Palin rips Obama for Special Olympics joke
posted at 4:31 pm on March 20, 2009 by Allahpundit
Commenters in the previous thread assure me that they’re not outraged at Obama’s joke, they’re merely outraged at the double standard conservatives are held to when they say something impolitic. Let’s see how many stick to that position in this one. A thousand comments or bust, baby!
“I was shocked to learn of the comment made by President Obama about Special Olympics,” Governor Palin said. “This was a degrading remark about our world’s most precious and unique people, coming from the most powerful position in the world.
“These athletes overcome more challenges, discrimination and adversity than most of us ever will. By the way, these athletes can outperform many of us and we should be proud of them. I hope President Obama’s comments do not reflect how he truly feels about the special needs community.”
Exit question: Any wild guesses as to how the media will report this tonight? Here’s a hint from yesterday’s ADN: “The biggest single chunk of money that Palin is turning down is about $170 million for education, including money that would go for programs to help economically disadvantaged and special needs students.”
Update: Maria Shriver chips in too:
In a statement this morning, Shriver said, “While I am confident that President Obama never intended to offend anyone, the response that his comments have caused, coupled with the reaction of a primetime audience, demonstrate the need to continue to educate the non-disabled community on the issues that confront those with a developmental disability.”
“Often times we don’t realize that when we laugh at comments like this it hurts millions of people throughout the world,” added Shriver.
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Comment pages: 1 2 3 … 14 Next »
Sarah rocks, and frankly the feds proved with AIG you don’t get any scratch for free…
sven10077 on March 20, 2009 at 4:33 PM
Sarah Palin 2012!
ZJPolitical on March 20, 2009 at 4:33 PM
Conservatives4Palin spin in 4,3,2,1….
amerpundit on March 20, 2009 at 4:34 PM
“…our world’s most precious and unique people…”
Yep, America worships weakness, not real accomplishments that require intelligence.
Kalapana on March 20, 2009 at 4:34 PM
I love faux outrage.
It keeps our politicians politically correct and boring.
That said, Palin’s gripe is probably legit.
YYZ on March 20, 2009 at 4:34 PM
Personally, I think Todd should kick Obama’s a**.
BigD on March 20, 2009 at 4:34 PM
“Palin bad. Obama good. Pay no attention to the man behind the teleprompter.”
malclave on March 20, 2009 at 4:34 PM
Obama hasn’t been challenged yet…except to avoid Whitey trying to give him AIDs….
Rogue on March 20, 2009 at 4:35 PM
Un-friggin-believable.
Proud Rino on March 20, 2009 at 4:35 PM
his comment was that of a stupid high school student.
rob verdi on March 20, 2009 at 4:36 PM
Palin kicks ass.
She said she will be their fierce defender and she should respond as a mother and a care figure for kids with special needs.
Obama is a doofus.
jencab on March 20, 2009 at 4:36 PM
Here it comes sucka
Alaska has already increased education spending
and I guess this shows her fiscal conservative credentials … turning down FEDERAL money for education
maybe she wants to abolish the dept of education too
joey24007 on March 20, 2009 at 4:36 PM
Ouch. That one’s gonna sting.
MadisonConservative on March 20, 2009 at 4:36 PM
I still think BamBam is thinking what’s the big deal with what he said.
He doesn’t have a clue and will never have a clue.
Brat4life on March 20, 2009 at 4:36 PM
All we need now is Glenn Beck sobbing to really make this fake outrage really pop.
Proud Rino on March 20, 2009 at 4:37 PM
Those commenters may (and doubtless shall) speak for themselves.
As for myself, however: BRING DA PAAAAIIIINNNN, SARAH!!!!! ;)
Kent18 on March 20, 2009 at 4:37 PM
Is anything Palin said debatable? However offended one may be by it, is was clearly a “degrading remark”. It was certainly more degrading that McCain calling Obama “that one”, and look at the outrage that provoked.
DarkKnight3565 on March 20, 2009 at 4:37 PM
Debbie Schlussel’s head to explode in 5…4…3…2…1…
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on March 20, 2009 at 4:37 PM
Allah, does the “boss” give you a dime for every comment?
How cute.
RobCon on March 20, 2009 at 4:37 PM
Oh, snap. Well, only one way to settle this: Todd/Barry Ultimate Fight Challenge.
Pasalubong on March 20, 2009 at 4:37 PM
yawn…she has a special needs child, I am so suprised she said this/not…1000 or bust…epic FAIL!!! ~B
Brian on March 20, 2009 at 4:37 PM
I’m not so worried about the whole “double standard” idea as I’m miffed that the most powerful man in the world felt he could get away with using these people as a punchline. If you’re not going to have respect for the Special Olympians, have respect for the office and hold your tongue.
Repurblican on March 20, 2009 at 4:37 PM
It was inevitable. “sucka”? Very mature.
amerpundit on March 20, 2009 at 4:38 PM
She’s a goddess, and he’s been smote by divine righteous fury.
ZJPolitical on March 20, 2009 at 4:38 PM
Proud Rino on March 20, 2009 at 4:38 PM
She is more of a man then Barry will ever be . I think she cannot suffer this fool gladly. I believe she has decided to rescue the US from the idiot messiah.
Fear us.
We are coming.
Palin2012
DeweyWins on March 20, 2009 at 4:38 PM
Screw the spin. People need to understand that States don’t want the Feds to grab up power. The old standing principle, nothing is for free, everything comes with a price. I’m pretty sure Alaska is doing just fine with their special education programs without the Feds flying in like the buzzards they are.
Keemo on March 20, 2009 at 4:38 PM
Compare and contrast…”She says “President Barack Obama’s joke comparing his poor bowling score to that of a Special Olympics athlete was hurtful“.
“She says laughing at such comments “hurts millions of people throughout the world.”
canditaylor68 on March 20, 2009 at 4:39 PM
AP, don’t you have another way of getting more comments that acting like a jerk again? Your statement doesn’t even accurately reflect what I read on that thread.
You also know perfectly well the crowd from last night ripped Obama and you apart on this.
INC on March 20, 2009 at 4:39 PM
You really don’t think she has good reason to be personally offended? Could it be that she has a different relationship to both parties than the rest of us?
Jim Treacher on March 20, 2009 at 4:39 PM
Do you have any relatives with Down’s syndrome? I do.
So what’s “Un-friggin-believable” about her statement?
Wethal on March 20, 2009 at 4:39 PM
“We’ve increased education funding in Alaska at historical levels during my administration because it is our priority. We want to make sure any new dollars complement what we’ve already grown.”
chunderroad on March 20, 2009 at 4:39 PM
In bho’s world, he would NOT have a ‘special’ needs child at the WH.
L
letget on March 20, 2009 at 4:39 PM
“The biggest single chunk of money that Palin is turning down is about $170 million for education, including money that would go for programs to help economically disadvantaged and special needs students.”
What are the strings attached to this money, this could very well be a wise decision on her part to keep the feds from dictating education policy to Alaskan schools.
I know I know, I want to sleep with Sarah and that’s the only reason I would ever support her. *zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz*
Bishop on March 20, 2009 at 4:39 PM
A very lovely girl I know, sixteen years-old, absolutely insisted to me that McCain’s comment was “racist”. I asked her why, and she couldn’t explain. She only knew that it was, because everyone at school and at her job thought so.
One would expect more from the President of the United States than they would expect from Chris Rock, I would hope – though that line is getting more and more blurry every day.
capitalist piglet on March 20, 2009 at 4:39 PM
Hahahaha!
CP on March 20, 2009 at 4:40 PM
What does one have to do with the other? We need to stop playing their game and reject their changing of the subjects.
javamartini on March 20, 2009 at 4:40 PM
No, Allah, some of us can multi-task. I was outraged that the boob said what he said, and I was angry that he can get away with it.
Rush played Cuda’s remarks about Trig and the Special Olympics and it touched my heart. The Special Olympics makes it so that EVERYONE can compete. Can the NAACP claim that?
I’m tired of the country’s outrage only being reserved for issues of skin color.
HornetSting on March 20, 2009 at 4:40 PM
I hope SaraCuda,
gives Hopey/Changey,
the full 9 gun,
broadside salute!
canopfor on March 20, 2009 at 4:40 PM
As evidenced by The Teleprompter-in-Chief’s stellar performance to date? I thought he was supposed to be the best, the brightest, the most intelligent, etc, etc.
STFU.
uncivilized on March 20, 2009 at 4:40 PM
+ 10
chunderroad on March 20, 2009 at 4:40 PM
+ 10
chunderroad on March 20, 2009 at 4:40 PM
Thankfully, intelligent and principled conservatives hold it as an absolute article of faith that throwing great, greasy wads of $$$ at any given problem is seldom (if ever) the wisest, most efficacious solution.
Again: that’s a CONSERVATIVE tenet.
Kent18 on March 20, 2009 at 4:40 PM
she’s shocked!
sesquipedalian on March 20, 2009 at 4:40 PM
Obama the Metrosexual Wuss would get his ass kicked by Sarah herself.
Norwegian on March 20, 2009 at 4:41 PM
That’s not even a fair fight and Putin and the mullah’s know it. As for the Precedent and his sophomoric comments people know what he meant and his true soul will be revealed. keep the pressure on.
nolapol on March 20, 2009 at 4:41 PM
+ 10
chunderroad on March 20, 2009 at 4:41 PM
Moral Authority.
seejanemom on March 20, 2009 at 4:41 PM
To all you people who don’t like the “precious and unique” phrase, if you have known special needs people — Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, other mental disabilities — you would realize how true this is. Their underlying intellect and perceptive capabilities, their sense of humor, their ability to laugh at their own and (esp) your frailties — it’s something you won’t find in most places.
So, if you can’t say something nice, please shut uip.
BigD on March 20, 2009 at 4:41 PM
This was a comment from the 1000+ comment thread. I thought it was an excellent statement on political correctness.
INC on March 20, 2009 at 4:41 PM
So what’s “Un-friggin-believable” about her statement?
Wethal on March 20, 2009 at 4:39 PM
You have to understand Miss PR.
You see yesterday she complained that anyone who was offended by Ogabe’s remark was faking it, then later she admitted to being offended herself and of course failed to reconcile those two themes.
It’s all part of the nuance.
Bishop on March 20, 2009 at 4:42 PM
LUV THE GUV!!!!!
alexraye on March 20, 2009 at 4:42 PM
How do you define them, Mr. Proud Rino?
Rod on March 20, 2009 at 4:42 PM
1000 comments? Not on a Friday night.
Hoodlumman on March 20, 2009 at 4:42 PM
To Sarah Palin, her child Trig is. I thought conservatives were the heartless ones. Looks like democrats and democrat lites are the heartless ones.
HornetSting on March 20, 2009 at 4:42 PM
Allah here is a hint… stop trying to RickRoll, because you aren’t good at it. FYI and BTW, the little she took for education was for schools (For AVTEC and other Skills Trade cases). We have quite a few “Special Needs Facilities” already here in Alaska that are NOT Government controlled! They are ALL Non-Profit and work VERY well. Alaska is also the HIGHEST quality for Special Needs people in the Nation.
Take your Starbucks Frap and suck on that straw!
upinak on March 20, 2009 at 4:42 PM
right on
joey24007 on March 20, 2009 at 4:42 PM
Good for Sarah. Rub his nose in it and keep him on the defensive……like any party who wants cares enough to try to win back the Congress and the White House.
mylegsareswollen on March 20, 2009 at 4:42 PM
A Bomb, ugh! Agrees with Palin …
WASHINGTON (AP) – The White House says President Barack Obama realizes his talk show quip about the Special Olympics was a “thoughtless joke” and the group’s athletes deserve better.
Now to see the ObamaBots become psychotic as they cannot win.
DannoJyd on March 20, 2009 at 4:43 PM
2012 has a mighty early start…but I LIKE it!
seejanemom on March 20, 2009 at 4:43 PM
Finally someone in the GOP who’s not afraid to take on Mr. Teleprompter.
Unlike Arnold “I love Barack” Schwarzenegger or Mark “Anyone who wants Barack to fail is an idiot” Sanford.
Norwegian on March 20, 2009 at 4:43 PM
Gosh AP, you must be nearing orgasm with three (one was Eds) Palin postings in 30 hours. I hope this gets you to your 1000. However, with the end of our civilization being brought on by the Dithering Democratic Divas, isn’t this kind of trivial?
I think I have figured out why the democrats called George Bush incompetent. They didn’t know what competent was – they had never experienced it.
Old Country Boy on March 20, 2009 at 4:43 PM
Sorry, my screen froze and my comment triple-posted.
chunderroad on March 20, 2009 at 4:43 PM
Right on, Sarah! The dirty little secret about accepting gov. money for education is that it isn’t worth the paper work and fuss that goes with it. Teachers end up doing “busy work” and not actually working with the children. Keep education local and you get better educated kids.
As far as Obama’s remark it was directed at Sarah, and her family. It was deliberate and it just shows what a classless piece of____________ our president is. Apparently his teleprompter has more manners than he does.
BetseyRoss on March 20, 2009 at 4:43 PM
They will have Tina Fey and Keith Olbermann do a re-enactment/re-interpretation of SP dissing the Special Olympics on the Late Night Show?
Upstater85 on March 20, 2009 at 4:43 PM
I know you think liberals are the world’s “precious and unique people”, so I can see why you find what she said so “un-friggin-believable”.
Give her a break. She’s got a child with Down Syndrome. Skin in the game, as it were.
////liberalssuck
capitalist piglet on March 20, 2009 at 4:44 PM
If they report it at all, it’ll be a sidenote at the end of some other report. But if BUSH had ever said such a thing…
uncivilized on March 20, 2009 at 4:44 PM
Agreed. The problem will be explaining to most of the non-conservative public why she’s turning down 30% that includes education funding, yet is accepting 70% of the overall stimulus. Not saying she’s wrong, just that it’ll be difficult to explain.
amerpundit on March 20, 2009 at 4:44 PM
AP, she’s obviously looking for political points. However, you cannot deny her obviously personal stake in this, nor her past history of championing special needs activities.
As for Obama’s gaffes, including his policies: I wonder how many have buyer’s remorse now?
Bigurn on March 20, 2009 at 4:44 PM
The ripping was pretty mild IMO, she just said that she was “shocked” and it was “degrading”. She does have a special needs child though, and I think she took the opportunity to speak positively about special needs children. If she didn’t do that she’d be getting heat from the other side I’m sure.
And I’m not totally outraged about his comment. I do think it’s hypocritical coming from someone who has a diversity czar. I would think he would find something like this insensitive. Where’s the healing we were promised??
thevastlane on March 20, 2009 at 4:44 PM
Your point is that there are no possible reasons to turn down the money?
and
unclesmrgol on March 20, 2009 at 4:45 PM
Hey, Treacher, leave those kids alone!
+1
carbon_footprint on March 20, 2009 at 4:46 PM
Phew! Glad you set us straight about how you weren’t working on a gotcha post, Allah. What could we have been thinking?
Kensington on March 20, 2009 at 4:46 PM
Obama is a profoundly stupid and transparently ignorant person, elevated far beyond his limited abilities in a sick bizarre twist of ‘affirmative action’–and HE gets to ridicule the mentally retarded?
Is that ironic enough for you, AllahPagan? Or are you still too busy with your ‘Hypocrisy Hunt’ among Republicans?
Janos Hunyadi on March 20, 2009 at 4:46 PM
Exit:
The media,will be in full damage control for Obama!
Watch the OUTRAGE In action,
at the right,of mis-reading Hopey,*gack and puke!
*(canopfor apologizes beforehand,for the words gack
and puke,as it is almost supper time!)
canopfor on March 20, 2009 at 4:46 PM
I agree on both counts. Palin’s response was appropriately measured.
Upstater85 on March 20, 2009 at 4:46 PM
Palin is right on with this one to call BO out (God know no one else is) – while I don’t think that BO really thinks that mentally handicapped people are lesser humans, his permanent campaign strategy will come back to bite him again and again. He is quite simply overexposed and I don’t see how he survives politically unless he continues with it. I mean, the voters are in love with the “man” but not necessarily his policies. So, he has to keep going out there and screwing up, which may be what ultimately sinks him.
volnation on March 20, 2009 at 4:46 PM
BLESS HER MOTHERF-CKING HEART. GET IT SARAH! 2012! 2012!! 2012!!! I HAVE NO DOUBTS THIS WOMAN WCOULD AND WOULD RIP THAT EMPTY SUIT A NEWW A–HOLE IF SHE WERE TO GO AGAINST HIM. JUST HIM AND HER IS ALL I WOULD NEED. SHE WOULD CHEW HIM UP AND SPIT HIM OUT.
Ghoul aid on March 20, 2009 at 4:47 PM
Why is that going to “sting”? Most Special Needs are non-profit up here.
upinak on March 20, 2009 at 4:47 PM
Doesn’t hurt as much when you figure that there are strings attached and the funding becomes a permanent entitlement but the federal funding for it is temporary…
Dr. Dog on March 20, 2009 at 4:47 PM
Oh yea?! Well what about when, uh but how about, ok uh so she, wait a minute! Uh, uh, uh:
TANNING BED!
There! Guess I told her!
Mr_Magoo on March 20, 2009 at 4:47 PM
The way the Ivy League crowd has designed more clever ways to rape the system and now has us in the hole for trillions….maybe it’s time for a state college grad who can balance a checkbook to lead.
I’m convinced that until citizen pols like Sarah, who can inject common sense into our system take charge, we’re screwed.
mylegsareswollen on March 20, 2009 at 4:48 PM
A solid kick directly to the pelvis.
Gives me a tingle down my leg.
Limerick on March 20, 2009 at 4:48 PM
need a towel?
upinak on March 20, 2009 at 4:48 PM
Yes, because we all know that Jim DeMint, Eric Cantor, and others have been afraid to take on Obama until this point.
What? No. My point is that every Palin post has been followed by spin and an inevitable link to a Palin-supporting website.
amerpundit on March 20, 2009 at 4:48 PM
Lol
carbon_footprint on March 20, 2009 at 4:48 PM
It’s going to “sting”, because people – even some here, clearly – won’t bother to think beyond the spin. And that is frigging SAD.
capitalist piglet on March 20, 2009 at 4:48 PM
Hey, at least now Olbermann has something to be outraged about from this matter.
Hawkins1701 on March 20, 2009 at 4:49 PM
Is Palin also not supposed to be offended by this, Allah?
SoxNation on March 20, 2009 at 4:49 PM
To all the people who think that Obama should get a pass for this.
Conservatives4Palin.com received an email from a reader last night. The reader asked us if we could contact Palin in order to get her to release a statement. (We don’t have that ability BTW)
The reader told me that he/she was a parent to a special needs child and said that he/she was personally hurt and offended.
Which is why this comment by Treacher hits the mark perfectly
joey24007 on March 20, 2009 at 4:49 PM
A cigarette will do.
Limerick on March 20, 2009 at 4:49 PM
Did Obama weigh in on the “nappy-headed hoes” thing?
Jim Treacher on March 20, 2009 at 4:49 PM
What B.O. said last night seemed to me to be natural to him, as in he said such before.
Is what he said offensive? Definitely. Is it more offensive than the fact that the MSM will not call him out over it? Definitely not.
ArkCon on March 20, 2009 at 4:49 PM
Hmmm…Proud Rino sounds a bit like a Proud Demo….
chai on March 20, 2009 at 4:50 PM
uncivilized on March 20, 2009
The worship of Mr. No Resume supports my point.
“STFU,” you must be a “liberal” as that is their usual “argument.”
Kalapana on March 20, 2009 at 4:50 PM
I don’t really think Obama believes anything, about anyone, unless he’s told that he does. He’s so busy trying to prove that he can juggle sixteen things at once, and none of his handlers even bother to try to stop him from making absolutely stupid comments.
uncivilized on March 20, 2009 at 4:50 PM
Yes, people with disabilities are our most precious resource. They’re far more precious than the soldiers that defend our country, our leaders, our teachers, or our best and brightest. No, those people suck. Who wants another Einstein, another Michael Jordan, or another Beethoven?
Maybe we should get rid of the regular Olympics and just keep the Special Olympics. Maybe we should all start inbreeding or having children ridiculously late in life so we can all be so precious.
Are you serious?
Proud Rino on March 20, 2009 at 4:50 PM
A lot of the outrage from those who don’t have Down syndrome children or siblings is that walking on verbal and ideological eggshells is prescribed only for one side. It’s good to see a lefty get gored with his own ox.
I’ll put the “goodness” of someone with Dwn syndrome up against your typical literati or intelligentsia-type any day.
ddrintn on March 20, 2009 at 4:50 PM
Heh-heh-heh. ;)
Kent18 on March 20, 2009 at 4:50 PM
TOTUS: Worse Person In The World!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mr_Magoo on March 20, 2009 at 4:50 PM
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