Saturday, March 21, 2009

Obama's 'Tonight Show' gaffe one of many for president

For a man known as a great communicator, President Barack Obama can put his foot in his mouth from time to time.Although often deliberate and meticulous in his speaking style, Obama can also be prone to gaffes when he is relaxed or trying to have fun.Keenly aware of the stage, the coolly confident Obama can drift into trouble during unscripted moments.The most recent slip-up came Thursday evening as he sat on Jay Leno's couch and offered an ill-considered comment during a "Tonight Show" appearance. After telling Leno he had scored 129 in a recent bowling game, the president offered what he intended as self-deprecating humor. "It's like—it was like Special Olympics, or something," he said.
The timing of the gaffe is less than ideal for Obama, who has been subject to media teasing in recent weeks for his extensive use of a teleprompter.Before the Leno interview had even aired, the White House apologized for the comment. As Obama flew back to Washington on Air Force One, he called Tim Shriver, chairman of the Special Olympics, to say he was sorry."The president believes that the Special Olympics are a triumph of the human spirit," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters Friday. "He understands that they deserve a lot better than … the thoughtless joke that he made last night."Although all presidents have made comments that have gotten them in trouble—and Obama's predecessor had his share—today's 24/7 news environment raises the profile of such moments.At his first news conference as president-elect, Obama made a comment about former First Lady Nancy Reagan and seances.He had been explaining how he had reached out to former presidents for advice in the transition process, then joked that the list included only those still living. "I didn't want to get into a Nancy Reagan thing about, you know, doing any seances," he said.Later that day, Obama called the former first lady to apologize for what aides called a "careless and off-handed remark."During a relaxed moment at a closed-door fundraiser in San Francisco, Obama said some working-class voters are "bitter" about their economic plight, a statement that would plague him."They cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations," he said. Later he called those remarks "clumsy."Obama's famously poor bowling effort had been recorded just a few weeks earlier—almost exactly a year ago—as his campaign worked to battle suggestions that he was a liberal elitist who struggled to connect with working-class voters.Shortly before the flap over "bitter," Obama had been forced to clarify a comment he made to a Philadelphia radio station where he said his white grandmother was acting like a "typical white person" when she expressed fears after seeing blacks on the streets.And earlier in the primary season, he turned off some voters when he called Hillary Clinton "likable enough" during a debate, a comment that came off as smug. He also famously spoke about arugula, an upscale leafy green, in corn-fed Iowa. An exhausted candidate often found himself a bit lost."Thank you, Sioux City," Obama said last May in Sioux Falls. "How's it going Sunshine?" he said later that month in Sunrise, Fla.

9 comments:

The Fashion brand clothing wear and news supplier- guestcn.com said...
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Nisha.R,Nair said...
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Nisha.R,Nair said...
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Ron said...

Well, he messed up. It wasn't a very sensitive thing to say, but it is strange to hear your complaint after rallying relentlessly and even including in the headline from this blog how much you hate the pc world. Like I said game, you are losing it.You even complain about what you complain about what you yourself say you detest.
You are not the only one, the entire right has imploded in the same way. It is why most people have given up on them. You have no core. I could tell you how and why this happens but you really don't want to hear it.

The Game said...

He is the president of the united states..he should have a higher standard.
The problem is that you do not...you talk about how I am a partisan hack yet it is you who only have outrage for Republicans.
You can't compare this to Bush or ANY OTHER President in the history of our country because we have never had one act this poorly, we have never had one who constantly said so many stupid things without reading exactly what to say.

Ron said...

There you go with the teleprompter meme. Good little solider. I said it was insensitive. Obama couldn't equal the stupidity or outright lies bush told if you gave him 50 years. You may not see it that way but that is the price we both pay for living in alternate realities..You sure don't inhabit the one I live in.

You didn't address my point that you are so anti pc until you can use it to blast somebody of course. Why are you so EMOTIONAL over a little pc joke/slip when you are so opposed to it otherwise? You have no core.

You know Game, I hate all this fighting and gnashing of teeth. I would like to discuss things in a different manner and have made efforts to do so. You won't relent. How do I get an adult conversation and discussion of solutions instead of a personality driven soap opera out of you? Is this the only way you can relate? Because that is the only reason I do it..I see no other way to make a point with you. Give me something to work with.

The Game said...

The word LIE is so powerful, prove the times Bush lied...
That is different from the times he was WRONG..
Now, by changing his story 20 times we know Obama LIED about the Write and Ayers
At times I am bringing up legit issues, and anything talking about Obama's lack of being ready to lead is important

Ron said...

It's been proved Bush lied many times in many ways. You wouldn't accept it when it was pointed out. That doesn't mean other people saw the proof and recognized it. It matters not whether you accept that proven point or not. Others have plenty of proof. As far as Obama lies. ??

The clear majority of the country thinks Obama is doing a good job as a leader so far and thought he had leadership qualities when the elected him. You are welcome to your own reality but don't expect others to buy it unless you have something better than what you have trotted out so far. Obviously that hasn't been effective.

Anonymous said...

“I don't want some mom whose son may have recently died to see the commander in chief playing golf,” Pres. Bush said. “I feel I owe it to the families to be in solidarity as best as I can with them. And I think playing golf during a war just sends the wrong signal.”