Special Olympics bowler: I can beat the president

[Bacchus39]

Source: AP

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/obama_special_olympics



.By COREY WILLIAMS, Associated Press Writer Corey Williams, Associated Press Writer – Fri Mar 20, 8:34 pm ET. AP – Kolan McConiughey bowls at Colonial Lanes in Ann Arbor, Mich., Friday March 20, 2009. McConiughey, who … .

So President Barack Obama thinks he bowls like a competitor in the Special Olympics?

He's obviously never met Kolan McConiughey, a mentally disabled man considered one of the nation's top Special Olympics bowlers, with five perfect games to his credit. He'd like to go to the White House and show the president a thing or two about how to roll strikes.

"He bowled a 129. I bowl a 300. I could beat that score easily," McConiughey said Friday.

His challenge to Obama followed the president's offhand remark on Jay Leno's "Tonight Show" Thursday comparing his famously inept bowling to "the Special Olympics or something." Recognizing his blunder, Obama apologized to the chairman of the Special Olympics before the show aired.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/obama_special_olympics

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Obama's remark was tasteless, but we all make a mistakes and he realizes his mistake. But he should play this guy not just to say he was sorry, but he was wrong too.

[GreenPartyVoter]

Dollars to donuts Obama and Michelle invite him up. :^)

[Bacchus39]

3. well, he should. and given his character, he will. n/t

s

[FailureToCommunicate]

8. That would be great! They should do it! Especially before the WH bowling lanes

are turned into basketball courts...

[Bacchus39]

12. looks like they will have both now ;)

;)

[Mind_your_head]

5. That would be cool. Kolan could give Barack some pointers about how

to improve his bowling style/game.

Everyone has 'worth' ~ including the POTUS. I'm sure he can learn to bowl reasonably well - he's a very talented guy...as are many of us. :-)

[Bacchus39]

13. I think it would be symbolically meaningful if he became a good bowler

something to work on. hey, he'll be able to bowl long after basketball skills diminish.

[No Elephants]

26. I will bet money he is already a tolerable bowler and will do great when he goes back to

Pennsylvania to campaign for re-election. He is too much of both a competitor and a campaigner to do anything else. He may not bowl 300. After all, he's busy lately. But, he will not embarrass himself.

[No Elephants]

24. Yep, Pls. see post 32. And Obama called Shriver before the Leno show aired.

[grytpype]

1. Well doesn't that prove Obama's damn point?

[Bacchus39]

2. ummmm....no. wasn't Obama comparing his bowling skills to the Special Olympics?

I admit I haven't watched the video yet, just read something ealier today.

[dbonds]

4. No, he was comparing the praise Jay Leno gave him to the praise people give at special olympics.

It was a comment about how that praise has the bar lowered.

[Bacchus39]

6. yes it was about the bowling. I just listened. Please, I know Obama will do the right thing

no reason to deny it what he said though.

[dbonds]

7. Sorry, you misinterpretted it if you think he said he bowls like a special olymipics.

Not denying, others are twisting. I heard it live last night and 20 times over the day today on the news. Watch it again in context, the context is the praise Jay is giving him.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted sub-thread

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[TheEuclideanOne]

29. Well, yes and no

The praise that Jay gave him was fake praise, the kind you would give somebody who was not deserving but who you would not want to offend. You might give this praise to the POTUS or to your boss or to a five year old. It was obvious, fake praise. In Jay's case, being a late night comedian, it was pretty clearly fake and sarcastic. But Obama is the one who threw in the phrase "Special Olympics" and it all went downhill from there. Not a smart move, but an understandable one. Hey, he is human too, and he let his guard down and said something politically incorrect. It is a joke I would have made, but then again that is why I am not the POTUS. I think that he is a great president, but you have to chalk this one up as a clear mistake in this politically correct world that we live in. Since then, he has done the right thing, apologized and moved on.

[w4rma]

9. Good grief. Anyone who makes a big deal about this has their priorities messed up. (nt)

[TheEuclideanOne]

28. I disagree, I think that the President should resign.

To make such a monumental gaffe is completely unacceptable. Obama should tender his resignation immediately :sarcasm:

[stlsaxman]

11. Aww, man... FUCK Yahoo.

[Enrique]

14. that's awesome

Obama's bowling with him could turn this gaffe into a great thing. :thumbsup:

[No Elephants]

25. Pls. see Post 32. Obama was way ahead of everyone on the invitation deal.

[earcandle]

15. He'd be insensitive not to take the challenge, and a poor sport as well. And Obama isn't ...

insensitive.

He might be kinda busy though.  
Maybe he can take a raincheck for soon after the budget is
passed.  
And maybe Mr. McConiughey can help in the meantime to pass the
budget?   

There is a lot of work to be done. 

Our prez sure has a lot of energy.

I am inspired. 

Curious why no major news about the law that passed taxing
tarp bonuses
90% after first $100,000.  Not even Obama mentioned it. 
Stealth? 
Strategy? Cover Up?  Not Informed? Anybody know? 

I heard it on NPR.  

[Tarheel_Dem]

16. This is my last comment on this. As I see it, I think most people who have

followed the President since the '04 convention speech, knows that he meant no disrespect. Was it a poor choice of words? You betcha. But there's a reason why Pres. Obama's favorability ratings remain so high, and it's because most people have a sense of the real man.

The one bright spot in all of this, is that perhaps it will raise the profile of the programs aimed at the special needs community. People will try to make hay of this, even on this board, but truth is, I'll bet most of the people who are suddenly so outraged never gave a second thought to the real life challenges these people face.

[earcandle]

17. Sounds right to me. I second that emotion.

[Mind_your_head]

43. You're "right on"

:thumbsup:

[earth mom]

18. This looks & smells like a P.R. move to me. Why am I not surprised? It's politics as usual.

:eyes:

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

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[Naturyl]

22. Hehe, he should play against Obama

And kick his ass. That would be good on so many levels.

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[No Elephants]

27. Sam, I smell pizza.

[Nye Bevan]

34. No, that wasn't disruptive. Just incoherent. (nt)

[No Elephants]

44. Not incoherent. I got it. I never said it was disruptive. And I still smell pizza. Not

on the basis of that post, but in the future.

[Nye Bevan]

45. OK. I admit that my trolldar is not as good as most DUers (nt)

[Hannah Bell]

30. cool story.

[Edith Ann]

31. Special Olympics.

You guys need to get off of this. I am the mother of a Special Olympian. He made a tacky off handed comment the likes I have heard many times from family, friends and coworkers. Example: Oh! he's acting so retarded. He didn't mean it any more than they did.

Those we should be worried about are Legislatures in conservative states who want to put a nice name to a bill that would shackle our kids to the wall and then they would throw food at them. You know like they did in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Most of these politicians feel our kids are a waste of money and they don't want to spend any on them. The education system spends a fortune on these kids and then they lose all they've gained because there are no programs to continue to keep these kids functioning. What these kids need are after graduation activities. Most disabled work shops are aimed at high functioning Downs Kids. My son is autistic and has cp. He needs more supervision than the other kids, but he's a good worker. There aren't any programs in Oklahoma and as long as the Wing nuts control our legislature there won't be any programs. They won't even require insurance companies in our state to pay for PT, OT etc. for autistic kids. They will however spend money redesigning our State Flag. Can you imagine how much money it would cost to replace all our state flags just in the area of government?

My son would love President Obama. So forgive him. I have. My son has.

[AllentownJake]

33. God bless you

You articulated better with what I was angrily trying to say on here the past two days about my brother.

:hug:

[rox63]

32. President Obama didn't mean any offense, but it was a dumb choice of words

I think The Prez should invite a bunch of Special Olympians to the WH, including Kolan McConiughey. Kolan could coach the prez in bowling, Obama could give a personal apology to the group, and maybe shoot some hoops with the Special Olympian basketball players. It would give positive exposure to the cause, and help them raise funds to support it. Everone happy with that?

[glinda]

35. If anyone is upset "they should donate to Special Olympics" and put their money

where their mouth is. Somehow I tend to think Obama thinks very very kindly of Special Olympians and made one of those gaffs that everyone does when they aren't totally thinking. It would be great if the Special Olympians could take over the White House for part of a Day. Way cooool!!!!!!!!!!

[Arkana]

36. Bottom line: Obama made a retard joke.

You can't make retard jokes when you're the President.

But it isn't the end of the world and for anyone to suggest that he hates special needs people is being stupid.

[Blandocyte]

41. Indeed.

eot

[Gman]

37. Obama should do it

but I don't think this has raised barely a ripple with the general public, not withstanding the faux outrage of the RW and many here at DU.

[Jefferson23]

38. If Obama bowls with McConiughey, that would be very cool. An unfortunate

gaffe by Obama could lead to a valuable conversation on the subject of special needs individuals.

This conversation could highlight and bring greater attention to helping people receive a higher quality of intervention for the young and much more help getting them employed later in life. I have no doubt Obama will do all he can to support this particular population of Americans.

[marshall]

39. Baby, you can BE the president one day!

Anything is possible in the USA!

[and-justice-for-all]

40. Obama's comment is silly and has been taken over the edge...

Its beginning to look a lot like Freeperville in here.

[classysassy]

42. Hello folks

don't you think we have rode that horse too long?.