W.H. walks back on 'Special Olympics'

Politico ^ | March 19, 2009 | Jonathan Martin

[Scanian]

President Barack Obama made his difficult week worse Thursday by saying his poor bowling skills are “like Special Olympics or something,” an athletic competition for people with disabilities. His spokesman quickly said Obama hadn’t intended any offense.

The late-night turn is a political risk for a president overseeing a recession. And Obama had taken some criticism for it already.

But he shrugged it off just a few hours before he taped the show.

“Now, there are those who say these plans are too ambitious,” Obama said, referring to his agenda during an town hall event. ‘In fact, somebody was saying the other – today, I think – that I shouldn't be on Leno. I can't handle that and the economy at the same time.”

Appearing on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” in California, Obama sought to mock his lackluster bowling skills by saying that he recently bowled a score of 129 in the White House bowling alley.

After the show’s taping and en route back to Washington on Air Force One, Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton told reporters that Obama had “made an offhand remark making fun of his own bowling that was in no way intended to disparage the Special Olympics.”

[WakeUpAndVote]

Uh, too late?

[Ann Archy]

Obama is CHILDISH....what does one expect, CLASS??? Ha....they have NO Class.

[Crawdad]

After the show’s taping and en route back to Washington on Air Force One, Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton told reporters that Obama had “made an offhand remark making fun of his own bowling that was in no way intended to disparage the Special Olympics.”

Shovel-ready.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

He considers those that participate in ‘Special Olympics’ to be useless feeders, anyway.

What a poser.

[silverleaf]

So he admittted he bowls like a spastic retard... what’s the problem with that?

s-a-r-c

[Canedawg]

I am expecting the trend of diminished approval rates to continue this week.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Thanks again, Sarah, for being who you are and giving birth to and KEEPING your beautiful baby boy! :)

[Slapshot68]

“er the show’s taping and en route back to Washington on Air Force One, Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton told reporters that Obama had “made an offhand remark making fun of his own bowling that was in no way intended to disparage the Special Olympics.””

I’d say most of the Special Olympics participants could do a better job running the country than Obama.

And that also wasn’t intended to disparage the Special Olympics, but it was most certainly intended to disparage Zero.

[boxerblues]

Will the Kennedys still support him or take him to the wood shed?

[ottbmare]

Speaking as someone who has worked with and volunteered for Down's kids, I didn't find this remark offensive. Perhaps I'd feel differently if I had a Down's Syndrome child of my own, but as it was, much as I dislike Obama personally and loathe him politically, this seemed like a harmless joke. Yes, his bowling score is like that of Special Olympics competitors.

What seems to be missed in the discussion is the unspoken class signals sent by the joke. The point Obama is making is, "I do badly at this working-class sport. Therefore I am of a higher social class than the peasants who play it."

He is not one of you, America, and he wants you to know it. He is better. He's not from America; he's from Harvard.

[The Louiswu]

The ZERO is good!

Make a stupid comment, spin it before the plane even gets up to cruising speed.

We don't have a president, we have a clown.

[pnh102]

[Crawdad]

NCAA-No Class At All

[Edgewood Pilot]

NO CLASS.

He also called himself a “mutt.”

[OpusatFR]

I work with Special Olympics from time to time and Zero hasn’t a clue as to how accomplished some participants are at their sports.

They train and work at it, unlike Zero who after 41 days in the Senate and a career of “make work” was handed the presidency by George Soros and the other billionaires.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“I am expecting the trend of diminished approval rates to continue this week.”

And the market was way down yesterday. Expect more of the same, today. It’s FDIC Friday, I think? Don’t they report today on bank failures?

http://dynamic.nasdaq.com/aspx/majorindices.aspx

[M1Tanker]

Obama wasted the fuel and maintenance hours on AF-1, its fighter escorts/on station aircraft, the C-17s hauling his vehicles and security, the other planes hauling his staff and throng to and from this PR event??!!??

In addition, landing that air convoy shuts down the airport (LAX?) where it lands. So therefore the other aircraft had to waste fuel, delay passenger schedules, and fly extra hours so that “The One” could go on this boondoggle!!!

In addition to that, local police had to be pulled off patrol to escort this clown and Co(mrades) to and from the show, put the building under extra security, and screen the guests.

So how much did this little PR FUBAR cost??????!!!! Where is the outrage from the same people out for AIG blood??

[WakeUpAndVote]

He also called himself a “mutt.”

______

And that makes his mother......

[tiredoflaundry]

Of all ways he could have answered, why did he say what he said?

I see it as he has used the term “special olympics” so many times in private as an insult to Sarah, it was his natural reaction to use the term to describe his poor bowling score.

Leno’s audience got a peek at the true Obama.