Possible Obama oops on tonight's Leno (small spoiler)

[NellyLunatic1980]

I saw a preview of Pres. Obama's appearance on "The Tonight Show". During his appearance, he made a joke about his bowling score.

But I want to warn everybody that

Spoiler

his joke may possibly offend the physically challenged

.

[BackInTex]

I saw a preview of Pres. Obama's appearance on "The Tonight Show". During his appearance, he made a joke about his bowling score.

But I want to warn everybody that

Spoiler

his joke may possibly offend the physically challenged

.

Spoiler

Did he use the s-word?

[ulysses5019]

I saw a preview of Pres. Obama's appearance on "The Tonight Show". During his appearance, he made a joke about his bowling score.

But I want to warn everybody that

Spoiler

his joke may possibly offend the physically challenged

.

Spoiler

Did he use the s-word?

Do you mean:

Spoiler

shitsuation?

[ulysses5019]

Here's the CNN report:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/19/ ... index.html

[jaybee]

I think George Washington had it pretty easy.

Bet he said lots of bad stuff that nobody ever saw on youtube.

[earendel]

On the subject of faux-pas' I was in our building's cafeteria this morning. They have two big-screen TVs set up for diners to watch while they eat. One was set to ESPN, the other to The Early Show on CBS. A commercial for the MSNBC evening lineup was running; the one for Hardball with Chris Matthews showed the various members of the Obama administration on playing cards. Unfortunately they showed Obama on perhaps the most inappropriate card they could have chosen:

Spoiler

He was on the king of spades.

[Jeemie]

I saw a preview of Pres. Obama's appearance on "The Tonight Show". During his appearance, he made a joke about his bowling score.

But I want to warn everybody that

Spoiler

his joke may possibly offend the physically challenged

.

Thanks for warning us of this...when if it had been President Bush, the "warning" would have come in the form of a derisive post from you.

[NellyLunatic1980]

I saw a preview of Pres. Obama's appearance on "The Tonight Show". During his appearance, he made a joke about his bowling score.

But I want to warn everybody that

Spoiler

his joke may possibly offend the physically challenged

.

Thanks for warning us of this...when if it had been President Bush, the "warning" would have come in the form of a derisive post from you.

Exactly, since everything he said offended me personally.

[Jeemie]

Exactly, since everything he said offended me personally.

Ah...so a phrase becomes offensive to you based on who says it?

I see.

At least you're honest about your hypocrisy.

[Appa23]

I stayed up and watched all of the way through the 40 minute Obama campaign informercial to see how bad of a screw-up he made.


I have to say that it was not as bad as I imagined. I thought that maybe he had referred to his bowling on the campaign trial as being "Special Olympics." Instead, he merely commented that Jay Leno's praising him for the alleged 129 at the White House bowling alley was like the Special Olympics.

It is telling that Obama would think in those terms -- false praise being given at the Special Olympics.

[silverscreenselect]

I stayed up and watched all of the way through the 40 minute Obama campaign informercial to see how bad of a screw-up he made.


I have to say that it was not as bad as I imagined. I thought that maybe he had referred to his bowling on the campaign trial as being "Special Olympics." Instead, he merely commented that Jay Leno's praising him for the alleged 129 at the White House bowling alley was like the Special Olympics.

It is telling that Obama would think in those terms -- false praise being given at the Special Olympics.

If Bush had made the same joke, he would have gotten a week's worth of scorn from the usual suspects, Olbermann, Matthews, kos and crowd. As well as comments about how this shows the "real" Republican mindset as to how they view the less fortunate among us.

And don't get me wrong. Plenty that Bush said and did upset me, probably the worst of which was his "joke" about looking for WMD underneath his desk in the Oval Office, which trivialized his invovlement in a six-year fiasco that has cost thousands of American lives. But Obama is still getting an admittedly declining-in-value free pass of sorts in some circles.

What should really worry Obamites is that the only thing he's demonstrated a skill at during his political life is running for office and the Leno visit is part of his "buy into my economic package" tour. If he's starting to screw up the only thing he's good at, what hope is there for the rest of his four years?

[SportsFan68]

. . .

And don't get me wrong. Plenty that Bush said and did upset me, probably the worst of which was his "joke" about looking for WMD underneath his desk in the Oval Office, which trivialized his invovlement in a six-year fiasco that has cost thousands of American lives.

. . .

It was definitely the worst for me. More than 800 U.S. troops had lost their lives at that point, and heaven only knows how many civilians. It colored everything I ever heard him say after that, which wasn't much. I clicked him away if it was on television and turned the radio off when he came on.

[Weyoun]

I am mildly concerned (okay, REALLY concerned) that our president is using late night talk shows to sell his economic program. I think the debate should be about more than that, given what is at stake.

I don't mind so much him using time for these things - but, really, if you are going to hang with Andy Katz and fill out a bracket, do something imaginative, like put Florida St in the final four. No one cares if you pick a bunch of top seeds to win! That's no fun! Typical politician...

[Flybrick]

Obama's joke was just that. Not a big deal for either side.

The hypocrisy is that if it had been GWB or Cheney or Palin or any Republican, it would have been evening news fodder for several days, news commentary shows for a week, etc, etc.

With Obama, it's gone after today.

Bush's WMD joke was in the same lines. It actually was funny in a very dark way.

I didn't find it offensive. My military friends didn't find it offensive. Some that I don't know I'm sure found it offensive.

It was still a joke.

Everything can be funny given the right context/setting.

Lighten up...

[mellytu74]

If Bush had made the same joke, he would have gotten a week's worth of scorn from the usual suspects, Olbermann, Matthews, kos and crowd.

sss--

One of the few non-basketball-related minutes of TV I saw last night was a smidgen of Olbermann's show.

He was in LA and saw the raw footage or feed fom Leno, since he was down the hall. He discussed the dangers of off the cuff remarks.

So, FWIW, Obama DID get some grief from Olbermann about it.

But, I didn't watch any of the actual interview with Leno.

BTW -- wasn't Bush's joke about looking for WMD at the Washington Radio & TV Correspondents' Dinner? I thought it was a camera event and not something in the Oval Office. But I could be wrong about that.

[SportsFan68]

If Bush had made the same joke, he would have gotten a week's worth of scorn from the usual suspects, Olbermann, Matthews, kos and crowd.

sss--

One of the few non-basketball-related minutes of TV I saw last night was a smidgen of Olbermann's show.

He was in LA and saw the raw footage or feed fom Leno, since he was down the hall. He discussed the dangers of off the cuff remarks.

So, FWIW, Obama DID get some grief from Olbermann about it.

But, I didn't watch any of the actual interview with Leno.

BTW -- wasn't Bush's joke about looking for WMD at the Washington Radio & TV Correspondents' Dinner? I thought it was a camera event and not something in the Oval Office. But I could be wrong about that.

Pretty sure it was filmed in the Oval Office, Melly. He played the film at the dinner and interspersed it with his speech. The Correspondents gave him rave reviews for his comedic timing -- late night standup quality, one reporter called it. At one time, I could find the whole speech on the net. Now I can find only odd references to it here and there.

[mellytu74]

If Bush had made the same joke, he would have gotten a week's worth of scorn from the usual suspects, Olbermann, Matthews, kos and crowd.

sss--

One of the few non-basketball-related minutes of TV I saw last night was a smidgen of Olbermann's show.

He was in LA and saw the raw footage or feed fom Leno, since he was down the hall. He discussed the dangers of off the cuff remarks.

So, FWIW, Obama DID get some grief from Olbermann about it.

But, I didn't watch any of the actual interview with Leno.

BTW -- wasn't Bush's joke about looking for WMD at the Washington Radio & TV Correspondents' Dinner? I thought it was a camera event and not something in the Oval Office. But I could be wrong about that.

Pretty sure it was filmed in the Oval Office, Melly. He played the film at the dinner and interspersed it with his speech. The Correspondents gave him rave reviews for his comedic timing -- late night standup quality, one reporter called it. At one time, I could find the whole speech on the net. Now I can find only odd references to it here and there.

Thanks, sprots. I thought I remembered him looking under the dias draping but I wasn't sure. I do remember a recently killed soldier's sister was upset by it.

[SportsFan68]

Obama's joke was just that. Not a big deal for either side.

The hypocrisy is that if it had been GWB or Cheney or Palin or any Republican, it would have been evening news fodder for several days, news commentary shows for a week, etc, etc.

With Obama, it's gone after today.

Bush's WMD joke was in the same lines. It actually was funny in a very dark way.

I didn't find it offensive. My military friends didn't find it offensive. Some that I don't know I'm sure found it offensive.

It was still a joke.

Everything can be funny given the right context/setting.

Lighten up...

As y'all point out from time to time, there are about as many senses of humors on this Bored as there are posters. When Bush made those WMD jokes, he had sent more than 800 people to their deaths. I refuse to have that dismissed with a "lighten up." I gave LookingForHumorPoints huge minuses for jokes about pedophilia and date rape in his last LS.

It was still a joke. It was not a funny joke. There is no context or setting that can make me think that sending 800 people to die and then making fun of it is funny.

[SportsFan68]

sss--

One of the few non-basketball-related minutes of TV I saw last night was a smidgen of Olbermann's show.

He was in LA and saw the raw footage or feed fom Leno, since he was down the hall. He discussed the dangers of off the cuff remarks.

So, FWIW, Obama DID get some grief from Olbermann about it.

But, I didn't watch any of the actual interview with Leno.

BTW -- wasn't Bush's joke about looking for WMD at the Washington Radio & TV Correspondents' Dinner? I thought it was a camera event and not something in the Oval Office. But I could be wrong about that.

Pretty sure it was filmed in the Oval Office, Melly. He played the film at the dinner and interspersed it with his speech. The Correspondents gave him rave reviews for his comedic timing -- late night standup quality, one reporter called it. At one time, I could find the whole speech on the net. Now I can find only odd references to it here and there.

Thanks, sprots. I thought I remembered him looking under the dias draping but I wasn't sure. I do remember a recently killed soldier's sister was upset by it.

It upset a lot of families and made the Tonight Show as a joke I can't remember, except I do remember that the audience didn't find it funny. A number of upset families were quoted in stories immediately afterward, but I can't find those now either.

[silverscreenselect]

It upset a lot of families and made the Tonight Show as a joke I can't remember, except I do remember that the audience didn't find it funny. A number of upset families were quoted in stories immediately afterward, but I can't find those now either.

Bush's WMD "joke" was worse than Obama's Special Olympics joke in one regard. Obama's statement was off-the-cuff without his trusty teleprompter for guidance (I hope), while Bush obviously took quite some time to set up and film his weapons hunt, which means he had to have thought about this for a while before showing it in public.

However, Obama's joke is just part of a pattern of tasteless comments by him about Sarah Palin (lipstick on a pig), Hillary (you're likable enough), lower middle class white folks (clinging to guns and God), Jessica Simpson (and her weight battle). These comments keep getting swept under the rug as "bad" or "tasteless," but accidental. How many accidental comments does it take to show people that Obama just doesn't care about others? (unless he needs their votes in the next few days)

[Jeemie]

He was in LA and saw the raw footage or feed fom Leno, since he was down the hall. He discussed the dangers of off the cuff remarks.

Replace "Obama" with "Bush" and tell me that Olbermann would have contented himself to comment only on "the danger of off-the-cuff remarks".

I give that as much credance as I do Nelly for posting the story here in the first place.

Neither Nelly nor Olbermann were being critical- they were merely trying to manage the potential fallout ahead of time.

The worst part is- the joke itself wasn't so offensive. It's the hypocrisy on display that's the killer.

[Flybrick]

[

Replace "Obama" with "Bush" and tell me that Olbermann would have contented himself to comment only on "the danger of off-the-cuff remarks".

Something like:

And now, a Special Word to President Bush:

Have you decency, sir? Have you no sense of compassion for the ones not given the silver spoon, even if you did use that spoon for cocaine, life such as you squandered?

If the blatant disregard of human decency you displayed toward the heroic Special Olympians is the same you intend to show towards our allies and countries that we don't understand well enough. Those same countries you want to bomb.

Well, sir, your brand of 'humor' is something that all real Americans will not sit.

If you have a shred of dignity left, you should resign immediately.

Good night and good luck...



Can't you just see the Affleck skit?!

[Jeemie]

[

Replace "Obama" with "Bush" and tell me that Olbermann would have contented himself to comment only on "the danger of off-the-cuff remarks".

Something like:

And now, a Special Word to President Bush:

Have you decency, sir? Have you no sense of compassion for the ones not given the silver spoon, even if you did use that spoon for cocaine, life such as you squandered?

If the blatant disregard of human decency you displayed toward the heroic Special Olympians is the same you intend to show towards our allies and countries that we don't understand well enough. Those same countries you want to bomb.

Well, sir, your brand of 'humor' is something that all real Americans will not sit.

If you have a shred of dignity left, you should resign immediately.

Good night and good luck...



Can't you just see the Affleck skit?!

Exactly.

If Sean or Rush, or, on these boards, BiT or Daniel, had been the first ones out with this scoop, I wouldn't have given the thread the time of day.

However, what Nelly did and what Olbermann did smack of Clinton's 1992 rapper incident at the DNC. "Look- we can criticize our own. We ARE open-minded".

All while not actually...you know...CRITICIZING him.

[Flybrick]

It was still a joke. It was not a funny joke. There is no context or setting that can make me think that sending 800 people to die and then making fun of it is funny.

sprots,

I was blown out of the Pentagon a few years back.

I've attended the funerals of friends and/or comrades who sacrificed for their country. Some didn't believe in their assignedmission, but they still went because they had given their word.

I will respect your right to not think something is funny. Please have the courtesy to respect mine. Some of those I mentioned also thought such things were funny.

You should experience some of the ways "Mission Accomplished" have been made fun of. As have been the Special Olympics.

A sense of humor is often times the only/best stress relief one has. Even regarding dark/serious issues.

[silverscreenselect]

You should experience some of the ways "Mission Accomplished" have been made fun of. As have been the Special Olympics.

Poking fun of Mission Accomplished or George Bush in his flight suit (or Michael Dukakis in the tank) or "It depends on what the definition of is is" is one thing (that's a lot of is's in a row, huh).

Poking fun at the Special Olympics is something else. Just because people make Special Olympics and "retard" jokes all the time doesn't make them right. They make gay jokes, handicapped jokes, black jokes and Jewish jokes as well.

I don't have any relatives or close friends who have mentally challenged family members so I honestly can't comment on how offensive it might be. I doubt, however, it's a source of pride to them when the President of the United States compares his bowling game to that of a Special Olympian. Regardless of what one may think about political correctness, I don't think it's wrong to hold the President of the United States to a higher standard than some idiot at the office water cooler.