"It's a little bit like, American Idol, except everybody's Simon Cowell."

[omega minimo]

"It's a little bit like, American Idol, except everybody's Simon Cowell."

59 days into his administration, the 44th president of the United States went on a TV chat show and revealed himself to be a real human being, with real anecdotes about real life. He has an ability to communicate balancing the fine line between snooze-inducing wonkitude and memorable soundbites with genuine warmth and humor.

He made a self deprecating remark about his own skills in a sport that inevitably makes everyone who tries it look uncoordinated. The comparison he used can also be seen as derogatory toward disabled athletes.

His wry humor toward himself bounced back and tagged him like a bowling ball or at least a bowling shoe. He called the chairman (and son of the founder) of the Special Olympics -- before the show aired -- to apologize.

As with the Jeremiah Wright episode in 2008, the airwaves and cyberspace were flooded with interpretations and repercussions of what the man said -- it took a bit more effort to locate and witness what the man actually said.

http://www.nbc.com/The_Tonight_Show_with_Jay_Leno/video/clips/president-obama-319/1067541/

The gracious response from Tim Shriver, the chairman of the Special Olympics board, was "This kind of language needs to be a teachable moment for our country, I think. I would hope every parent that's at home this morning watching... could turn to their children and say, 'This is a chance for us to recognize that when we talk about Special Olympics, when we talk about people with special needs. Let's make sure we talk about it in an affirming way,'" he said.

Indeed.

"Tim Shriver, who is the brother of Schwarzenegger's wife, Maria Shriver, said there is someone who might be able to help the president with his bowling: A Special Olympian in the Detroit area who has bowled three perfect games."

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=7129997&page=1

It was a good interview and covered AIG and huge bonuses for failed executives; the President commented on their sense of entitlement. Jay Leno asked about prosecution and President Obama -- pointing out that "Most of the things that got us in trouble were perfectly legal" -- called for a return to common sense regulations. That way the public doesn't get fleeced and left paying for the consequences.

President Obama said of the huge profits in the financial sector in recent years, "A lot of that growth wasn't real" and that he would guide the economy away from the "bubble and bust" cycles we've become accustomed to.

He made another dry-witted comment at the end of the interview, when asked when the White House Dog would be arriving.

The President said, "This is Washington and that was a campaign promise" but indicated that after an upcoming global summit, the dog would appear.

I am glad that we have a President who is a real person, articulate, fallible and willing to admit a mistake; who does not say "mexed missages" and dissemble (and appear to be an imbecile) while explaining to the public what "dissemble" means; who managed to embody both Candidate Wonk and Candidate Let's-Have-A-Beer and actually get elected.

I'm thankful that he and the Special Olympics have provided this "teachable moment."

:toast:

Below from:
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Obamas-Special-Olympics-Joke-President-Sorry-For-Bowling-Gaffe-On-Jay-Leno/Article/200903315245845

The president's flippant remark came about as host Jay Leno asked him about what had become of the White House bowling alley, after Mr Obama's poor show at the sport on the campaign trail.

"I bowled a 129," Mr Obama said, to laughter from the Tonight Show audience.

"Yeah, that's very good, Mr President," Leno said sarcastically.

"It was like the Special Olympics or something," the president replied, to further audience laughter.


Full video:
http://www.nbc.com/The_Tonight_Show_with_Jay_Leno/video/clips/president-obama-319/1067541/

[omega minimo]

1. ,

[Political Heretic]

2. Let me be the first to say that the reaction to this here and in the media is over the top

Er...I'm nowhere close to the first to say it... but I mean that I have no reservation about jumping up and stating very clearly that there is an overreaction going on...

He was a poor comment to make when your the president representing yourself on national TV. But it was a minor, minor mishap for which he took account and made amends before the show even got on the air.

It's more than time to move on.

Frankly I don't want all my posts about how we're responsible to be critically engaged and not just pom pom wavers for a personality to be construed as supporting this hysterical nonsense.

He made very minor mistake. And that it is dominating a news cycle with our country in the shape it in is pitiful and pathetic.

[omega minimo]

3. Well put. There was much more to the interview and it was difficult to sort out what he said

from the (over) reaction to it.

It's possible to acknowledge (as he did) it was potentially harmful to use that phrase.

In all the DU attention last night, I looked at a few threads and still didn't see what he actually said.

When I looked at the tape, it seemed to be selfdeprecating.

We CAN hold more than one idea at a time.......................

And there were other things of interest in the interview, which Leno did a good job doing, and I don't like Leno, so.............


Thank you for your comment.

[omega minimo]

4. "When I looked at the tape, it seemed to be selfdeprecating."

[TahitiNut]

6. It was.

He was merely observing that Leno's faux-praise for his bowling score was akin to someone exaggeratively applauding a disabled person from whom they expected very little. In other words, he mistakenly equated HIMSELF to a Special Olympics competitor in the parody of high regard that Leno was offering.

[omega minimo]

8. Aye

And who doesn't look awkward bowling?

The President's dry wit may scorch him sometimes. He's smart enough to know his imagery could hurt others and admit his mistake.

[alsame]

10. That's exactly how I interpreted it also. n/t

[omega minimo]

12. .

[TahitiNut]

5. I find it far more rational and sane to use lemons to make lemonade than to grind axes.

Jocks on high horses probably disagree. :shrug:

[omega minimo]

7. Hello

I get it now.

Glad you checked in. Thought this might interest you:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5293476

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

9. How DARE You Call Him Articulate! Will The Racism Ever End??????

[omega minimo]

11. That's funny

:toast: