Olympic Gymnast Shawn Johnson will lead Pledge of Allegiance on Thursday

[thewiseguy]

DES MOINES, Iowa - Barack Obama's presidential campaign says Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson will lead the Pledge of Allegiance at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday.

http://www.startribune.com/nation/27567644.html



What a nice move and I absolutely love her smile. :loveya:

[mikiturner]

1. Now that's pretty damn cool nt

[woolldog]

2. The Chinese nickname for her at the Beijing games...

was "Mini-mouse." LOL. She's adorable.

[DangerousRhythm]

42. Haha, that's so cute!

Really, she's seriously cute as a button and I'm not in the habit of saying that about people, but she's just so smiley and perky, y'know? It's like you can't help but root for her because she seems to be such a good sport. :)

[cboy4]

3. She's a cutie, and was soooo damn good on the balance beam.

Fortunately that was one event the Chinese weren't successful in cheating at in the individuals with all of their underage gymnasts.

[woolldog]

6. does age matter that much in gymnastics?

You'd think the older gymnasts would be better b/c they've had more practice.

[cboy4]

No the age doesn't matter but the rules do and here's why:

Maybe we have some gymnasts who are better than the ones on the team we sent.

The Chinese got to pick the best gymnasts .. we got to pick the best gymnasts 16 years and older.

See?

There has to be a level playing fie;d or it's unfair.


On edit: someone below me says age does matter, so...

[goodgd_yall]

8. It was explained by a veteran gymnast that

younger people have more flexibility. The gymnasts could not be under 16 years old. Younger ones would have an advantage.

[Egnever]

15. if thats true then

I think its an incredibly stupid rule.

[goodgd_yall]

18. I think another part of it may be

Since the young ones have the flexibility that might give them an advantage over older gymnasts, trainers then might groom 12-15 year olds for the Olympics, which would put fairly young people under more stress and grueling workouts than are good for people that young.

[Egnever]

22. um like these girls havent been training since like the age of three?

[goodgd_yall]

24. But it's even more rigorous for the Olympics

I'm not sure if there's an age limit on competition in national and international competition outside the Olympics---and if there isn't, then you've got a good point.

[Egnever]

27. hmm more rigorus than training every day?

I am pretty sure the 16 year old rule is only for the olympics and only for gymnastics. wasnt there a British diver that was 14 ?

[goodgd_yall]

30. It is just in gymnastics

because of the flexibility bit. I watched the 14 year old diver. You would think the same concern about flexibility would apply for diving, but apparently not.

[Egnever]

31. You would wouldnt you.

[Lasher]

19. It is true, but the rule is a good one.

It is intended to protect children from exploitation. The rigors of Olympic gymnastic competition are too much for those who are younger than 16, and physical problems can resultingly manifest later in life.

[Egnever]

23. dont be silly

that requires one to pretend they didn't start training for this till they were 16

All it does is ensure that they cant reap Olympic rewards for their efforts.

[Lasher]

32. If I am silly then I am in good company.

That is the intention of the IOC rule.

[Egnever]

34. the road to hell is paved with good intentions

no matter their intent its idiocy. Why only that particular sport? Or did you forget about the 14 year old British diver?

And again it is insanity to pretend these kids don't train their asses off from an early age no matter what age they decide to let them compete.

[Lasher]

38. Idiocy has never been in short supply.

Your logic is flawed. The IOC can't save the world. They can't prevent anyone from training, or from competing in events outside the Olympics.

Just because this is so, it does not follow that they should do nothing to discourage improper exploitation of children in Olympic gymnastics. If you think the rule in question does nothing whatever to limit such abuse, then to be polite I will just say you are wrong.

The point about the British diver is a good one. Maybe the IOC should consider increasing the minimum age for that sport, as they did for female gymnists in 1997.

[endthewar]

60. I heard a medical doctor explain it as:

Younger people have more cartilage in their joints (or something like that) and therefore would be more flexible. Interestingly, a doctor on CNN said that you could age test the girls. Turns out that the cartilage in the fingers changes in a way that is age-related and not a function of gender or ethnicity, so they could perform medical tests to determine the age of those girls.

On edit: About the fingers thing. I think that it might have been that the bones in the finger calcify at a certain rate and that could be used to age test the girls.

[LostinVA]

67. Also, their center of balance is different

[WeDidIt]

52. Age REALLY matters in gymnastics

There are moves that can be performed pre-puberty that no woman can perform after puberty.

[Barack_America]

64. Age matters GREATLY in gymnastics...

In terms of flexibility, wear and tear on the body and fear of new tricks.

Younger gymnasts are at a advantage with all. (I used to do gymnastics so I can attest to this first-hand)

But younger gymnasts could really mess themselves up by performing dangerous tricks before they're done growing. A bone fracture through a growth plate can cause an appendage to stop growing, for example.

[TheDonkey]

4. you go girl!

[Egnever]

5. Cool !

want to bet that the voleyball girls make a showing at the mcsame convention?

[goodgd_yall]

11. Do they seem like Repugs to you? n/t

[Egnever]

13. you missed em saying the best part of the olympics was getting to hang out with bush?

or this one offering up her butt for the dimson

[goodgd_yall]

16. I'd forgotten about that!

That is the weirdest picture. I thought that the first time I saw it. Doesn't he look like he's going to slap her ass? And she's getting in position for it? :puke:

[Egnever]

17. she was

i wish i could find a you tube of the opening ceremony with the interview of these two going on and on about getting to hang out with the bushes. I wanted to puke and rooted against them the entire Olympics because of it.


Sad I know but i hate this president that much

[goodgd_yall]

20. I would do the same

I don't care if they are representing the U.S.

I didn't watch the volleyball matches; volleyball is one of those sports that's more fun to play than watch, although I'm actually very lousy at it, so it's not so much fun for me.

[cboy4]

21. It's a tradition, apparently, to slap asses in beach

volleyball.

They explained this during the coverage, and she did bend over for him. I saw the videotape.

However, it's completely inappropriate for the President of the United States.

[Egnever]

25. I know that

and I agree its completely inappropriate for the POTUS.

It was the interview on opening night that gave em away as bush lovers. The ass slap crap was just icing on the cake.

[goodgd_yall]

28. That's kind of poetic

"ass slap crap"

[goodgd_yall]

26. Thanks for enlightening me

Didn't know that at all, at all.

But---uck---the President? And, yes, inappropriate. Where are they're boundaries? Again, I must :puke:

[JAbuchan08]

58. with all due disregard for Bush.

he did kinda do a weak back-handed tap to her lower back rather than a full on ass-slap.

Me, I would have slapped her butt or declined entirely. Bush actually came off worse for his attempt at propriety.

[nxylas]

48. Made me think of baboons on Animal Planet

All it needed was for her lycra panty things to be purple instead of black.

[Princess Turandot]

37. I don't know what their political views are..

they happened to be on the Letterman show last night. He asked them about that photo. They had been in a group of Olympians invited to the White House before the Olympics. She said she was showing him her tattoos, something she had mentioned to him during the WH visit.

They may be Republicans, but they did appear to snicker at Dave's cracks about Bush. They came across as a couple of 'free spirits'. The taller one (I always get their names confused) wore a dress so short that I was amazed that she could sit down in it w/o, you know. Even Neal Patrick Harris, who is I think openly gay, made a comment to Dave about her long legs and sitting contortions.

That's great for Shawn!

[wuushew]

59. I am more concerned with our pResident's malfunctioning sweat glands

How many spectators break out in hardcore back sweat mearly watching a game of volleyball? :shrug:

I suppose it could fear sweat, but what is he affraid of?

[Mike Daniels]

70. I'm not going to slam him for sweating

If the humidity reaches a certain point you'd think I jumped in the shower with my clothes still on.

If Bush wasn't wearing a t-shirt/undershirt that day I could easily see him being damp to that extent.

[ronnykmarshall]

62. Another great W moment from the Olympic.

[Mike Daniels]

69. You would think someone who earns a living playing on a beach would be a Democrat

but these two players (the gold medalist team) acted like they would gladly drop on their knees and service Bush if he only asked.

They invited him to the practice (he didn't just show up), Misty asked him to pat her on the behind, and they thanked him for his support after they won the gold.

That goes above and beyond a general (in front of the camera) "I enjoyed meeting the President" statement.

[RNdaSilva]

7. Didn't think that it would be the beach volleyball gals.

[sasquatch]

9. Awesome move

:applause:

[d_b]

10. she's so adorable

hope she wears her peace earrings =)

[BeyondGeography]

50. You know, I thought we were looking at another GOP-friendly, Mary Lou Retton-type with her

Until I saw those earrings last week. Now I have a Humbert Humbert-style crush on the girl.

[Raine]

12. Way COOL!!!!!

:bounce:

[chknltl]

14. Now if that doesn't warm the heart!

I watched her and her friend Nastia Liukin(sp?) compete. How beautiful those two were!!! Their performances were magnificent to say the least! In the end things could hardly have been scripted better! They are BOTH champions, they both earned their medals, their story at those Olympics was one well worth the watching. What a fitting place for young Ms. Johnson, leading the DNC in the pledge of allegiance! Let's see MSM try and spin THAT!!! (Oh Hell, It dawns on me that the repukes will likely now try and get Ms. Liukin to lead their pledge of allegiance-I hope she says no or HELL NO!)

[truthisfreedom]

29. She's not going to lose her balance... that's for sure.

Our little All-American heroine!

[Awsi Dooger]

33. We're trying to appeal to short people with gold medals

I hope she sticks the "all"

[Egnever]

35. LOL!

the "all"

:rofl:

[goodgd_yall]

36. Ha!

You clever thing you.

[democracy1st]

39. awesome

[CoffeeCat]

40. Wow! She's a Democrat, too?

That's just amazing news!

As a fellow Iowan, I couldn't be more proud of Shawn Johnson. She's not
only a superb athlete--she's an amazing, gracious person. What a smile!

My kids just started taking gymnastics at "Chows", where Shawn has been taking
gymnastics since she was six-years old.

My little girls look up to her so much, and it's so wonderful to know
that she's also a Democrat.

:party:

[ChazII]

74. Looks like happy days

are here once more. :D Good luck to your girls as they start gymnastics.

[Canuckistanian]

41. Hmmm. With or without the "under God" part?

Or is that just a GOP thing?

[apnu]

45. Under god will be there

Sorry, but this Dem campaign is taking God back from the GOP. Its been pretty obvious. As an atheist I'm not happy about it, but I understand that it connects with a lot of people. People we need. I'll take what I can get.

[weezie1317]

43. Woo-hoo!!! So many gymnasts turn out to be Rethuglicans (Kerri Strug, Mary Lout Retton..)

[ThatsMyBarack]

44. Ohhhhhhhhh!!!! YEEEAAAHHHH!!!!!!!

It's my wish come true. I KNEW she was a Dem! What time is she on???

:loveya: :patriot:

[Odin2005]

46. She's the Anti-Retton!!!

:loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya:

[bdamomma]

47. I hope she is wearing her peace earrings.

[moondust]

49. Marvellous!

[WeDidIt]

51. there goes that phony Pledge thing

D'OH!

They're turning every Republican lie on its ear!

[bluestateguy]

53. Disgusting. Despicable. I am OUTRAGED!!!! Oooooh, that makes me so angry!!!!!!

Well, I'm sure some Freeper will try to manufacture a controversy out of it to create faux "outrage".

[ronnykmarshall]

61. Let 'em ..

and then someone pull a tape from the 1984 GOP Convention when a bunch of US Olympians were paraded there.

[Mike Daniels]

71. They turned on her pretty quick after she appeared on TV with the earrings

I imagine the only reason they haven't sent hate mail to her yet is that the media coverage would be a PR disaster for them.

From the one FR link dealing with her doing the Pledge: These are just the first few posts. The thread didn't get much activity. I guess the "smarter" FReeps realized that slamming an American teenage athlete wasn't going to fly that well.




To: P8riot
She was wearing peace symbol earrings in an interview with Costas. They were huge and I thought totally inappropriate. she sounds like another kid brainwashed by their lib parents.



3 posted on Monday, August 25, 2008 8:48:12 AM by lincolnton
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To: TomHarkinIsNotFromIowa
Adolescent gymnasts across the nation will be doing cartwheels.



4 posted on Monday, August 25, 2008 8:51:57 AM by NautiNurse (Plants are people too)
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To: TomHarkinIsNotFromIowa
I thought they already had an airheaded teenager on stage... Obama something.



5 posted on Monday, August 25, 2008 8:52:55 AM by SolidWood (God Bless Georgia and grant them victory over Russia!)
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To: lincolnton
The libtards in Denver will probably boo her off stage. After that, the best thing that the GOP could do is to invite her and give her a standing ovation for the same thing. It will be a serious wake up call for her.



10 posted on Monday, August 25, 2008 8:56:26 AM by Blood of Tyrants (G-d is not a Republican. But Satan is definitely a Democrat.)
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To: peggybac
Yep, Walsh and Misty Mae thanked President Bush explicitly for his inspiration. Wonder whether the Dems were infuriated and try to get back by (ab)using Johnson for the Pledge.



11 posted on Monday, August 25, 2008 8:57:42 AM by SolidWood (God Bless Georgia and grant them victory over Russia!)
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To: lincolnton
Yeah, I saw those peace symbol earrings. Another of those “useful idiots” as Lenin dubbed them. This world is teeming with morons who think that symbols or songs (”All We Are Saying, Is Give Peace A Chance”) will bring peace. Tell that to the boys that died at Omaha Beach. For that matter, tell it to the memory of Hitler, Stalin, Mao and other mass murderers. I’m sure those peace symbol earrings would have saved the millions who died in the ovens of the Final Solution and in the Gulag. God, what a moron. It’s a shame seeing a gullible dupe being used by looney liberal parents.



12 posted on Monday, August 25, 2008 9:00:12 AM by donaldo
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To: lincolnton
I couldn't help but notice those "peace" earrings too. She also flashed the peace sign at least once on camera during the events. Perhaps that is the new lib way of getting into the pop culture, especially in the sports world where they lack much representation. Remember golfer Rocco Mediate was wearing a peace sign belt buckle during the PGA championship.

That said, Shawn is only 16 years old, her views are mostly formed by parents and/or teachers right now. Give her time she may change.

[Lucky 13]

54. Awesome! I love her!

And yet another Iowan for Obama.

She's so adorable and sweet I feel myself developing diabetes just by looking at her.

GO SHAWN!!!

[JAbuchan08]

55. Wooo! Hooo!

she's so adorable!

Now I have even MORE reason to consider her my favorite olympian of this year. I can't think of a more patriotic gesture than that. It's a nice turn around from having our gestures of patriotism always involve militarism.

Think about it, in gymnastics you compete against yourself to be the best that you can be.

[Dem_4_Life]

56. That is so cool!!!

I love her she is so cute and what a great person. Awesome choice!

[redqueen]

57. Sweet!

:D

[mountainvue]

63. She was wearing peace earrings in her interview with

Bob Costas. I knew I liked that girl.

[CitizenLeft]

65. how cool is that?!

AWESOME! :applause:

[mvd]

66. Cool

She and Nastia MADE the Olympics IMO.. Phelps was a good story but I couldn't relate to him as much.

[LostinVA]

68. Dara Torres was my favorite story

[mcg]

72. There's videos of Shawn leading Pledge of Allegiance on youtube

[MattNC]

73. She's wonderful!

Represents our country incredibly well!