Obama chief of staff apologizes for calling liberal groups ‘retarded’ on health care

Obama’s chief of staff sorry for ‘retarded’ remark

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s tart-tongued chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, has apologized for using the word “retarded” to describe liberal activists whose tactics on health care he questioned.

Emanuel made the apology last week in a phone call to Tim Shriver, CEO of the Special Olympics, the White House said Tuesday.

The apology followed a Wall Street Journal account of a private White House meeting involving liberal groups and administration officials. In it, Emanuel reportedly grew exasperated at plans by some groups to run ads against Democratic lawmakers who were balking at Obama’s health overhaul.

“The White House remains committed to addressing the concerns and needs of Americans living with disabilities and recognizes that derogatory remarks demean us all,” a White House statement said.

Emanuel’s call wasn’t the first time Shriver got an Obama administration apology. The president himself telephoned in March after telling Jay Leno on the “Tonight Show” how awful his bowling scores were. “It was like the Special Olympics or something,” Obama said.

In a posting on her Facebook page Monday, former GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin called on Obama to fire Emanuel. Palin, whose son Trig has Down syndrome, said Emanuel’s language was “heartbreaking” and a “slur on all God’s children.”