# Obama's joke on Leno... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 20, 2009, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-joke-on-leno/490132 "2009-03-20T05:58:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-joke-on-leno/490132/41 "2009-03-20T15:06:14Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > Gotta love the cover, though. He “pretended” to play along! There are no words. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-joke-on-leno/490132/42 "2009-03-20T15:06:37Z")
As Cartman found out to his chagrin, those SO athletes are better than you think. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-joke-on-leno/490132/43 "2009-03-20T15:06:49Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > No, it was a hit. > > [http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jC6Kb61F1jYG\_ewWHCqHCO9iqoOwD9704SE81](http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jC6Kb61F1jYG_ewWHCqHCO9iqoOwD9704SE81) > > From the Associated Press: > \* > Obama laughed and returned to the podium to offer what might have been Cowen’s remarks. In doing so, **President Obama thanked President Obama for inviting everyone over.** \* > > And from your own source comes this quote: > > …the p **resident** took the microphone again and pretended to carry on the confusion, saying: **“First of all I’d like to thank President Obama”.** > > Gotta love the cover, though. He “pretended” to play along! You wouldn’t recognize a joke if it bit you on the nose. Yeah, good “cover”. When are you going to get over this delusion that Obama is some kind of kid who went straight from the cradle to the White House? The man is 47 years old, his entire political career up to four years ago was in Chicago/Illinois politics, which is big-time, big-stakes stuff, and he’s probably the most intelligent president we’ve had since Wilson. The fact that your hero George W. was a man-child with the intelligence of a turnip really irks you, deep inside, doesn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-joke-on-leno/490132/44 "2009-03-20T15:09:15Z")
If Bush had said it, yes… there would’ve probably been a couple of pit threads and a good amount of manufactured outrage from everyone but Fox. But you know what else is different? In this thread alone there are those on the Left who are saying that it was an unfortunate gaffe- clearly he didn’t mean to impugn anything other than his own bowling skills, and even he seemed to realize that it was a joke which could be taken the wrong way. Whereas, if it was Bush, his defenders would’ve drawn up marching orders to rush to his defense and to imply that anyone who disagreed with them was, at best, UnAmerican… and, at worst, a traitor. Either way, this is another example of partisan manufactured outrage. Can we just get over it, already? Or, put another way, can we just cut the crap? Is this anywhere NEAR as important as the economy, or the war, or the choice of First Dog? ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-joke-on-leno/490132/45 "2009-03-20T15:11:06Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > he’s probably the most intelligent president we’ve had since Wilson. Most of my dopey friends know enough not to make fun of retarded people in mixed company. Your “intelligent” Obama, however, went ahead and did so on the _ **frickin Tonight Show** _!!!:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-joke-on-leno/490132/46 "2009-03-20T15:15:19Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > Most of my dopey friends know enough not to make fun of retarded people in mixed company. Your “intelligent” Obama, however, went ahead and did so on the _ **frickin Tonight Show** _!!!:rolleyes: Yeah, that’s what happens when a person speaks extemporaneously. You or I wouldn’t have made the same joke at all, right? There’s been plenty more offensive stuff said on late night, anyway. He should have watched himself more closely, precisely because of potential faux outrage like this, but he was just chatting with Leno and it slipped. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-joke-on-leno/490132/47 "2009-03-20T15:16:31Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > Most of my dopey friends know enough not to make fun of retarded people in mixed company. Your “intelligent” Obama, however, went ahead and did so on the _ **frickin Tonight Show** _!!!:rolleyes: If you’re of the opinion that intelligent people NEVER slip up verbally, you really don’t know any. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-joke-on-leno/490132/48 "2009-03-20T15:29:16Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > Most of my dopey friends know enough not to make fun of retarded people in mixed company. Your “intelligent” Obama, however, went ahead and did so on the _ **frickin Tonight Show** _!!!:rolleyes: Which is it, **Stephe**? 1. Obama was intentionally insulting the Special Olympics, and by extension, ridiculing those who participate in them. or 1. A gaffe which clearly shows that he’s unworthy of being President due to his lack of sensitivity to the handicapped and disabled. I’d just like to know where you’re coming from on this. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-joke-on-leno/490132/49 "2009-03-20T15:41:51Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Yeah but Larry the Cable Guy isn’t the President. Not since January. > [@Stephe96](#): > > Most of my dopey friends know enough not to make fun of retarded people in mixed company. Your “intelligent” Obama, however, went ahead and did so on the _ **frickin Tonight Show** _!!!:rolleyes: He didn’t make fun of retarded people, any more than when Stephen King said “I have the heart of a small boy; I keep it in a jar of formaldehyde by my bed” he was making a joke about child murder. He was making a joke about his bowling. Besides which he’s apologized already (from Air Force One and on his own accord before it became an issue, though the fact it was to SO Chairman Tim Shriver [a Kennedy] will I’m sure not be lost). So let’s move on, nothing to see here. He also talked a bit about the economy and explained AIG’s bailout in a manner that probably makes more people understand it a little bit better than you’d find in 20 hours of most cable news networks. That’s not important though. (How long before Down Syndrome mother Sarah Palin weighs in with tearful offended look I wonder?) ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-joke-on-leno/490132/50 "2009-03-20T15:45:38Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > Whereas, if it was Bush, his defenders would’ve drawn up marching orders to rush to his defense and to imply that anyone who disagreed with them was, at best, UnAmerican… and, at worst, a traitor. I would to see a cite for some instance where Bush made a bad joke, and several Republicans on the SDMB said that anyone who attacked him for it was un-American or a traitor. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-joke-on-leno/490132/51 "2009-03-20T15:46:26Z")
> [@PatriotGrrrl](#): > > So, ARE bowling scores (or scores in general) lower in the Special Olympics than in other competitions? (That was the point of the joke, right?) But they are a whiz at golf, somtimes they score 4 or 5 times what a pro would. (Hanging head in shame because I have a brother in SO). ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-joke-on-leno/490132/52 "2009-03-20T15:46:35Z")
Wow, and here I had been thinking that Biden would be the one to be giving all the verbal gaffes in this administraction! > [@](#): > > Special Olympics players would probably score lower due to… you know. > In actuality he was making fun of himself but the example used gave it a double meaning and most will assume he was dissing the S.O. rather than himself. Dissing himself by saying he should be in the Special Olympics **because he is so bad at the sport** _is_ pretty much dissing the Special Olympics, is it not? There would be nothing funny (or meant to be funny) about the comment if it didn’t rely on the presumption that Special Olympics participants must be very bad at what they do. Imagine the outrage if a white politician went on TV and made a joke that compared something he was bad at doing as being comparable to how black people would do it. I wouldn’t blame black people for viewing that as offensive even if the hypothetical politican was “only trying to make fun of himself”. After all, the point is that he was “making fun of himself” by **comparing himself to people he sees as inferior**. That’s why Obama’s remark is in such poor taste. For those who say it could have happened to anyone, no, it would only happen to someone who had opinions about the mentally handicapped that, in a lapse, they forgot to disguise before speaking. I would never expect someone who actually had a mentally handicapped child to make such a joke about the Special Olympics. I’m not saying that this is The Most Important Issue in the World, but when Obama’s reputation relies so much on being such The Genius Eloquent Master Speaker, it is newsworthy when he shows he can be just as stupid as every other politician who makes insensitive or dumb remarks. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-joke-on-leno/490132/53 "2009-03-20T15:47:09Z")
Agree with everyone that it is no big deal. Also agree that if any Republican had said this, there would be calls for his/her resignation. I don’t like that double standard. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-joke-on-leno/490132/54 "2009-03-20T15:50:27Z")
And it seems that a Special Olympic bowler has [challenged Obama to a game.](http://www.tmz.com/2009/03/20/special-olympics-champ-to-barack-bring-it-on/) He’s pretty confident that he’ll win, seeing as how his average is 266 and he’s had 3 perfect 300 games. “He’s cool, but he can’t beat me.” Love it! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-joke-on-leno/490132/55 "2009-03-20T15:50:43Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I would to see a cite for some instance where Bush made a bad joke, and several Republicans on the SDMB said that anyone who attacked him for it was un-American or a traitor. > > Regards, > Shodan How about when Bush said there were WMDs in Iraq? Or when he displayed the ‘Mission Accomplished’ banner? ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-joke-on-leno/490132/56 "2009-03-20T15:58:04Z")
> [@glee](#): > > How about when Bush said there were WMDs in Iraq? > Or when he displayed the ‘Mission Accomplished’ banner? I think now we’re getting off-topic. Those are well outside the boundaries of meaningless gaffes. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-joke-on-leno/490132/57 "2009-03-20T15:58:25Z")
> [@glee](#): > > How about when Bush said there were WMDs in Iraq? > Or when he displayed the ‘Mission Accomplished’ banner? To answer seriously, probably the worst joke Bush made was pretending to look under desks and tables for WMD’s. If I could make the search function work, I’d try to find some conservative defenses of it (or attacks on people who said it was in poor taste). I’m genuinely curious. Obama made a bad joke. He should apologize and we should get on with our horrible, horrible world. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-joke-on-leno/490132/58 "2009-03-20T15:59:41Z")
> [@bup](#): > > To answer seriously, probably the worst joke Bush made was pretending to look under desks and tables for WMD’s. If I could make the search function work, I’d try to find some conservative defenses of it (or attacks on people who said it was in poor taste). I’m genuinely curious. There was also the heart surgery joke he made on Letterman only days after Dave had gone under the knife. IIRC, the studio audience booed him for that. ---
**Author:** ![tds1273](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@tds1273](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tds1273)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-joke-on-leno/490132/59 "2009-03-20T16:00:30Z")
> [@glee](#): > > How about when Bush said there were WMDs in Iraq? > Or when he displayed the ‘Mission Accomplished’ banner? Don’t forget about how he went fishing, while New Orleans was underwater. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-joke-on-leno/490132/60 "2009-03-20T16:01:30Z")
> [@bup](#): > > He should apologize and we should get on with our horrible, horrible world. He did (although [the statement released by the Special Olympics chairman](http://www.aolcdn.com/tmz_documents/0320_so_statement.pdf) [PDF] doesn’t really say whether or not they accepted it) and we should. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-joke-on-leno/490132.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-joke-on-leno/490132.md?page=4)