Obama Apologizes for Special Olympics Remark on Leno

President Barack Obama called Special Olympics Chairman Tim Shriver last night to apologize for a tasteless remark he made on yesterday's Jay Leno's "Tonight Show" concerning the Special Olympics even before the program aired, reported Jonathan Martin of Politico today.

“He expressed his disappointment and he apologized, in a way that was very moving,” Shriver said on ABC's “Good Morning America.” “It’s important to see that words hurt, and words do matter. And these words that in some respect can be seen as humiliating or a put-down of people with special needs do cause pain, and they do result in stereotypes."

Obama told Shriver he wants to have some Special Olympics competitors over to the White House for basketball or bowling.

Shriver is the son of Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver, President Kennedy's sister.

The president had been making an attempt at self-deprecating humor in his appearance on Jay Leno's show by saying that a recent 129 he scored in the White House bowling alley had been "like Special Olympics, or something."

He and his staff quickly recognized the mistake and moved to limit the damage.

While Obama called Shriver, White House Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton told reporters flying back to Washington with Obama on Air Force One that the president had “made an offhand remark making fun of his own bowling that was in no way intended to disparage the Special Olympics.”

“He thinks that the Special Olympics are a wonderful program that gives an opportunity to shine to people with disabilities from around the world,” Burton said.

Obama Misstep on Leno: Making Light of Special Olympics

Jonathan Martin of Politico is reporting that while appearing on Jay Leno tonight President Barack Obama committed one of the cardinal sins in communication: making light of a disability.

Obama's effort to mix his serious talk with more light-hearted fare was overshadowed when in an attempt to mock his own lackluster bowling skills, he said his recent 129 score in a game in the White House bowling alley was "like the Special Olympics or something."

Ouch. Not a quote you would expect from a masterful communicator. But then again, he probably did not have a Teleprompter. Besides, 129 isn't so bad. He isn't Earl Anthony, but how often does the guy bowl?

On other matters, Martin reports:

Asked his response when he found out about the AIG bonuses, Obama said: "'Stunned' is the word."

As he has all week, the president made clear to the public that he shared their outrage and reiterated that he'd try to get the cash back.

"People just had this sense of entitlement," he observed. "We must be the best and the brightest."

For all the sober talk, Obama did join Leno in getting in some quips, including one line that was sure to momentarily scare his daughters.

"That was a campaign promise," he said about the pledge he made to his daughters to buy them a dog.

"No, I'm teasing. The dog will be there shortly."

Disunity in Denver for MSNBC

And now, lets look at the network that keeps on giving. Over at MSNBC, it sounds like some people have are having problems with the new regime. Now that Keith Olbermann has become the unofficial Director of Content and decides who gets face time, David Shuster felt free to take a whack at Joe Scarborough.



Here, Rachel Maddow hits McCain for playing the "POW Card" while appearing on Jay Leno. When asked by Leno about the houses gaffe, McCain mentioned his service. This is what he said on Leno last night:



Pat Buchanan, in response to Maddow, tries to make a point, but is pushed back by the adoring crowd nearby. (It's almost like being at a Big Ten football game at halftime). Here is the Maddow comment and reaction:



It is rather disturbing that someone might try to use a five-and-a-half-year stint at the Hanoi Hilton as a negative for her party's political opponent. In my book, McCain, and every other POW ever, gets huge praise for their sacrifice.

No, McCain did not give a good answer to his housing gaffe. He'd might have been better off saying that he had a "senior moment," or that he and his wife worked hard to get where they are, and that he wants to create an evironment where every American has the opportunity to succeed in life. McCain does try to put in a rebound during the Leno appearence to say that he wants to work on getting Americans into houses and keeping them in their homes.

But for Maddow to cry about McCain using the "POW Card" is as low as it gets. Does MSNBC really want to spin a former POW's service to our country as a negative? Don't you think that had Sen. Obama been a former POW that he would be using it as a central theme of his campaign as well? And, has Rachel Maddow ever spent a nanosecond in captivity in defense of our country? Does she knows what it's like to be separated from her family, tortured, and in doubt of whether she would survive such an ordeal? Her only qualification in this debate is that she is a favorite of MSNBC's new Director of Content.

Finally, here's this golden nugget. While Joe Scarborough, who really has had a tough 24 hours, talks about McCain's recent strength in the polls, Keith Olbermann, apparently thinking he is off the microphone, comments, "Jesus, Joe, why don't you get a shovel?"



Memo to Joe: Watch your back at MSNBC. Don't tick off the Director of Content, and start promoting the network/party line or you'll join Dan Abrams in some corner office in the basement.