Obama apologizes to Tim Shriver for Special Olympics remark
(UPDATE: Friday afternoon Press Secretary Robert Gibbs chimed in with a re-apology for further damage control, calling his boss' Special Olympics crack a "thoughtless joke."
(And now California First Lady Maria Shriver chastises Obama, whom she supported in the Democratic primaries last year. For that Ticket item click here.)
President Obama has apologized to the Special Olympics for his crack on the "Tonight Show" about his bad bowling as our colleague Mark Silva reports.
In case you haven't heard about it -- and if so, that means you weren't reading The Ticket in the middle of the night -- the president began damage-control while he was in the air enroute back to the White House. Here’s the president's exchange with Jay Leno:
LENO: Now, are they going to put a basketball -- I imagine the bowling alley has been just burned and closed down.
THE PRESIDENT: No, no. I have been practicing all -- (laughter.)
LENO: Really? Really?
THE PRESIDENT: I bowled a 129. (Laughter and applause.)
LENO: No, that's very good. Yes. That's very good, Mr. President.
THE PRESIDENT: It's like -- it was like Special Olympics, or something. (Laughter.)
LENO: No, that's very good.
THE PRESIDENT: No, listen, I'm making progress on the bowling, yes.
Ouch. Silva reports that, the president called Tim Shriver, chairman of the Special Olympics, to say he was sorry.
"He expressed his disappointment, and he apologized in a way that was very moving. He expressed that he did not intend to humiliate this population," Shriver said today on ABC's "Good Morning America."
The president, Shriver said, wants to invite some Special Olympic athletes to the White House to bowl or play basketball. Read the rest of Silva’s report.
-- Steve Padilla
Photo: Associated Press
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No "sincere" apology can take back the hurt look in a family members eyes when you said that. When you think it and say it, you mean it. There are no take backs. You need to do some Public Service Anouncments, donate some money to the cause etc, as punishment but not for forgiveness.
Shame on you.
Posted by: The Unkindest Cut | March 20, 2009 at 01:12 PM
No "sincere" apology can take back the hurt look in a family members eyes when you said that. When you think it and say it, you mean it. There are no take backs. You need to do some Public Service Anouncments, donate some money to the cause etc, as punishment but not for forgiveness.
Shame on you.
Posted by: The Unkindest Cut | March 20, 2009 at 01:12 PM
For goodness sake! Lighten up, people!
Posted by: Joanne | March 20, 2009 at 01:33 PM
If George Bush had made the same comment, he would have been crucified by the media, and it would have been front-page news, and the top story on the TV news. Since our Lord and Savior, Jesus Obama, said it, though, there has been nary a word about it. Un-freaking-believable.
Posted by: Chud | March 20, 2009 at 01:41 PM
The President's comment was an off-the-cuff attempt at a joke, obviously gone awry. Anyone seeing more than that is just looking for something that isn't there to bash him.
Posted by: David | March 20, 2009 at 02:01 PM
Since his apology was so "moving," whadda say we forget the whole thing??
Posted by: Grandpa | March 20, 2009 at 02:22 PM
WHO CARES???? Leave him alone he is a normal guy!!! Maria Shriver your an idiot!
Posted by: John | March 20, 2009 at 02:55 PM
Why has our country become so pathetic that every comment is viewed under a microscope, really look at what he said and in the context he said it in, next is communism, Please
Posted by: Andrew Miller | March 20, 2009 at 02:56 PM
Can Americans stop being so sensitive. We can't say anything anymore. Get over it.
Posted by: Cesar | March 20, 2009 at 03:13 PM
I for one am not offended: joking about the Special Olympics raises awareness about a very special cause. The whole point is they are different, and while they cannot compete at the same level as those who are not "special" they still have a good time and they make it their best effort...just as Obama does in the bowling alley I'm sure!
Posted by: AC | March 20, 2009 at 03:19 PM
Everyone seems to have the same misquote for this interview. Obama didn't say "It was like the Special Olympics." He said, "This is like the Special Olympics," referring to the way Leno was congratulating him for his bowling game." It was still an inappropriate comment, but the transcripts are wrong. Listen to it yourself.
Posted by: Scott Ivener | March 20, 2009 at 03:29 PM
In my opinion I think that people are over reacting about something that doesn’t really matter. Why is it that when a regular person says something like that nobody cares? but then the president says it and it is a big deal. People should get over it and move on nobody is perfect. Everyone knows that he didn’t mean it intentionally so why worry about it.
Posted by: mari 012 | March 24, 2009 at 06:44 AM