If elected president of the United States, one can do many things. Besides holding the most powerful position in the U.S., you are instantly a member of a world that is uniquely your own. You can ride in one of the two 747s that exist solely to serve the president. You can call your private 15-car motorcade and travel to a destination of your choice. You can retreat to your own private estate atop the Catoctin Mountains in Maryland. You can even head down to the basement of your own house and sharpen your sub-par bowling skills. One thing you cannot do, no matter who you are: compare your skills to those of a mentally handicapped person.
Whether Barack Obama got ahead of himself on what he can and cannot do as president or whether it was simply a slip of the tongue, the remark that he made on The Jay Leno Show March 19 was beyond offensive. As a Democrat and avid supporter of Obama, I was absolutely appalled to find an article detailing Obama's reference to his bowling skills in the White House: "It was like the Special Olympics or something." This blunder may have been the first of its kind, but it is too inexcusable to be ignored.
Although Obama showed no concern immediately after making the comment, his administration was quick to catch the mistake before the show even aired. Delivering a statement of apology for Obama, White House spokesman Bill Burton explained, "The president made an offhand remark making fun of his own bowling that was in no way intended to disparage the Special Olympics." Sure it was an offhand remark, and sure coming from one of your friends you would probably laugh, but from the president of the United States, who has claimed he will bring change to America, it isn't funny.
Obama's iconic inauguration is fortunately still close enough in our minds to keep him on the good list, but his thoughtless comment has still put a considerable stain on his persona. He offended more people with his sentence than he can probably fathom. America has been in an uproar since the show aired. According to the Associated Press, in an attempt to clean up the mess, Obama made a direct phone call to the president of the Special Olympics, Timothy Shriver. His apology, followed by the invitation for several mentally handicapped athletes to bowl at the White House, is somewhat embarrassing.
The world is nearly in a state of economic emergency. We have bigger problems than a cheap one-liner used on an even cheaper talk show. But if Barack Obama loses the respect of this country, as George W. Bush did many years ago, he will find that pulling us out of an economic crisis is the least of his problems.
I am convinced Barack Obama has the potential to be one of the best presidents our country has ever seen. As the first African-American as well as one of the youngest presidents, he has already overcome challenges many of us wouldn't dream of facing. If he wishes to have this country on his side, he needs to realize we as a people are now his people and to mock any of us is to tread in waters too deep to swim out of alive.
Abby Haglagehaglagag@muohio.edu
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