Bloggers claim that Obama used the term "Water Head" to make fun of the mentally disabled

[masuki bance]

This is getting way out of control-

UPDATE: It got worse than the intial reports. Much worse.

I just watched the Central broadcast and Leno asked him about the presidential dog (official transcript):

Q Wow. And it's, what, a Portuguese water head? (Laughter.) What is it, what kind of dog is it?

THE PRESIDENT: It's not that. (Laughter.)

Q It's not that.

THE PRESIDENT: It's not a "water head." (Laughter.)

Q Whatever they are, I don't know what they are.

THE PRESIDENT: That sounds like a scary dog. (Laughter.) Sort of dripping around the house. (Laughter.)


Except it sure didn't sound like "dripping" --- Obama said "tripping." While making "stumbly" motions with his hands.

Anyway, from Urban Dictionary's definition of waterhead:

A person with mental health problems, ie downs syndrome, or retard for the lay person.

What an ass.
http://perfunction.typepad.com/perfunction/2009/03/obama-throws-self-under-short-bus.html

By the way the title of this- "Obama Throws Self Under Short Bus" is way out of line.

This waterhead thing will probably be used to continue this thing tomorrow.

[Hawkeye-X]

1. When does Papa John's stop delivering pizza?

I'm in the mood for one...and most places open till 2... and was wondering...

Hawkeye-X

[cliffordu]

5. I likes the pepperoni, myself, although I can live with the cheeze...

But yeah, a nice Pizza would be nice....

[JimGinPA]

6. You're Not Feeding That Baby Pizza Are You?!?

:evilgrin:

[tekisui]

27. I do think it is not to early for pizza!

[rvablue]

38. Yep, this has been posting a barrage of negative stories under the guise of caring...what a load!

[Hanse]

2. Ironically, the poutrage over this reminds me...

of that scene where Rain Man burns the toast.

[Maraya1969]

45. Did you ever watch Monk? He has OCD among other things and the

last episode he cared for a 2 year old. Anyway the scene cuts to the 911 call center and he is one the phone frantically saying "It's BM! What do I do it's BM. Oh my God now it's number 1 and number 2! It's number 3!!!

The lady ended up saying, "You have to change your own son's diapers Sir. This number is for emergencies only"

[monmouth]

3. Jay used the term "waterhead" when asking about the dog....n/t

[ShortnFiery]

41. Yes, translation: It's not of this breed: Portuguese WATER Dog.

What idiots! Reminds me of "finger gate" ... just as INSANE. :crazy:

[SemiCharmedQuark]

4. I've never even heard of that blog.

:shrug:

[Syrinx]

7. Jay was the "offender" on that

It seemed that the President was unaware of that bit of offensive slang. I've always heard it as a reference to people with a specific medical condition that I can't remember the name of. It causes the skull to retain fluid or something. I don't know the details. But it causes the victim's head to get really, really big. Much bigger even than Keith Olbermann's. ;)

I've only seen one person with that condition in my whole life. It was when I was a child, and I was at a department store. It was pretty scary to see.

[Darth_Ole]

9. Let 'em pound this drum, too...

Namely because this line of criticism is so ridiculous it'll create a backlash similar to the media griping about Obama's "lipstick on a pig" joke.

If they keep this up, it'll look like nothing more than piling on.

[drm604]

11. Hydrocephalic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrocephalic

I haven't seen that part of the conversation but it does sound like Jay was the offender here (unless he was using the term with a different meaning) and President Obama either didn't know the term or was pretending not to know it in order to cover Jay's offense.

[Syrinx]

12. yes, that's it.

Thanks for refreshing my memory. But I'm not clicking that link. :)

[drm604]

26. It's simply an explanation of the condition

along with some x-rays. There're no actual photograhs.

[annabanana]

19. I don't think EITHER of them had ever heard that.

REALLY... The wiki link does not even say that the phrase "waterhead" has EVER been used as a slur.. or even used at all

completely pulled right out of some raving frothing wingnuts ass...

[Syrinx]

44. .

4.waterhead 14 up, 3 down love ithate it

Originaly slang for someone who is Hydrocephalic , but which has now come to refer to any severe idiot or retarded individual.
Jones you mindless waterhead, how many times do I have to tell you not to stick the plastic bag over your head and play astronaut?!
water head hydrocephalic retarded idiot. moron fool fuckwit
by Stephen Daedalus Jun 10, 2007 share this

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=waterhead

[FloridaJudy]

43. I've never heard of "water head" in any context.

The popular expression for hydrocephalus is "water on the brain". Sometimes it causes mental impairment, but one of the brightest women I ever met had congenital hydrocephalus.

If I thought "water head" meant anything at all, I'd have guessed it referred to fanatic surfers or scuba divers.

[vaberella]

8. I don't get it. I don't get the point on both ends. What did President Obama say that was wrong?!

n/t

[Undercurrent]

10. Ah, the internets. What a place.

Awash with the bent and bizarre.

Some people find the most ridiculous things written by others in an effort to start wildfires. Some actually write their own blogs just so they can post stupid stuff on forums with links.

[tkmorris]

13. How DO you find this stuff?

I wouldn't have stumbled on that dinky little backwater blog in a million years of surfing the intertubes. You have a singular talent sir.

[masuki bance]

14. This one was via memeorandum

http://www.memeorandum.com/090319/p179#a090319p179

[Serenitynow]

15. This is getting tiring

Can we talk about the issues now?

[CreekDog]

16. The indignation is not genuine if the poster used the term "short bus" in his anger

i mean, come on! :eyes:

[ellacott]

33. Great point

[blogslut]

17. One blogger who nobod has ever heard of = "bloggers"?

Um, sure. Whatever.

[Marrah_G]

18. I've never heard the term waterhead.

[Bunny]

21. Me either. And I've worked in the field of developmental disabilities for almost 30 years.

I'm aware of the condition called hydrocephalus, but I've never heard it referred to as "water head".

[mucifer]

20. As a pediatric hospice nurse, it was the first thing that came into my mind. But, I didn't think

President Obama and Leno were thinking about it like that.

[acmavm]

22. I seriously doubt his mind even picture an encephaletic child when

he said it. He undoubtedly pictured someone with water running out of their ears, just like he said, "sort of dripping around the house".

Typical.

[mucifer]

23. I agree with you. I think that way about the image. But, I wouldn't expect others to.

[acmavm]

25. Really? This is a surprise. Am I weird? Hell, 'handicapped' kids (I don't

know what to call anybody anymore so fuck off if you don't like it. No matter what I say, someone will bitch) don't even pop into my mind.

edit: the fuck off wasn't toward you. Just whoever might decide that they don't like my use of the word 'handicapped'.

You know someone here will turn the old outrageometer on high just seeing the word.

[NoPasaran]

24. Rightwing bloggers, you mean

And the concerned people who link to them.

[tekisui]

28. Shame on you. Welcome to my buddy list.

Oh, you're already on it!:think:

[firedupdem]

29. That is the dumbest shit I've ever read. n/t

[tekisui]

30. Well, just wait, it's still morning.

:crazy: People get stupid!

[PBS Poll-435]

31. I only go to Urban Dictionary when there is a sex term I don't know

:P

Probably not the best source of factual information. (And I have seen two OPs use it as a source in the last couple of days...)

[SemiCharmedQuark]

34. OMG I'm glad you mentioned this! Someone used Urban Dictionary in presentation for school.

Erm..if the only place you can find a word is on Urban Dictionary, then you have a problem.

[PBS Poll-435]

36. Cartman's mom as UrbanDictionary.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Nro-xZ7GgA

NSFW

[karynnj]

32. That is stretching it - The question was about the future Obama dog - which they say will be a

Portuguese water dog. Leno got the name wrong and the President joked with him. I know I never heard that slang meaning.

[Drunken Irishman]

35. This is beyond stretching it.

This is like taking the lower part of your mouth and stretching it over your head Peter Griffin style.

Paris Hilton's meat curtains aren't this big of a stretch.

[BlooInBloo]

37. If I hadn't heard of that usage of "waterhead", I'm willing to bet that Obama hadn't either.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

39. HIs master plan: Arrange to have Leno ask about "a waterhead," so he can repeat the phrasing

This was all part of lifelong scheme to get on a highly rated to television show and use every opportunity to speak in coded language to make fun of the disabled.

No wonder he broke tradition and was the first sitting presidnet to appear.

He was just so eager to get on there and lash out at those darn waterheads.
Why, I be that whole dog promise was a ruse. He never intended on getting one.

As a matter of fact, I be the promise on election night was the first step in this plot.

The insight of the rightwing bloggers is truly mindboggling.

[Enrique]

40. Waterheadgate!

:wow:

[ShortnFiery]

42. All over Obama not getting this WATER-FRiENDLY breed type.

Dumb-ass right wingers are spinning like tops. :eyes:



http://www.bluegrace.com/

[Raine]

46. Leno is the one

who said that, had nothing to do with Obama! :wtf:

[DangerousRhythm]

47. I have never, ever heard this term before.

I'm still not really sure I get it. :shrug:

[SeattleGirl]

48. Wow, really?

Guess they must have watched a different version of the interview than I saw.

Either that, or they have LASERBEAM EYES that allow them to see the truth, whereas I, lowly Dem that I am, only see lies. :eyes: