President Barack Obama Trashes Special Olympics: President Barack Hussein Obama apologized Thursday night after making a derogatory remark towards special needs people all over the world during his appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

White House officials have confirmed that the president called Special Olympics Chairman Tim Shirver before the show aired to apologize for the remark made.

The comment came midway through Obama's appearance on the late night show, when host Leno teased the president about his lack of bowling skills:

“I imagine the bowling alley (in the White House) has just been just burned and closed down," Leno said.

“No, no. I have been practicing,” Obama said. “I bowled a 129. It's like -- it was like Special Olympics, or something."

The Special Olympics were founded in 1968 as a nonprofit organization serving people with mental and physical disabilities. The Special Olympics holds its “Special Olympics World Games” every other year.

Shriver said the president was heartfelt in his apology, but added, "words hurt and words matter."

"Words can cause pain and result in stereotypes that are unfair and damaging to people with intellectual disabilities,” Shriver said in the statement. “And using "Special Olympics" in a negative or derogatory context can be a humiliating put-down to people with special needs.”

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