s a ‘regular guy’.
This shows me that oBama’s supporters ARE willing to sell their souls.
Oh, it’ll get coverage alright. In the form of “Those stupid right-wing nuts are attacking Dear Leader again! Everybody makes mistakes! He’s so busy saving the world, we can’t expect him to be perfect ALL the time! Just shut up about it!”
All day long, Pelosi and crew are running the country, all we got for a leader is TOTUS...
Short answer "NO" ... but if McCain or Palin had said "I ran a 4.6 40 like a black person" they would have!
Even Imus this morning said O is “in over his head so deep he might as well be Jacques Cousteau.” LOL. He seemed to think the remark was tasteless and said is this being reported in the Huffington Post, or the NY Times? “NO.”
I’d say Kolan would clean 0bama’s clock in bowling...and Kolan doesnt require a teleprompter.
http://www.mlive.com/sports/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2008/12/strikes_speak_for_ann_arbor_bo.html
Special Olympics started in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver.
Obama’s aiming too far to the Left.
Both his economy and his bowling ball are heading for the gutter.
Surprisingly, our local news out of Portland ran the clip this morning. Of course, now he’s going to make nice with the head of Special Olympics, Tim Shriver, (of the Kennedy-Shrivers), and all will be peachy keen. Like all of his other gaffes, somebody else will be pulling his n**s out of the fire.
Narcissistic DSM IV Criteria
A pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:
(1) has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)
(2) is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
(3) believes that he or she is “special” and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)
(4) requires excessive admiration
(5) has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations
(6) is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends
(7) lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others
(8) is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her
(9) shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes
Probably a cheap shot at Gov. Palin.
No they won’t. Now if it was Bush or Cheney making that remark, it would be on front pages across the country, leading every news cast and the only subject on the Sunday morning gabfests.
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