Comments on: Obama’s ‘Special Olympics’ Comment: Humor, Foul Play, Or A Free Pass For The President? (by Corey Thompson)

By: The Thirsty Quill

The Thirsty Quill — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 18:32:39 +0000

Mike and Andy, I’m going to have to agree with Flynn on this one.

Nobody is arguing that Obama can’t make a mistake.

However, as President, he must be held to a very high standard. Such comments have no place carelessly rolling off the tongue of the esteemed figure who holds the highest office in the land…human, or not.

The double standard comes into play when we look back upon Bush and how he was treated, how Don Imus was treated, and how others have been treated for “being human.”

By: Andy McGee

Andy McGee — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 01:42:51 +0000

At this stage of the Bush administration he was almost done clearing the brush from the common area behind the ranch at Crawford. I think this administration is doing a good job and is making commendable progress for the first 60 days in office. I read the Fox News Facebook page with everyone’s responses to the President’s Press Conference and it really kind of baffles me how much some (so called) conservatives hate this President. Quotes like “I can’t even look at him” and “What an idiot” it goes on and on. I know that many people said that about former President Bush, and some of it was unfair. But the things people choose to show outrage about now that would have never given similar topics the time of day when their guy was in office. Even the Quill will agree that you can not compare these Presidents at this stage. My God, let’s give him a year. Some of these issues are larger than the surplus GW inherited.

By: Flynn

Flynn — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:43:38 +0000

George W Bush would have been castigated beyond belief had he made this comment. The double standard is alive in well.

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 13:25:26 +0000

‘The evil men do lives after them, the good is oft interred with their bones, so let it be with….’ Debating is surely an american past time but it is kind of funny the only subject we can pick on Pres Obama is the special Olympic comment that was used as a figure of speech of which the Pres did apologize for if I’m not mistaken.
Just as Marc Antony stated above, why is it we focus on remembering the least significant things and never mention the good deeds, we are so quick to access blame or fault. I guess that is what makes us human.

By: The Thirsty Quill

The Thirsty Quill — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 02:09:05 +0000

Andy, is that $27 per Special Olympics participant?

I guarantee that I can find MORE THAN ONE who took offense. In fact, you may just make me a wealthy man this week brother.

By: Andy McGee

Andy McGee — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 01:58:47 +0000

I do like President Obama. I was genuinely disillusioned by the former administration. That has nothing to do with this.
Ok, he was too lose. He was too comfortable, too American? I bet you twenty seven dollars that you can not find one special olympic participant who gives two $hi*s about what he said.

I gave GW props for how he handled the days after 911, the progress he made combating HIV, and of all other things, his humor. I will call President Obama to the carpet when I feel it is appropriate. I just dont think this issue warrants any more attention than the breed of the new White House Dog.

By: The Thirsty Quill

The Thirsty Quill — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:45:25 +0000

Trey: Thanks for the support brother.

Steven: Good points. I still think Obama should take notice of this gaffe and avoid future references to the Special Olympics, joking about his own abilities, or otherwise.

Andy: Once again, my friend, you have missed the point of my post entirely. Please see my comments in regard to Don Imus, GW’s mispronunciation of the word “nuclear,” and the other examples I mentioned.

Surely you see SOME poor judgment on Obama’s part here, right? Andy, you have ALWAYS made it a point to drive home your belief that looking down upon one special interest group or another has NO PLACE in American society. So what, now that your guy Obama made an off-color remark by comparing his LACK OF SKILLS to SPECIAL OLYMPIANS, its just “self depreciating humor,” right?

Andy, you’ve always said that I have been jaded in my views toward members of my party/beliefs, but I’d say you’re doing the very same thing you often accuse me of.

What’s wrong with admitting that your guy made a mistake? I didn’t say he should be impeached…I just said that he should be ashamed…

By: Andy McGee

Andy McGee — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:26:52 +0000

Seriously? This is what it has come to?
Follow me here. IT is a little tough to get your head around.
Jay Leno is a Comedian. He has a late night talk show that every night of the week has tongue and cheek shots in and out of bounds for the sake of a laugh.
President Obama was if any thing human. He was using self deprecating humor and the moment was if anything at all forgettable.
What I find terrific is that this is what you choose to talk about. I don’t know for sure but I wonder if you wrote this much about GW sitting in San Diego Harbor with the now famous “Mission Accomplished” Banner hanging in the sunset as he adorned his Top Gun getup. “Seriously, this is what makes you pause?”
Okie Dokie. Let me know if he burps or passes gas during an interview. I am sure the outrage for that will be as appropriate as the outrage for this. Somewhere George Carlin just cursed in his grave.

By: billy bob

billy bob — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:24:31 +0000

at least he said special olympics instead of the r word

By: Steven Forbis

Steven Forbis — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 06:22:19 +0000

I can’t think of one President who hasn’t said dumb things before. Sure this was pure idiocy and it deserves all the attention it gets, but it wasn’t said with the intention of being evil towards the Special Olympics Committee. The Special Olympics accepted his apology before the show had even aired showing that he knew as soon as he said what a gaffe it was.

“He expressed his disappointment and he apologized in a way that I think was very moving. He expressed that he did not intend to humiliate this population,” Shriver said Friday on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

He said the president’s apology was “very sincere” and that Obama had extended an invitation to Special Olympics athletes to visit the White House to bowl or play basketball with him.

Still, Shriver said the incident shows that words hurt and words do matter.

“These words that in some respect can be seen as humiliating or a put down to people with special needs do cause pain and they do result in stereotypes, they do result in behaviour that is neglectful and almost oppressive of people with special needs,” Shriver (Head of the Special Olympics) said.

The White House said Friday Obama realizes his quip was a “thoughtless joke.”

Quill, you ask where the outrage is this time. The answer lies in the reply of the Special Olympics Chairperson. He had the opportunity to make a big deal out of something, yet decided not too. That might make him the bigger person between him and President Obama, but either way, it looks like all parties are trying to distance themselves as fast as they can on this one.

By: Trey Crenshaw

Trey Crenshaw — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 05:41:19 +0000

Hammer meet nail. Nice job.