Even before Barack Obama’s interview on the Tonight Show had aired, the White House was working to tamp down a hubbub over an off-hand joke the president had made.
When Obama told Jay Leno that he had recently bowled a 129 score, Leno replied dryly, “That’s very good, Mr. President.” Obama chuckled and said It’s “like the Special Olympics or something.”
Around 9:30PM ET (two hours before the show airs anywhere), White House spokesman Bill Burton made a brief statement to the reporters on Air Force One: “The president made an off-hand remark making fun of his own bowling that was in no way intended to disparage the Special Olympics. He thinks the Special Olympics is a wonderful program that gives an opportunity for people with disabilities from around the world.”
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXcgpZwsBPY&hl=en&fs=1]
Transcript is below,
Q Now, are they going to put a basketball — I imagine the bowling alley has been just burned and closed down.
THE PRESIDENT: No, no. I have been practicing all — (laughter.)
Q Really? Really?
THE PRESIDENT: I bowled a 129. (Laughter and applause.)
Q No, that’s very good. Yes. That’s very good, Mr. President.
THE PRESIDENT: It’s like — it was like Special Olympics, or something. (Laughter.)
Q No, that’s very good.
THE PRESIDENT: No, listen, I’m making progress on the bowling, yes.
We Know you didn’t mean any harm Mr. PRESIDENT but there are some stupid asses out there in the MSM, like racist ass FAUX fix news and Stupid ass Morning Joke Joe Scarbrough that are going to run with this. But you true supporters know you didn’t mean it in a mean-spirited way, and it was pretty funny. (no disrespect to the disabilities intent)
I’m glad your seeing it that way, and I know Pres Obama feels bad about the mishap, but I’m sure he feels more worse that the MSM is trying to blow it out of proportion, that’s what they want to do is divert us away from the main issues, out of the whole show they didn’t even mention the major things he said they just selected a gaff and ran with it. Remember when he call himself a (MUTT)? that was the story for 3 weeks. So we must rise above it all and hope he does the right things.
Yeah it’s such a big deal for no reason really. I’m sorry is it wrong to have a human being in the office? He made a mistake, and it was funny. If a bunch of Challenged people agreed to make the movie The Ringer without such a big problem then I think they can handle Obama making a comment saying he has to struggle with bowling.
…ITS BOWLING! big deal!
Thanks for you comment JAX but understand he was trying to be self deprecating. He was attempting (however in artfully) to say he was challenged at bowling the way Special Olympians are challenged at their sports.This whole thing has been blown out of proportion for political reasons.
He has hurt many families in America. He needs to say he is sorry in the public, not to an organization.
In addition, someone who claims to have experienced prejudice and stereotypes throughout life, and has written about them in great detail,
should be more sensitive and refined from life’s lessons.
Furthermore, Obama claimed he was going to have the world think ‘highly’ of America again. Will this joke help?
For someone who spoke of equality as a creed. Does this joke match that philosophy?
For someone that said he would stand for all people. Does this stand up for those that participate in the special
Olympics?
The fact is Obama claimed a higher standard. To much is given, much is required.
Obama has just showed us that ‘yes we can’ destroy what a campaign stands for with a single joke.
During the campaign for the White House in 2008, the media criticized Palin for being ‘common,’ ‘not-polished,’ ‘not-compassionate’ and ‘not presidential.’ However, compare Sarah Palins attitude in this video created three weeks ago for the Special Olympics in Boise, Idaho.
You decide the more ‘presidential’ among them:
http://tinyurl.com/ccz6nj
man I wrote about this also in my blog 🙂
check it out here
http://www.thisisawebsite.info/?p=216
I Think freedom of speech is really good and im glad hes using it 😀