Obama special olympics gaffe on Leno

Earthhorse · 20-03-2009 06:10PM

AnonoBoy wrote: »

I thought he was going to impersonate a Special Olympics Athlete or something.

Yeah, Leno normally books better comedians alright. What can you do?

Mr.Lizard · 20-03-2009 06:12PM

Terrible gaffe by the prez there! He of course meant to say "para-olympics". Those special olympics kids couldn't even get close to 129.

Alcatel · 20-03-2009 06:22PM

I watched the whole interview, and bar the gaffe (shock, horror, the messiah is one of us after all and prone to gaffes and sometimes off-colour humour!) it was quite funny and he was very articulate.

CtrlSource · 22-03-2009 02:01PM

Wagon wrote: »

Ah i dunno, the chap just seems to have a dark sense of humour. I still like him more than that monkey he took over from.

Many of us make jokes like that in private. He was clearly at ease with Leno and allowed himself to slip. i don't see the point of these 'folksy' interviews, particularly coming so early in his Presidency. i find them a bit cynical (from Obama's point of view). Therefore, am not sorry that this one came back and bit him.

Although i don't hold the comment against him and have made far more tasteless 'jokes' than that myself, i am disappointed that he lacked his usual control, reinforced a negative stereotype and offended many

Mark200 · 22-03-2009 04:30PM

stovelid wrote: »

All the hysterical obama-love and expectation is like a swollen dam at the minute. A few more of these and we can start ripping him up and feeling superior again.

Ehh not really. It's his first real slip of the tongue since he started his presidential campaign in 2006.... It's hardly a sign to start tearing up all the 'hope' and 'change' posters

dsmythy wrote: »

And if Bush had said it...

Then there would be a big fuss about how he still hasn't learned. It would have been made a big deal for Bush because he's made so many mistakes already....

However, if Bush had said that then people would have been laughing at his stupidity rather than being shocked at the joke.

markok84 wrote: »

Did anyone catch Jay Lenos comment..... I mean just coz Obama is black doesn't mean he'll only want a basketball court in the white house, I'm suprised he didn't ask him if he enjoys eating watermelon and rotisserie chicken.:pac:

He has always said that he wanted to get a basketball court in. He's big into basketball, and apparently he's quite good

CtrlSource wrote: »

Many of us make jokes like that in private. He was clearly at ease with Leno and allowed himself to slip. i don't see the point of these 'folksy' interviews, particularly coming so early in his Presidency. i find them a bit cynical (from Obama's point of view). Therefore, am not sorry that this one came back and bit him.

Although i don't hold the comment against him and have made far more tasteless 'jokes' than that myself, i am disappointed that he lacked his usual control, reinforced a negative stereotype and offended many

I'm confident that a huge amount of comedians have made special Olympics jokes or handicap jokes in front of audiences. I doubt many people would have thought twice about such jokes except for the fact that it came from a usually flawless man. It was a pre-recorded interview and, I think, before it even aired (and therefore before the media even knew about it) he had already called the chairman of the special Olympics to apologise. As well as that, he stuttered a lot more as soon as he said that...he knew he just made a stupid mistake. It was just a slip of the tongue, and I think that is a valid excuse because I'm confident a huge majority of people that are 'disgusted' by this have made similar jokes in the past. Whether in public or private, it doesn't make a difference. It's very hypocritical.

PK2008 · 22-03-2009 04:35PM

Mark200 wrote: »

Ehh not really. It's his first real slip of the tongue since he started his presidential campaign in 2006.... It's hardly a sign to start tearing up all the 'hope' and 'change' posters

Didnt he make a balls of the swearing in?

Anyway I hear Bush is carrying a 240 average, which has to prove that retards are in fact good at bowling.

Mark200 · 22-03-2009 04:37PM

PK2008 wrote: »

Didnt he make a balls of the swearing in?

No, that was the other guy that Obama had to repeat after....he said the wrong words and Obama corrected him.

fuzzywiggle · 22-03-2009 04:43PM

Oh major cringe

Sand · 22-03-2009 04:47PM

Meh, fairly harmless. He was just made the sort of joke everyone would make amongst friends.

The real pleasure from this is seeing people defend Obama on this when they would have rage induced comas if Bush had made a similar innocent self deprecating remark. The emperor is lacking in the clothing department these days. Loving it.

ShooterSF · 22-03-2009 04:48PM

Mark200 wrote: »

Ehh not really. It's his first real slip of the tongue since he started his presidential campaign in 2006.... It's hardly a sign to start tearing up all the 'hope' and 'change' posters

"Israel is a friend of Israel's" was surely the first. Hey it was gaffe, we laugh. Nothing serious. I don't like this underlying "no one can say anything bad about him cause he's black" thing. He's the president of the US. We laugh when those "dumb yanks" do something silly. Its what we do

PK2008 · 22-03-2009 04:49PM

I like Obama (and would've voted for him if i were american) but he's starting to come across as the "trendy teacher" type.

I think there's a kind of underlying neediness to be the next JFK

Appearing on Leno is kind of tacky tbh, I mean he's supposed to be the leader of the free world

Lobelia Overhill · 22-03-2009 04:59PM

apparently this episode of Leno is on CNBC (Sky 505) at 8 pm tonight (Sunday) - well according to the EPG anyways.

tech77 · 22-03-2009 06:34PM

Sand wrote: »

Meh, fairly harmless. He was just made the sort of joke everyone would make amongst friends.

The real pleasure from this is seeing people defend Obama on this when they would have rage induced comas if Bush had made a similar innocent self deprecating remark. The emperor is lacking in the clothing department these days. Loving it.

Yeah, overall it is forgettable and in no way makes him a bigot.

Of course dozens of posters are missing the point, refuting a claim of "bigotry" that was never made and that has nothing to do with this.

The point they ARE missing is:
it seems to be an extraordinary lapse of judgement from a guy who seems otherwise very accomplished.

sceptre · 22-03-2009 06:56PM

PK2008 wrote: »

Anyway I hear Bush is carrying a 240 average, which has to prove that retards are in fact good at bowling.

It helps if you do little else but eat and sleep.

Quiet Lurker · 22-03-2009 07:42PM

Mr.Lizard wrote: »

Terrible gaffe by the prez there! He of course meant to say "para-olympics". Those special olympics kids couldn't even get close to 129.

Special olympics kids could not get close to 129 eh? None of the competitions in this country would be won by a score that low !! Last one I was at early this year had a best score of 197. Many many athletes were over 130. Oh and not all are kids by the way.

So dont make comments that are not evidence based. I dont have a huge problem with Obama's comments as it was not intended and they have brought attention to special olympics. however your comments are indicative of a carless predjudice

Mark200 · 22-03-2009 07:46PM

Quiet Lurker wrote: »

So dont make comments that are not evidence based. I dont have a huge problem with Obama's comments as it was not intended and they have brought attention to special olympics. however your comments are indicative of a carless predjudice

I'm sure it was just stupidity based.

Mr.Lizard · 22-03-2009 08:02PM

Quiet Lurker wrote: »

Special olympics kids could not get close to 129 eh? None of the competitions in this country would be won by a score that low !! Last one I was at early this year had a best score of 197. Many many athletes were over 130. Oh and not all are kids by the way.

So dont make comments that are not evidence based. I dont have a huge problem with Obama's comments as it was not intended and they have brought attention to special olympics. however your comments are indicative of a carless predjudice

Sorry. I thought Obama was referring to his IQ test.

Dob74 · 22-03-2009 08:15PM

Obama's comments where stupid but he was talking ad-lip and I am sure he will admit he made a mistake.

My main problem is that he was on Jay Leno.
What is a sitting president doing on a comedy show?

IvaBigWun · 22-03-2009 09:14PM

The media are only short of riding Obama tbh.

If Bush had done this it would still be the lead story on Sky News. As it is it was the 3rd or 4th lead-in and quickly brushed under the carpet the next day.

The president is only ever a "front" for the mechanics that go on behind him and Obama can do no wrong as far the meeja are concerned.

Mark200 · 22-03-2009 09:18PM

Dob74 wrote: »

My main problem is that he was on Jay Leno.
What is a sitting president doing on a comedy show?

Why not?? If Bush can go to bed at 9pm every night and spend almost a year and a half of his eight years on holidays, then I'm sure Obama can take out a few hours to go on a talk show. He wasn't just talking about bowling for the interview that lasted about half an hour....he talked about many important things too, and although it was all clearly said in humour...I don't see anything wrong with it.

When the economy is as bad as it is, everyone is watching the person who is making the biggest decisions in the world. It's important for not just him, but the world's economy, to be seen as confident and capable of doing the job.

Dob74 · 22-03-2009 10:42PM

Mark200 wrote: »

Why not?? If Bush can go to bed at 9pm every night and spend almost a year and a half of his eight years on holidays, then I'm sure Obama can take out a few hours to go on a talk show. He wasn't just talking about bowling for the interview that lasted about half an hour....he talked about many important things too, and although it was all clearly said in humour...I don't see anything wrong with it.

When the economy is as bad as it is, everyone is watching the person who is making the biggest decisions in the world. It's important for not just him, but the world's economy, to be seen as confident and capable of doing the job.

He isn't some idiot actor promoting a movie.
That what the Leno show(the tonight show) is for.

There nothing funny about the state of the world economy.
The President can address the US when ever he feels like it on all the major networks at the same time.
He hasnt shown himself to be capable yet.

Mark200 · 22-03-2009 11:57PM

Dob74 wrote: »

He isn't some idiot actor promoting a movie.
That what the Leno show(the tonight show) is for.

There nothing funny about the state of the world economy.
The President can address the US when ever he feels like it on all the major networks at the same time.
He hasnt shown himself to be capable yet.

No, the show is for general conversation and entertainment...it just happens to attract many actors who see it as an opportunity to promote themselves and their work.....which is what Obama was doing too. Promoting himself and promoting the work he and the American government have been doing.

Just because there's nothing funny about the economy doesn't mean that the whole world should refrain from laughing until it's out of the recession.

ShooterSF · 23-03-2009 12:46AM

Actually the consensus I read was his ratings were down and considering he's the hip young Prez, Leno was a good place for him. But who lets a President speak "ad-lib" FFS he should have a script rehearsed till he can say it in his sleep. Hes lucky right now hes the medias love child.

Obama special olympics gaffe on Leno

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