Obama Apologizes for Special Olympics Comment!
As we mentioned earlier, President Barack Obama appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Thursday night.
During the interview, Obama made a "joke" about his bowling skills being crap, comparing it to the Special Olympics. And, of course, that has angered many people.
It was also just a matter of time before the heads of the Special Olympics spoke out.
An official statement has just been released from the Special Olympics Chairman, Timothy Shriver, Maria's brother.
The release says:
"President Obama called last night and expressed his regret and he apologized. He said that he did not intend to humiliate Special Olympics athletes or people with intellectual disabilities. He was sincere and heartfelt, and said that he is a fan of our movement and is ready to work with our athletes to make the United States a more accepting and welcoming country for all people with special needs.
Words hurt and words matter. Words can cause pain and result in stereotypes that are unfair and damaging to people with intellectual disabilities. And using 'Special Olympics' in a negative or derogatory context can be a humiliating put-down to people with special needs.
This is a teachable moment for our country. We are asking young people, parents and leaders from all walks of life to engage in conversation and help dispel negative caricatures about people with intellectual disabilities. We believe that it's only through open conversation and dialogue about how stereotypes can cause pain that we can begin to work together to create communities of acceptance and inclusion for all.
Special Olympics is not a program, but a worldwide movement operating 30,000 events a year in more than 180 countries. Every one of them is a chance for people of all ages to get involved, to think differently about attitudes and perceptions they may have about people with intellectual disabilities, and to make a difference.
And so we challenge people to join our 'Spread the Word to End the Word' campaign, a youth-led national awareness effort that will launch on March 31, where we are asking people to pledge their respect for people with special needs. We're asking people to sign our 'R-word' pledge, to join in our Unified Sports programs, to volunteer, and to be fans of our athletes and our movement.
Additionally, we challenge policy leaders at all levels to commit to improving the support and resources for people with intellectual disabilities in areas such as healthcare, education, housing and recreation.
Finally, we invite the President to take the lead and consider hiring a Special Olympics athlete to work in the White House. In so doing, he could help end misperceptions about the talents and abilities of people with intellectual disabilities, and demonstrate their dignity and value to the world."
We do give Obama a lot of credit for calling right away to apologize and clear things up the night it happened.
Talk about quick damage control!
What do U think of it all?
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I think he's a phoney. Every day it's a new gaffe. Now he doesn't know who the president of France is. How many people and countries is he going to insult?
It is unfortunate that he made the comment when he obviously just wanted to poke fun at himself. It was not mean spirited. It was a great appearance on Leno. This too shall pass and we can get on with the business of solving our economic crisis.
thats horrible to say that in the first place.although he said sorry thats still pretty mean to say mmean things about disabled people.not all disabled people are stuck in wheelchairs.
I think it was the right think for him to do….but I think that before people go accusing him of his actions….he may be our Prez..but he is still just a man..and I have friends who are extremely upset about what he said aaaaand yet these are the same people who say such things as "That's Gay!"….or "Maybe you should ride the short bus."…..soooo before anyone gets all righteous why don't you think about what you have said recently…I'm sure you will find faults in your own words also!
I think he's a moron. If W had dared say anything like this, the backlash would be unbelievable. No one would be saying, "Oh, it's so nice he called the director of the Special Olympics himself and apologized…" GIVE ME A BREAK. The man is PRESIDENT for fuck's sake, there is no reason for him to be on any sort of entertainment show! I don't know what's worse…him acting like he's some kind of comedian on late night TV or him acting like he knows what he's doing through the day….
Re: URnot1stdumbass – *** You are More than just RIGHT with your comment. He is one Smoke and Mirrors (sick) joke on America***
Re: Natrit94 – *** Do you mean kind of like Rastus and Liza jokes? ***
blacks .. the Biggest Cry Babies in the World should of ALL people not degrade someone else because of their Race, Color, Religion, Physical Abilities, but THEY (NEVER) seem to hesitate to INSULT or put DOWN anyone else? Dey bee's blacks so day tink dey cain gets away wit it? Yet to many (not me of course) they are the lowliest most worthless creature on the planet?
hummm..So he uses tax payer dollars to fuel and staff Air Force One (which costs more than $50,000 per hour) to fly and make an appearance on a late night television show (NBC–humm) which happens to be the first time in history a president has gone on the show and what is even more shocking is that he went during a time of economic turmoil. Well…sounds to me like NBC made a deal with his campaign crew during the election and he had to stick to the agreement.
Re: Schneidz – I know its not a lifetime but for the next 4 years he might want to try to be more politically correct.
Re: ReyinLA – ummm….is he not transfering our troops to Afghanistan??? At least that's where he is deploying my cousin!!
Re: scpk – Get your facts straight! Congress forcing banks to loan to people who could not afford to pay back the loans because EVERYONE should have a home is a recipe for disaster! That is why we are in this mess!
Re: Shastamagic – I would assume an educated population is a good thing and forgive me and my fellow college students for wanting more than to flip burgers! Stereotyping all college students into a category of Obama supporters is flat out ignorant. Maybe you should consider going to college and if you have already been….i suggest you go back because you haven't learned much. By the way how is the burger flipping business?
Re: Vallee – If he was just on Leno to talk about the economy he could have saved the tax payers hundreds of thousands of dollars (not that this amount of money seems a lot anymore) by not flying in the most expensive private jet, AKA Air Force One, and "performed" on another internet address. I'm tired of politicians blowing smoke up my a@# while also wasting my money.
this guy gets forgiven for everything, it is ridiculous!
i mean i'm not an obama supporter, but we all make mistakes
Well, these are the times where we can still clearly see the bitterness very present! OMG! He's a human being who cracks joke, just like me, you, my father, my co-worker, and the guy down the street. Yes, he is the president and he does hold alot of responsibility to be politically correct, however he was on a late night talk show, we were bound to see that more comfortable side of him come out at some point. And yes if it was Bush all hell would have broke loose, because Obama is a much better person than bush ever will be…period! And it is time to just suck it up and accept that Obama, a liberal-minded democrat is now your president, suck up the tears and put down the magnifying glass trying to search for any little mishap that you can critique him and compare him to your Oh so wonderful former idiot as a president.
Re: plano – You're sooo right, I am kicking myself in the ass right now for not voting for that McCain and his oh so trustworthy VP running mate Palin…..hahahahahaha!! Come on if anybody is a joke and phony it was definitely that tag team of the self-proclaimed "Mavericks" did we all forget how much of a joke that campaign was from the beginning?? LOL these comments are hilarious!!!
Re: Mentalist – Why is it that people cannot get past the "black" thing with Obama….why do we keep forgetting that he just as much white as he is black!!! He is not just straight African, he is bi-racial so why don't you guys start accepting that he is also a white person just like you!!
Re: APRILKG428 – #420 I believe you are missing the point! He doesn't have genuine compassion…you don't see it and your remarks are immature, too. There will be more to follow with Hussein Obama and you will wonder why you think this is funny…it's not…America is in worst shape now than with the days of Bush. Read the Wall Street Journal…it's a great predictor of our economy whether we like it or not.
Re: SeekTruth – If you think that it is in worse shape and that is all due to President Obama…you obviously have not finished seeking the truth, or you are just ignoring the truth but you cant get yourself to come to the conclusion that bush screwed us…of course you are going to say that my remarks are immature, that was not a surprising statement at all, they are not immature just being said out of frustration from people who have their heart set on not realizing the truth with Bush and trying to point fingers at everyone else including Obama instead of pointing them at the people you should be, those bamboozled by the Bush administration and who voted them in TWICE and don't want to admit that they messed up by doing so. It's all about pride and being proud of stupidity…that is how we got ourselves into this situation, and now we're expecting our current president to fix it all in a matter of 3 months time….he has to fix 8 years of screw ups!! So forgive the man for cracking a joke, he's got a hell of a lot of pressure he needs to focus on.
Re: tamtam7 – You are an idiot. The war of Irak was not "unlawful" because it was approved by the fucking Senate.- A president can't go to war alone, he needs the approval of the governemtn….With 2 or 3 exception, Congress, all of them, democrats and republicans vote in favor of the war.
But we are not talking about Irak, we are talking about a new moron president that make fun of disable people and is giving millions of dollars to corrupt companies.- You know who change the contract in AIG so the executives will have the bonus? Obama and his people did. And now they are "pretending they are angry-What a bunch of inmature hypocrites!!!
They are idiots and they must go before it's to late!
Me thinks the Communist doth protest too much.
clearly just joking around, but we all know the president needs to watch what he says, especially when on television. he realized his mistake and apologized, good move. i think this is a pretty big slip up on his part though.
Re: APRILKG428 – #424. If that is you in the picture: no wonder! You are too young, dumb and stupid to know better. You have been brainwashed by left wing idealogy…maybe a college kid? It will be you (because of your age moreso than me) that will be paying for this enormous spending package; but you are too ignorant to know what end is up. Obviously, you think the presidency is a popularity contest with who is better, whatever, stupid! America is worse off than it was 60 days ago…open your eyes, fool!!!
Re: COCACOLA – #425. Yes, it sounds like you are properly informed! It is good to know their are others who are doing their homework and research rather than blabbing about who looks better or who is better as though the presidency is a popularity contest. 'Hussein' Obama has traits of a narcissist. He applauds himself with such arrogance…I saw the video of him on the Leno show…he is disconnected with our economic problems and is naive about our global affairs particularly with the middle east; and, he is interested in adulation and adoration by the masses.
If you think it was Obama that said "gee, that was a stupid comment, I better say I'm sorry", you are a damn fool. His publicists were hounding him to.
They are gonna have their hands full cleaning up behind this fool for 4 years.
Re: APRILKG428 – #421 You are a total ass!!! To blog when you don't even know what the f((( is going on with the presidency and talk about it as though it is a popularity contest. You don't know the facts or truth, moron. Get your head out of your ass and start paying attention to the economic fiasco in America!
Re: APRILKG428 – #424 You write in great length but no supporting facts, bitch.
If it was bush making that comment, who would care. bush IS special, so making fun of his own would be just fine.
All the Obama haters out there were just waiting for him to slip up and throw him to the dogs. Heaven forbid the president of the United States makes a f*cking joke.
Re: CandyAppleRed –
touche
At least he apologized,but hey,it just shows he's normal.
That was his FML moment.
Retarded people would have laughed if they understood it! Come on, some people are so touchy.
What a joke. Just say "i'm sorry". Why write a fucking sorry speech?? Overkill.
Re: HisDruidess – #437 The original comment was made by him and shows who he 'really' is. The sorry speech was to re-instate adulation and adoration by the masses.
What the hell is the president doing being on a late night tv show, when he should be sitting in his little oval office coming up with ideas on how to progressively make our economy better?
And as for the political correctness comments that it's getting out of hand… if I'm not mistaken, it was the liberals that were making such a big deal out of it in the first place. Looks like it came to bite ya back in the ass didn't it?
Re: lulu1975 – I totally agree with Lulu…..if this were anyone else but the "Great ONE" he would be dubbed a douche bag on your site. Un-fucking believable.
It is amazing how he was let off the hook immediately!!!!! This whole thing is bullshit. If this was anyone else the reaction would be so much worse.
I think he should be forced to call Jesse Jackson and the Reverend Al Sharpton to devise a plan for him to be forgiven like everyone else has to do.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
he is a jerk.!!! and its true if it wud have been bush everyone would have gone crazy over it but since it was this idiot who said it everyone seems to find it exceptable,i wonder why?
america sucks balls,
of course he was quick to apologize you would be too if you were in the public eye. Calling someone retarded or even calling someone gay, it's an expression. I know gay people who call things gay in a negative way.
I do hate Obama, these four year cant go fast enough.
Re: Lalasponk – you should probably run that by your English teacher before you criticize you moron