When Will They Learn?

President Obama's handlers have got to be downing the Tums this morning. Yesterday, while trying to be funny with Jay Leno, the President had this to say about his bowling ability.....

Towards the end of his approximately 40-minute appearance, the president talked about how he's gotten better at bowling and has been practicing in the White House bowling alley.

He bowled a 129, the president said.

"That's very good, Mr. President," Leno said sarcastically.

It's "like the Special Olympics or something," the president said.

Needless to say, the White House spin-meisters didn't let that sit long.

The audience laughed. But the White House didn't let the comment linger without clarification.

"The president made an offhand remark making fun of his own bowling that was in no way intended to disparage the Special Olympics," White House spokesman Bill Burton told reporters flying aboard Air Force One after the taping of the show, according to a transcript released by the White House. "He thinks that the Special Olympics are a wonderful program that gives an opportunity to shine to people with disabilities from around the world."

As ABC pointed out, Tim Shriver (chairman of the Special Olympics) quickly reminded the President that words can hurt, especially when you consider that there are quite a few Special Olympians out there (like my BIL) who bowl much better than that!

The son of Sargent Shriver and Eunice Kennedy pointed out that in Detroit there's a Special Olympian who has bowled three perfect games.

That is a feat that many "able" people have been able to accomplish!

Keep practicing Mr. President. Then maybe in a few months you can invite a group of Special Olympians in to see how good they really are!

UPDATE: Well it didn't take long for this to happen....

Kolan McConiughey, a Special Olympics competitor who has bowled three perfect 300 games, tells TMZ that the Prez has to score a lot higher than 129 to beat him. Kolan says he bowls an average of 266.
Kolan -- who works at a grocery store in Ann Arbor, Mich. -- said he'd love to go to the White House to beat Barack on his own lane. Kolan said, "He's cool, but he can't beat me."

Sorry Mr. President - my money is on Kolan all the way here.