As the father of an autistic son who is also athletic, somehow the humor of Mr. Obama’s Special Olympics comment eludes me. Much more from The Anchoress.
Update I: Hattip to Ed Morrissey at Hot Air. Governor Palin’s address to the 2009 Special Olympics:
Compare and contrast.
Update II: Totus denies any responsibility.
Good Lord, he’s like the mean kid in the schoolyard who never grew up. One wonders if he knows any special-needs kids personally–perhaps they were all “taken care of” prenatally?
Good point cminor. I find it hard to imagine anyone who has ever cared for someone with a serious disability even thinking of making such a joke, especially on national tv.
As the godfather and upcoming Confirmation sponsor of a briliant nephew with similar condition, I’m not amused either. Thanks to Anchorette for picking up. More thanks to ABC’s Jake Tapper, risking career in providing solid, no-spin coverage of Dear Leader. Still calming down from his proposal to compel wounded veterans to handle some medical expenses out of pocket. Which he quickly tabled during AIG Hate Week. Seems to be sputtering too much stuff off cuff. Teleprompter will have to talk to him about habit.
Wounded veterans and disabled kids. Perhaps grieving mothers are next?
Perhaps this is just long years experience with being intentionally un-PC, but I guess I’m not particularly shocked and offended by the remark per se. What’s appalling is that he didn’t think better than to make it on camera to a national TV host.
If Obama had make a joke like that among friends after a few beers, I wouldn’t necessarily see it as indicative of a character flaw. But that he threw it out while trying to be funny on national TV shows a lack of class and understanding.
Like Darwin, I’d say it was probably imprudent because he is a public figure and was speaking before a wide audience with a range of sensibilities as it is wide. That said, as a father of a special needs child and having an appreciation for self-deprecating humor and didn’t find it offensive. To me the difference in something like that would be the overall mentality of the person making the joke. If they were a rather normal and decent person who obviously cares for others, no problem. If they’re an arrogant and mean-spirited jerk and demonstrate no compassion for others, then it’s a problem. Generally speaking, I think Obama fits the latter category, but in this particular instance, I’m not getting that he was being a mean a-hole, but just knocking himself down for amusement. Just one dork’s opinion…
The next time he wants to knock himself down, maybe he can leave disabled kids out of his feeble attempt at self-deprecating humor.
Considering his pro-abortion credentials and culture he grew up in and seeing said children as a ‘problem’ that needs to be aborted, I can completely understand his point of view since he may already consider such children as non-humans to begin with.
Darwin is correct, and were it not for the fact that conservatives have had their careers ended for less I’d agree wholeheartedly that a carelessly-rendered private remark should not be used to blugeon a public figure.
It is astonishing that a man so obviously concerned with image seems to have so little awareness of other people that he tossed off the comment on national television without apparent reflection. No wonder he’s tied to the teleprompter with an umbilical cord.
File this story under “If George Bush (or substitute conservative/Republican of choice) had said it…”
He apologized. So said Special Olympics Head Honcho Tim Shriver on GMA. Rival network to Tonight Show, of course. Organization founded by Teddy’s sister/Tim’s mom. Dear Leader owes the Kennedys big-time, following Teddy’s early endorsement. And not doing enough to get Caroline on the Senate. Bill just increased. Prompter probably got in his face after the taping.
The last time I made a crack like this, I was 12 years old. By the time I was 13, I realized that this was no longer humorous. I wonder if the president still thinks farting is funny.
The problem will be solved the next time around when President Obama will be interviewed on the couch with teleprompters surrounding him.
Look at all the trouble Jackie Mason (a night club comedian) is in for calling Obama a “schwarza” – the yiddish word for…. my goodness… he called him….”black”.
It was an unfortunate, insensitive gaffe. He realized his stupidity in the instance, and acted appropriately, even before the show even aired.
I, with special needs relatives, can forgive him and will not use this incident to make sweeping evaluations about his character and moral worth.
Tito,
“Considering …culture he grew up in..”
What is that supposed to mean?
Mark,
Considering that many liberals do not adhere to the culture of life, they tend to abort babies that have been diagnosed as having mental disabilities. So the lack of interaction with some of God’s precious children has insulated many liberals that autistic children are people too. Hence the insensitive comments proffered by President Obama.
tito,
Dig deeper.
Mark,
Truth hurts buddy.
Hate to do it Mr. DeFrancisis since you and I basically get along, but I had to delete your last comment.
“Considering that many liberals do not adhere to the culture of life…”
Sorry. Pet peeve. Neither do conservatives.
Eric,
No need to apologize.
Conservatives do likewise, though my point was that abortion of children with mental and physical disabilities are advocated slightly more on the left than on the right.
Your point is true and valid in terms of what you were talking about; I absolutely agree. I was just making a clarification.
If this was the first insensitive remark, perhaps a pass would be in order.But I recall his snarky comment about Mrs.Reagan when he was in office for day.And he slammed the wrong person to boot.It was Hillary who was channeling.He is not ready for prime time anything,IMO.
Mark D.,
I, with special needs relatives, can forgive him and will not use this incident to make sweeping evaluations about his character and moral worth.
would you have been so forgiving if it was say, Rush Limbaugh who made such a gaff? Or GW Bush? or any other conservative? Ask yourself HONESTLY.
Eric,
true enough, but it’s not part of our “creed”.
Matt,
I think your question may reveal quite a bit about yourself, as you seem to see the world in binary terms, and, apparently, choose to identify yourself fiercely with one side of the binary opposition.
I have no such identifications, so deeply held.
The problem will be solved the next time around when President Obama will be interviewed on the couch with teleprompters surrounding him.
Speaking of which, Tito — Neo-Neocon has a good post on ‘Obama’s teleprompter addiction’. Good reading.
Christopher,
That’s some good stuff.
Hitting the hay, need to prepare for another addicting round of the men’s college basketball tourney tomorrow!
Mark D,
quack, quack.
“Speaking of which, Tito — Neo-Neocon has a good post on ‘Obama’s teleprompter addiction’. Good reading.”
And chilling reading Christopher.
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