Special Olympics Gaffe

Obama: “I bowled a 129″

Leno: “no that’s very good Mr. President”

Obama: “In like the special Olympics or something”

Come on…It was a little bit funny.

I honestly can’t understand why we are focusing so much of our energy on such a minor political gaff that had no malicious intent. Shouldn’t we be critiquing Obama on something worth getting up in arms about like the economy/environment/education system/welfare system…seriously… bowling.

“What!?!” I hear you say “the messiah is human?”

I kind of like that he made a mistake – somehow it makes him more real…less robotic…One of the people. It is so nice to see a politician who clearly has a personality – although the joke wasn’t in the most couture taste it certainly wasn’t offensive.

Yes, he made a joke – jokes are by definition not meant to be taken seriously. As (what I consider) a reasonable person, I did not even make the connection between the comment and Obama being against the disabled. However, guess who did…

I’m sure Sarah ‘Afghanistan our neighbouring country’ Palin was salivating at the mouth with glee after hearing about this little slip of the tongue. Sarah ‘turkey interview’ Palin, who has a son with down syndrome, immediately came to the defence of the ’degraded’ disabled community by highlighting the power imbalance:

“This was a degrading remark about our worlds most precious and unique people, coming from the most powerful position in the world“

and  implicitly implying that Obama’s comment may suggests ill feelings towards the special needs community:

“I hope President Obama’s comments do not reflect how he truly feels about the special needs community“

Attacking Obama for such a comment is nothing but dirty, weak politics – it is making an issue out of a non-issue purely to slur another parties name. What good does it achieve for the American people. As a point of interest in 2008 Palin (then governor of Alaska) cut $275,000 worth of funding from the States Special Olympics.  

Thank god politics hasn’t sucked the personality out of Obama as it has Aussie rocker turned Labour MP Peter Garret. About a week ago I watched footage from Garret’s performance (reuniting with band Midnight Oil) at Sound Relief. As I watched him gyrate and spasm I barley recognised the dull bald man who sits lifelessly as a cog in the parliamentary wheel.