Well, it was bound to happen. But if you’re a talker, which I know something about, this is the type of thing you hear in your head before you utter it, so you stop it before it comes out.
On Jay Leno, from the transcript I received, but it’s everywhere already:
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.
Q And how about, are you going to put in a basketball court?
as a disabled american im angry about his remark. he is the leader here-im so tired of these jokes from joe blows. he should set a better example. what a disasterous week.
Yeah, it’s bad. I’m getting emails about it as well.
i keep thinking-what are we doing. maybe this comment will blow over thsi weekend but it wont for many. obama can make this right-fix ss disability. dont make it demeaning. dont give disabled folks a 600 dollars check and medicaid to live on. if obaam had children who were handicapped he wouldnt be laughing one bit. this deserves to em attention and a political rpice. as a democrat i expect the leader of our party-the one of the downtrodden-to make such a snipe for a gag.
Cue the self-righteous backlash. That comment was FUNNY, that’s right funny. All of the self-appointed moral pillars of thought will be out to express their outrage over a comment that was genuinely harmless.
This Politically Correct “outrage” is false..and you know it. You have a President in Obama who is obviously looking out for the long-term interests of the American public as a whole. Throwing temper tantrums over shiny objects (see AIG bonuses & Special Olympics jokes), is embarassingly counter-productive and for many…disingenuous.
America’s future as a matter of social and psychological evolution requires all citizens demand the crucial foundation of Health, Education, Energy, & Infrastructure. I believe it is an absolute must that these elements of society are made to benefit the people first and profiteers second, because the reality is that “profit” will always feed the need for more “profit”..there is no balance (i.e. America doesn’t flourish as a whole even when times are a-boomin’).
What self-respecting corporation is going to use it’s profits or even prestige to keep America healthy or Educate them to use critical thinking skills? Not a damn one, it’s not good for the bottom line or control of the masses. We are in a fight for our future, I cannot even imagine how far we will degrade as a country if the battle for these issues is lost to hand-wringing and irrational responses to irrelevancies and a loss of focus on the big picture of REAL issues.
What do you think an unchecked, gloating Republican party in charge of America for two or three decades would do to finally grind America into dust? This is it, this is the best chance we’ll ever have to make a real difference for everyone. Don’t blow it because you can’t take a joke.
Sandmann, you’re comment is absurd. Slam Obama and not the people he mocked.
I feel no “need” to slam President Obama, it’s something I found humorous and lighthearted. I don’t think he mocked anyone…maybe you find that disgusting, but that’s the way I see it.
Howabout we focus on uplifting America and less on insecurities and perceived slights? Let’s get America restructured properly together, then go about understanding differences in humor.
I strongly backed Hillary in the primary, as all of you know. I voted for Obama for president, as all of you know. I do not believe in blaming Obama for every little thing either. I want him and the democrats to succeed. I want that democratic budget to pass. I want our nation repaired internationally-to begin with ending that war in Iraq-one which we should never have been in.
However the big doosy here that has infuriated myself and will anger millions. AIG is a mess for sure. Geithner will need to be let go-and yes, you had better believe that is in the cards top dems won’t go down because of wall st geithner. However, it’s not just AIG that should anger democrats as much as what happened tonight.
Presidents don’t do late night laughs. They don’t. Nevertheless, Obama thought he could reach an audience that doesn’t normally tune into press conferences etc and speak to them about the agenda ahead. Then he made a very serious mistake.
Obama joked about his basketball being as bad as that of disabled folks who play at the Special Olympics. Get that? Not funny. Period. But it shows how so many regard people who have physical challenges. This country treats disabled Americans like half people. Half class citizens. Our govt doles out a pittance of stipend a month and Medicaid and says have a good life. For the president of America to make a joke about such subject matter is appalling and sets a very bad example for a country filled with folks ho already regard disabled people lowly.
This is the Democratic Party. Obama is a democratic president serving in a party once headed by our only disabled president and our greatest-FDR. FDR was ill regarded by some because as he said they thought he was merely a half man. Well FDR was a real man who did big real things for America. He proved just because you cannot walk, or cannot fully function in some doesn’t mean you should be a joke. I hope everyone here intends to remind our president that he serves in the party that champions the downtrodden. A party that was lead for 12 years by a man who could not walk but could probably beat Obama any day in political checkers. Will each of you go to whitehouse.gov and do this?
Throughout history, it was always ok to joke about some group. A big laugh about Jews. A big laugh about gays. A big laugh about women. A big laugh about folks in wheelchairs. Let’s make sure this laugh will not be had.
Obama can make full ammense. He can say the disabled are not to be mocked and to prove it he will reform our ss disability system, provide enough money every month to the disabled who need help, give the medical help they all need and end the multi yr degraded process folks have to endure to get benefits.
The president really did it tonight on Leno. Let’s turn this negative into a positive.
texan4hillary says:
20 March 2009 at 2:50 am
“Presidents don’t do late night laughs. They don’t. Nevertheless, Obama thought he could reach an audience that doesn’t normally tune into press conferences etc and speak to them about the agenda ahead. Then he made a very serious mistake”.
This President does, and I’m all the more thankful for it. I’m tired of folks pretending that being politically correct substitutes for reality. There is to much we need to fight for if we are to triumph…the overlords of high-finance and status quo government don’t give a damn if our sensibilities are hurt or not. All I’m asking is for people to choose their battles wisely.
Guess he strayed too far from the teleprompter there eh?
Attempting a bit of levity there…
also, rock on texan4hillary, it’s not a pitchfork, douse an effigy offense but it is a nasty bit of off the cuff. I’ve no patience for PC; all it does is mask not change attitudes anyways, but language does matter as it is how we are civil and uncivil to one another. Especially with humor, which usually is about brining someone or something down a peg. I worked in group homes for the developmentally disabled through college, and they remain the one class of people completely off limits as an object of anything but common decency, compassion and respect.
self-deprecating comment. he apologized. get over it
a self-deprecating comment references only oneself, not a class of people to which one doesn’t “belong”
Denying that it’s hurtful both to an actual group and to the political capital of the Administration is the EXACT kind of boosterism that will backfire and only prolong this, snowballing it as an issue or bone for actual enemies of the Democratic agenda and this Administration. It’s a self-inflicted hit. The Administration has to do it’s mea culpa and get this behind them as quickly as possible
For Democrats to be making fumbling excuses for a comment like this is the very reason I loathe Great Leader politics. Hero worship conformity undermines conformity to principle.
It was a dumb thing to say. A gaffe. I don’t think Americans will believe that he meant to offend disabled people, and I am sure he did not intend that. The problem is that all sides play this “gotcha” game, and it becomes a never ending cycle of pouncing on people over every ill chosen word or misstatement. Then comes the false outrage. Sadly, Democrats are often just as guilty of that as Republicans
As a disable veteran I can only bowl about 80 so I understand Obama does have a handicap when it comes to bowling….LOL, Not Offended and I have seen the President attempt to bowl.
Jesus Christ people.
Get a clue, here.
Even Fox News isn’t as paranoid about his attempt at humor as you guys are:
“President Obama sat down with Jay Leno on Thursday for a late-night TV interview that spanned a range of topics — from the economic crisis to the presidential dog — and even, at one point, featured the president joking that his bowling ability was suitable for the Special Olympics.
The bowling comment was a reminder of his poor performance on the lanes last year during one of his campaign stops. Obama bragged to “The Tonight Show” that he recently bowled 129 on the White House alley.”
If you’re outdoing Fox News in Obama Paranoia ?
You really need to take a second look.
Frankly, Taylor – while I do adore nearly everything you write ? –
This ‘piece’ ranks right up there with Stephen Lynch’s attempt to simply “get attention”.
Just my humble opinion.
You sound like Rush Limbaugh.
If I seem harsh this morning, TM, it may be because today I get to attend the funeral of my sister-in-law, Lisa (43) —
http://legacy.com/mercedsunstar/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=125236182
and I am angry about it. With all the talk about marijuana and meth and cocaine – it seems like no one is talking about these women hooked on pain pills. Things have gotten *much* worse since the original ‘Valley of the Dolls’. My two nieces must now do without their Mom – because her purse looked like a f***ing pharmacy. My Gina (4th wife) now has her own apartment, simply because I cannot deal with the ups and downs produced by her vicoden and oxycoden addiction. I fully expect to be attending her funeral too in the near future.
Obama wants a revamp of our medical system. I certainly hope that would include something to prevent people from having three different doctors, writing three separate prescriptions for the same damned pain pills – because it isn’t there now !
And I’m very angry about that today.
Glad to see the honest, intellectually decent Democrats, speak up on this. It’s a shame the hacks we have serving as our “mainstream press” won’t dare mention this. They are still filtering these things out of the news when possible but would have crucified Bush for this. Kudos to you folks here willing to challenge your own side and stand up for principles. Why can’t the press do that? Why won’t they leave their or disrupt their echo chamber?
“Obama joked about his basketball being as bad as that of disabled folks who play at the Special Olympics. Get that?”
Get this, concern trolls should at LEAST READ THE FREAKIN STORY before they start making themselves look like jackasses.
Was it a stupid thing to say? Yes. Is it the kind of thing just about EVERYFREAKINBODY has said at one time or another? YES!!!!
Proportion is a wonderful thing.
I think anyone who reads here and has a memory will know I didn’t support Obama and didn’t vote for him.
But he won and frankly I think this is a whole lot o NOTHIN.
Unless you’re a repug it is a marginally politicolly correct joke and that’s it. GROW THE FARK UP!
GROW THE FARK UP! Secular
Well said, Sec –
and Texas4Hill didn’t even get the sport right.
He was talking about his *bowling* – not his (care to go against him?) basketball.
If anything good can come out of this gaffe, I hope my friend Jeremy Vest from MTV’s Hows Your News finally gets his interview with the president. Maybe the HYN team could challenge him to a bowl off.
I might add…if a repug President like the torturer in chief had made a Special Olympics joke it would have been after cutting all funding for the Disabled and coming out with a friend of the court brief in a Supreme Court case about rights of the Disabled backing big buisness.
“marginally politicolly correct joke and that’s it.”
Should read marginally politicolly INcorrect joke and that’s it!
Texan4Hillary, you do know that FDR hid his disability, don’t you? Just so you don’t make the claim that he wasn’t upfront and highly visible with his disability, because he wasn’t. When you show me some video of the Right being aghast that Bush went running around like a crazy person looking under chairs and so on, saying, ” nope, no weapons of mass destruction under here”, where people were dieing needlessly, then I’ll give you honest outrage.
autumnal says:
20 March 2009 at 4:24 am
For Democrats to be making fumbling excuses for a comment like this is the very reason I loathe Great Leader politics. Hero worship conformity undermines conformity to principle.
_____
#1– I didn’t see anyone on this thread making excuses. Obama made a human mistake and apologized. That’s what humans do. What YOU do is call people “hero worshipers” following the “Great Leader” (this is not the first time you’ve used those exact phrases) which is MUCH more offensive then anything Obama said. And before you get your panties in a bunch okay, I happen to be disabled and what I saw was a clumsy joke not a mean spirited comment.
p.s. your teleprompter “joke” belies the fact that 99% of what Obama said last night was substatntive and on message about our current economic conditions, of course you want to spout wingnut talking points… yeah I said it. Allot of what you spout is regurgitated right wing off the shelf.
_____
pmichael says:
20 March 2009 at 5:37 am
If you’re outdoing Fox News in Obama Paranoia ?
You really need to take a second look.
_________
Maybe George Saros bought Fox news when non one was watching
secularhumanizinevoluter says:
20 March 2009 at 6:54 am
“Obama joked about his basketball being as bad as that of disabled folks who play at the Special Olympics. Get that?”
__
But he won and frankly I think this is a whole lot o NOTHIN.
Unless you’re a repug it is a marginally non-politically correct joke and that’s it. GROW THE FARK UP!
_____
sec, we’re on the same page this morning.
and P.S. he was talking about bowling, he’s actually a damn good basketball player.
pmichael says:
20 March 2009 at 6:27 am
If I seem harsh this morning, TM, it may be because today I get to attend the funeral of my sister-in-law, Lisa (43) —
____
hang in there, and I share your concern about OTC drugs, much worse the the illicit stuff IMO.
I guess my hiatus was short-lived
but some of the above comments got to me…
secular said it best for me: “Proportion is a wonderful thing.” and I’ll add context…
I’m sure the person most upset about the gaffe is the president himself. This is not what he wanted people to be talking about today. I first heard about this last night on when my husband had Olbermann on. Craig Ferguson was his guest and he suggested they edit it out of the tape. That would have been wrong and I’m glad they did not go that route. Let the statement stand, apologize for it, and learn that there is an inherent risk in going on a comedy show.
ikez78 says:
20 March 2009 at 6:37 am
Glad to see the honest, intellectually decent Democrats, speak up on this. It’s a shame the hacks we have serving as our “mainstream press” won’t dare mention this. …they would have crucified Bush for this
_____
a Republican checks in.
ALL the morning shows are talking about it, their just not foaming at the mouth.
So sorry to hear about your sister-in-law GeoT. My sister died in early Dec.(aged 51) from an Asthma attack exaserbated by over a decade smoking crack.
As for the comment I was quoteing Texan4hill and pointing out that they ought to at least actually READ a thread before they comment on it.
It is really amazing how the repug noise machine is still completely intact after the pounding they recieved in the election.
I think that is the biggest danger facing President Obama and the Dems. Even though the repugs numerically are insignificant they can just trumpet the propaganda and lies 24/7/365 and eventually the American public starts to listen and believe.
THAT is why I am so impatiant and agog at the President and the Dems attempts to be “fair” and bipartisan. Hammer the MoFos while you can before the nonstop mantra from the right starts to lull folks to sleep again.
Sorry, my condolences were directed to pmichael
nancy50 says:
20 March 2009 at 8:06 am
Let the statement stand, apologize for it, and learn that there is an inherent risk in going on a comedy show.
____
exactly
although like I said most of the segment had a serious tone and was worthwhile.
secularhumanizinevoluter says:
20 March 2009 at 8:14 am
sec: I knew that part wasn’t your quote, I forgot to put Texan4hill in there.
Well I’ll be damned! Obama is human and just like everybody else who says something in bad taste. This will be big fun on all the blogs this morning, while the rest of the country will move on and not think much about it. The only people who will be bent out of shape about this are, people who put the President on a pedestal and make him something other then human. This really is much to do about nothing.
GeoT, nancy50 and (especially) angels81 are all absolutely correct. The only ones bent out of shape over this are the “he walks on water” crowd who may have their own lunatic fringe.
He is doing a good job.
The FDR reference is a bit odd. 70 years ago people with disabilites and even disease were not treated as they are today. Even when Betty Ford talked openly about her mastectomy it was considered amazingly brave. 2009 is not the day of FDR.
We are spending time on this, while it is reported that AIG is suing its major stockholders for 306 million dollars in taxes it paid. Seeing as we are the major stockholders who have poured billions of dollars into this company to keep it afloat, these clowns are now going to sue us for lawful taxes that they owed. Its time that the majority stockholders fire everyone in this company and break it up.
I don’t think Liddy should be fired. He’s just been there 6 months to try to clean up and take apart a house of cards without allowing to come down on us all.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/business/19liddy.html?ref=us
““Six months ago I came out of retirement to help my country,” said Mr. Liddy, 63, a former chief executive at Allstate insurance. “At the government’s request I’ve had the duty and extraordinary challenge of serving as chairman and chief executive officer of American International Group, or A.I.G.”
Mr. Liddy has no doubt questioned that decision on more than one occasion.
By many accounts, Mr. Liddy’s background is one of a competent manager and a solid insurance man with the wherewithal to oversee a corporate makeover of A.I.G. His strategy is to sell off assets to pay back the billions of dollars the company received in bailout from the government and shrink A.I.G. into a more sustainable, though much smaller company.
“He has one of the toughest jobs in corporate America,” said Donald Light, senior analyst at the research firm Celent. “It’s got a whole lot tougher in the last four to five days. Unfortunately for him, A.I.G. has become the focus for a lot of anxiety on a lot of issues.”
As the longtime head of Allstate, he combed through a hidebound culture and raised the insurer’s profitability, …..”
Probably a bunch of others deserve jail time.
One more thing about AIG suing us taxpayers. AIG will be using trap money to pay their lawyers to sue us tax payers. Also, they filed the suit in Feb. and Liddy was in charge then.
I think the same could be said for Geithner. He’s become the scape goat.
Check out this:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/20/suze-orman-to-bush-you-ow_n_177241.html
Suze Orman To Bush: “You Owe The American People Every Penny Of Your Fortune And Your Family’s Fortune”
angels81 says:
20 March 2009 at 9:18 am
Its time that the majority stockholders fire everyone in this company and break it up.
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I’m beginning to agree, they need to sell off assets and get down to a manageable size. AND they need to pay back every penny we gave them…WITH interest.
GeoT that is just what Liddy came out of retirement to do. I think he can do it.
There is a new post from Taylor about this blog.
Sorry, meant New Thread
djjl says:
20 March 2009 at 10:03 am
GeoT that is just what Liddy came out of retirement to do. I think he can do it.
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BTW: Suze Orman is on fire in that link you gave. I’ve never followed her so I had no idea where she stood politically… I’ll pay attention now
Just a note from me – I thought that was a fairly weird flurry of posts from some early this morning – maybe they were too sleepy to think things through clearly.
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BTW: Suze Orman is on fire in that link you gave. I’ve never followed her so I had no idea where she stood politically… I’ll pay attention now
Suze doesn’t hold anything back. You’ll love her. Let’s all go on upstairs?
BTW I bet this bowlinggate doesn’t survive the day.
Not a big deal – President Obama is human and he misspoke.
Actions speak much louder than words and there is nothing in Obama’s history to suggest that he harbors any ill will toward any group of people – least of all the physically impaired.
let’s move on……………………..
This latest faux outrage ranks up there with sheer stupidity and blatant pettiness. It was a slip of tongue at most, certainly not malicious in it’s intent. The majority of whiners and sudden champions of the disabled probably made more “innocent” defensive comments before noon today without blinking an eye than most people make all week.
And BTW, if it’s not okay for a sitting president to do Leno, why is it okay for a presidential hopeful? Where’s the double standard police when you need them?
Why are we so quick to condemn any new attempt to change the political discourse in this country but so accepting when it comes to the political pettiness that’s been ingrained in this nation since McCarthy? I knew before he went on the show that a small group of overly offended thin skin whiners was going to find something small and insignificant to cry about….I’m sad to see that it’s not just the no nothing Republicans.
Faux outrage on the bowling comment.
Human being.
We make mistakes.
Deal.
“I don’t think Liddy should be fired. He’s just been there 6 months to try to clean up and take apart a house of cards without allowing to come down on us all.”
Can you fire someone who is only making $1?
While the AIG thing is anger inducing, I’m not sure it is worthy of all the blustery grandstanding that is going on.
What is better?
Paying the bonuses OR spending way more money (and wasting time better spent fixing the economy) in years and years of litigation.