If social media had sound, they would be sending forth peals of laughter on Wednesday over President Obama’s erroneous reference of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics during a previous evening appearance on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”
That’s when he spoke about frosty relations between the U.S. and Russia and how that atmosphere might affect the upcoming winter games, set for Sochi.
Mr. Obama said he didn’t have patience with “countries that try to treat gays or lesbians or transgender persons in ways that intimidate them or are harmful to them,” and then said it was crucial for Russia to make sure the nation’s recent laws banning overseas adoptions to gay couples won’t negatively impact the games.
Russia President Vladimir Putin and Russia “have a big stake in making sure the Olympics work, and I think they understand that for most of the countries that participate in the Olympics, we won’t tolerate gays and lesbians being treated differently,” Mr. Obama said, Breitbart reported. “They’re athletes, they’re there to compete. And if Russia wants to uphold the Olympic spirit, then every judgment should be made on the track, or in the swimming pool, or on the balance beam, and people’s sexual orientation shouldn’t have anything to do with it.”
Commenters were quick to note: The winter games don’t include swimming, track or indoor events involving a balance beam. And some didn’t hold back the punch.
Here’s one comment, at the end of the Breitbart article: “Not only the worst president, but the dumbest one in the history of this country. No wonder he doesn’t want to reveal his school records. He probably graduated from the University of Tijuana.”
And another: “What I like best about the Winter Olympics is the women’s beach volleyball!”
And another: “They should move the Olympics to one of the 57 states!”
And yet one more: “Seriously, he needs to step away from the pipe.”
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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