Seriously

President Obama appeared on the Late Show with Jay Leno last night. I am not a big Obama fan. I didn't vote for either of the major party candidates for President. But, in my opinion, he did a great job last night.

He was engaging, eloquent, pleasant, honest, self depreciating and funny. And we can forgive him anything except being funny. Because we don't think anything is funny anymore. If you are reading the news or listening to the reports, you already know that President Obama did a terrible thing last night. He made reference to his inability to bowl well and that his best score was 129. The President then joked that he bowled like he was in the Special Olympics. Oh, yes!! Let the beatings begin.

Of course on the morning news shows we had to have the obligatory interview with the Chairman of the Special Olympics, Tim Shriver. With tear filled eyes and quaking voice (I am kidding), Mr. Shriver shared with us that the President had deeply offended a whole segment of the population and reminded us that "indeed words can hurt us." Mr. Shriver also proved again that we Americans have way too much time on our hands and we use most of that spare time navel gazing, spending inordinate chunks of time concerning ourselves with things that really don't matter, and giving interviews to grave faced reporters that are stupid enough to believe that crap like this is newsworthy. Perhaps Mr. Shriver's time could be better spent diligently searching for that sense of humor he has obviously lost track of.

Sure words can hurt us. But I would contend that the words printed in documents on Capital Hill and then passed into law are going to hurt us a lot more than a joke from the President. Especially those of us who have managed to mature beyond a Junior High level of thinking. Of course, bringing any measure of maturity into the discussion does tend to exclude a large segment of the population; many of whom buzz around Washington, D.C.

Mr. Shriver also reported that Obama had called him from Air Force One with an apology even before the show aired. The apology was, according to Shriver, very moving and sincere, and the President expressed that he did not intend to humiliate anyone or give them anymore reason for pain and suffering. I won't say that I don't believe Obama wasn't sincere, but I don't think he apologized because felt badly. I think he apologized because his advisors said, "Yeah, gods, Mr. President, you really stuck your foot in your mouth. Apologize now before anyone can even start to criticize you." And being a very politically adept person, he got Shriver on the phone and groveled. Shriver bought it and the Prez is off the hook.

After Shriver talked about the apology the news person asked, again with a straight face, "Was that enough for you? Or do you need more?" Of course, he needed more. He needed more air time, more attention. So Shriver shared some wisdom with us, the huddled masses. "This needs to be a teachable moment for us. People watching need to turn to their children and tell them… " Blah, blah, blah. It is a teachable moment – for all of us, including Mr. Shriver and television newscasters.

One of the greatest lessons in all of this is that we are taking ourselves way too seriously. Lighten up America. What the President said was inappropriate, possibly offending to some and it was funny. Not to everyone, but to many. Perhaps we would do better as a society if we were to quit being the "Word Police"; critiquing everything everyone says, being offended at the drop of the hat, jumping down each other's throats, judging each other in the harshest of lights. Perhaps we could just listen to each other. Enjoy each other. Learn from each other. Laugh with each other. And occasionally even admit that we sometimes laugh AT each other. And sometimes that is okay because we all are, at times, laughable.

But the way, have you heard the one about…

Copyright © 2009, All Rights Reserved, William T. McConnell