Washington Times Defends Obama Over "Special Olympics" Joke

The Washington Times editorial board defended President Obama's crack about the Special Olympics Sunday, writing that although his comment was in poor taste, he clearly meant no harm and shouldn't be judged so harshly.

The fundamental right of freedom of speech in this country applies to presidents as much as anyone. Obama is allowed as to say impolitic things as long as they don't hurt the country. It also lent humanity to Mr. Obama, something rarely displayed by presidents in public and that certainly would not have been on display had he stuck with the canned responses he surely discussed with his White House handlers in advance.

Most importantly, the President has real problems to address beside hurt feelings. The PC police need to relax and learn to take a joke.

President Obama made the gaffe last week, during an appearance on the "Tonight Show with Jay Leno." Joking about his bowling score of 129, he told Leno his skills were "like the Special Olympics or something."

Comments

[carsonfoundation]

02:10 PM on 03/24/2009

i have spent most of my 24yrs alive working with people who have special needs and advocating for them. What pisses me off the most, is something like the washington post is defending the president on a comment like this, on live t.v.
If it was bush, he would have been done after a comment like this,
and if it was bush, or any other president making a black person comment on live t.v.
they would have been done also.
but because this is obama, the rock star black president of our life time
we are suppose to let it slide?
im glad for the states on this so called change. but that doesnt mean we let him get away with comments like these.
and the sad part is, im sure he will.

[kathy001]

04:33 PM on 03/24/2009

Bush made so many stupid comments I don't think anyone was able to even keep count of them. The number of racial smears about Obama and his family mount every single day. And while people have, and do, go after Bush and the other people who make these comments, they are by no means "done" because of them.

If Obama had compared his performance on the bowling alley to a 4 year old, would you have screamed that he was making fun of 4 year olds? Because it is a fact that the average 4 year old doesn't have the coordination and skills to do well at bowling. And the fact is, mentally challenged people do not perform sports well, either. The entire reason for the creation of the Special Olympics was to give them a level playing field - so they would be able to compete with people with the same levels of abilities and disabilities.

Was it a PC comment? No, it was not. Was it a cruel and abusive comment? NO, it was not. Obama was not making fun of special needs people, he was making fun of himself.

Get over it already and find something that's really abusive to be offended about.

[BJGE]

03:10 PM on 03/26/2009

Kathy001 do you have a clue what you are talking about. The racial slurs that build up about Obama's family is because he makes them up. He even said on his campaign that they are trying to make you scared of me because I am black. McCain never said that. Right now Obama is looking worse than Jimmy Carter.

[carsonfoundation]

07:37 PM on 03/26/2009

kathy, you really dont know what you are talking about. people with special needs are discriminated against every day. even as much as someone of color might be.
he is the president, and if he is going to be the one who is going to save the states, and has this rock star persona that all the Americans and rest of the world have given him, then he shouldn't make these stupid comments.

you yourself should be ashamed of your comments. i know plenty of people with special needs that can beat plenty of "normal" people in any sport they wish.

[Ben Thomas]

12:40 AM on 04/01/2009

For the love of common sense, people, he wasn't comparing his bowling to the Special Olympics. He was just referring to Leno's exaggerated praise at his score. Have you people -- and I'm including the Huffington Post in this for covering this -- lost your minds? Stop being reactionary monsters drooling for a taste of scandal. It's disgusting; please stop.

[avshanbh]

12:00 PM on 03/24/2009

Even Obama isn't going to defend himself because he immediately knew he was wrong and apologized. Thanks Washington Times but no thanks!!!!

[Rog49Thomas]

11:43 AM on 03/24/2009

The Washington Times.

Isn't that one step up from the Thunderbolt?

[calamityjohn]

09:24 AM on 03/24/2009

several thoughts on this came out today:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/20304.html

http://www.thearc.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=1910

http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/41707867.html

http://www.suntimes.com/news/otherviews/1490262,CST-EDT-open23a.article

http://media.www.diamondbackonline.com/media/storage/paper873/news/2009/03/23/Opinion/Language.Dont.Get.Too.Comfortable-3678564.shtml

[tomasedison]

08:59 AM on 03/24/2009

Washington Times is great for lining the bottom of the canary cage
other than that, its completely useless. Most H.S. newspapers offer
more insight. their staff are not intellectual giants.

[BEHM777]

07:19 AM on 03/24/2009

OK, now I know why it is so doggone cold this fine Spring morning: Hell has frozen over. Again.

[handyallen1]

03:19 AM on 03/24/2009

did anybody see the leno interview obama was saying that leno was giveing him the special olympics cheer for his 129 bowling score , this isnt worth talking about sheeeesh

[Jeremy Nguyen]

12:07 AM on 03/24/2009

I have a comic strip related to this story, over at:
http://www.jeremywinslife.com/2009/03/24/rice-next-on-leno/

[kathy001]

04:36 PM on 03/24/2009

LOL!!! I love the little "I'm Special" t-shirt.

[AllenD]

11:21 PM on 03/23/2009

When the Moonie Times backs you be afraid, be very afraid.

[elizlucinda]

10:02 PM on 03/23/2009

Okay..everyone..Get a hobby!!!!!!The man apologized!!

[acecat]

10:37 PM on 03/23/2009

Well said! We have a President that's human--so what?

[MargaretO]

12:47 AM on 03/24/2009

Thank goodness we have him.

[pastorcheryl]

03:44 PM on 03/24/2009

For God sakes LET IT GO!!! My sentiments exactly. We all get it, he is soooo sorry, now can we stop beating a dead horse!!!!!!! Goodness gracious! PRAY FOR OUR PRESIDENT, so we an all live a quiet and peaceable life!!!!!!!!!!!!! Prosperity is ours.

[zippy01]

09:09 PM on 03/23/2009

I don't so much care about the comment. I know how it was meant, and it wasn't some noble comparison bs. What is far more startling is the flagrant hypocrisy on display. Conservatives are attacked and reviled, while if you are on the other side of the aisle, it suddenly becomes "No big deal."

[JHancock]

09:42 PM on 03/23/2009

Actually there is a huge difference between making a bad comment and spewing garbage and making criminal policy based on a bankrupt ideology.

[MargaretO]

12:47 AM on 03/24/2009

Exactly. It's like comparing apples to oranges.

[labman57]

08:57 PM on 03/23/2009

Washington Times, eh? Obama's response should be: "do me a favor, don't do me any favors".

[Jayfred2002]

11:43 PM on 03/23/2009

I find it amusing that the Washington Times, of all media outlets, would stand up for Obama. It doesn't have a history of supporting Obama for any reason. But I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiment. He made an off-the-cuff comment that was made with zero thought. He apologized, and in the whole scheme of things, it is not even a molehill compared to the mountain of problems this man is dealing with. And if his critics really think what he said is anything more than a poor choice of words, then they are in serious need of psychiatric counseling.

[Three Four Five]

08:36 PM on 03/23/2009

Financial Terrorism and Recouping the Bonus Payouts...

http://voteforamerica.net/ editorials/ Comments.aspx?ArticleId=256&ArticleName=Squashing+Fiscal+Abuse

[huffingt]

08:34 PM on 03/23/2009

Get over it. Its nothing.

[politicalpopcorn]

08:30 PM on 03/23/2009

I don't see it - I don't understand why so many on the right are so offended that he laughed. Here is an article on the Leno Interview - Obama On Leno: Thoughts On the Interview From the Right. And, in case you didn't see the 60 Minutes interview - VIDEO: Obama On 60 Minutes.