Did the NY Times Conveniently Bury Obama’s “Special Olympics” Lede?
Published: March 20, 2009
On Thursday night, Barack Obama made history by becoming the first sitting U.S. president to appear on a late night talk show.
After host Jay Leno made the Commander-in-Chief sit in the green room while he made fun of cat muzzles, Obama came out to talk about – what else – the economy, Tim Geithner, and AIG, before launching into an anecdote about how his daughters love Starburst candies.
Then, Jay Leno asked the President if he was getting rid of the famed White House bowling alley. Nope, Obama said, bragging that he bowled a “129″. Leno politely applauded – quasi-mockingly saying “That’s very good, Mr. President” – to which Obama, under the audience’s laughter and applause, said “it was like the Special Olympics or something.” (Click for video)
Oof. The White House quickly went into damage control mode. Not long after the broadcast, a White House spokesman issued a statement:
“The President made an offhand remark making fun of his own bowling that was in no way intended to disparage the Special Olympics,” Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton told reporters. “He thinks that the Special Olympics are a wonderful program that gives an opportunity to shine to people with disabilities from around the world.”
Ummm, right. But while the Washington Post, the LA Times, the Associated Press and other major news organizations almost immediately picked up on the Special Olympics gaffe, the New York Times appears to bury the lede: an article by Helene Cooper, with a half-dozen presidential quotes from the show, makes no mention of it; an earlier blog post on “The Caucus” by Times reporter Edward Wyatt (screencap, right) contains more than a dozen quotes from Obama, but none of them on the Special Olympics.
(To be fair, there is a link to a transcript from the show after Wyatt’s first para – highlighted in red in the screencap – but don’t you think they’d pullquote that Special Olympics gaffe SOMEWHERE on their website? At least? JOURNALISM 101, DUDES! And ha ha, it took a Times commenter to bring up the Special Olympics blooper in the first place, more than an hour after Wyatt’s post went up.)
Lesson learned: The Times is all too happy to play up Obama’s new vegetable garden, but will conveniently ignore it when our president channels Johnny Knoxville.
Maxim I live by: “Life is short. Say ‘retard’.”
You know, Johnny Knoxville had good intentions.
Aaron, Wence – Do either of you ever sleep?
What about you, Monk? You’re not exactly sawing logs here.
Special, my arse.
And I was just wondering the same thing, Minkie. I have an excuse. It’s only 8.34 on Friday evening here.
I’ve said that in a self-deprecating way before when I suck at something and I’m not bothered by Obama saying it, though as president he really should be more sensitive than a jerk like me.
Seems everyone gets offended by something nowadays… I hate all this political correctness.
Wence, I was trying to sleep. Horrible dreams, filled with arachnid tonguefucking and drunken little people dancing on tables singing that I’m one of them.
Correct me if I’m wrong but I thought that the Special Olympics were for people who want to do athletic things but because of physical limitations would be laughed out of the regular Olympics. So they have their own special little track meets etc.
Obama would be laughed out any bowling league in America because he’s a gangly, better-suited-for-basketball type. Hence, a physical limitation would keep him out of the regular bowling things (whatever that be).
So I think it wasn’t a gaffe. It was “Hey special people, I’m special too!” beautiful moment.
Why the hate?
This is like the time Gerald Ford was telling Dick Cavett about a rollicking state dinner for Leonid Brezhnev and closed by revealing, “Then I woke up with blood on my ass and we all got high!”
Seriously, though, our new prez has a very slight gaffe problem. Does anyone remember the “sweetheart” incident on the campaign trail. Whatevs, he’s human, and I still think his intentions are pretty good.
If Obama can even partially mend the shitty economy, he can go do his best Corky imitation on prime time teevee with an American idol lead in. That said, if this had come out of Bush’s mouth 4 months ago? I would have called for his fucking head to be served with parsley to a group of hungry, mad retards for dinner. Yeah, I’m a hypocrite.
He did say, “…or something.” He was trying to think of some other event that people with special needs meet and compete, much like the special olympics, but not nearly as offensive when discussed on the fly on a late night talk show. It must be that, yes, but you all know how difficult it is to think on your feet when looking at Leno’s chin. That’s it, I know it.
After eight years of being affronted with Republican apologists, I’ve had enough of this bullshit. Report it all, hide nothing, let me read the truth.
Oh, c’mon. The last eight years have taught us in the wider world that you Americans are the ultimate equal opportunity employers. There you had a man who, in most countries, wouldn’t be permitted to take charge of a dessert spoon. And, god love you all, you let him have a stab at running the country. Twice!
And for everyone who thinks ’special’ = less able than those with all their limbs/faculties?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjVJqSz4GEk
But what’s his score on the Wii?
Was this intentional burying? Or simply a reporter who either did not himself catch the gaffe, or felt it wasn’t that big of an issue?
MSNBC did a report about it earlier. The anchor (I’m not sure her name) said on her blog all the comments were of people essentially saying “big deal, a non-issue.” I think it will only be as big a deal as the punditry makes it. I think too many people adore Obama plus know that either they have made silimar comments or overlooked it when people around them have. Personally, I’m the most easily offended person I know. I try to watch that. But, the Special Olympics quip didn’t bother me. That could be because I am biased, but also I think, though I agree it’s not great, there’s so much worse that could’ve been said. He apologized, end of story.
I happened to be on the phone with Eunice Kennedy Shriver when Obama said that- we do that sometimes, just chat and make catty comments about what’s on TV as we get our drink on, for hours- and I heard her do a choking spit-take, coughing violently. I was concerned, but when she got back on the line, she said, “Sorry, shot my gimlet through my damn nose. Oh, that guy’s funny. I mean, have you ever seen those people bowling? Jeezus, Mary and (hacking cough) St Joseph!”
Disquieted, I wasn’t sure who she meant by those people. “Oh, look at the time Aunt Eunie*. Must run, have to have the cat put down tomorrow, sigh. Yes, I know, you’re right they’re filthy, of course. Yes, they do take a mile. Well, goodnight dear. ”
(*Not really my aunt, just one of those things. Maria resents me.)
I got nothin.