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AFP - Getty Images, AP
Updated 11:45 a.m. ET:
President Barack Obama must be a big fan of the Olympics!
Hours after congratulating swimmer Michael Phelps on winning his 19th and record-setting medal, the commander in chief apparently phoned the five members of the gold-winning Olympics women's gymnastics team.
The "Fab Five" took to Twitter to express their gratitude.
— Alexandra Raisman (@Aly_Raisman) August 1, 2012
@barackobama So nice of you to talk to all of us!!! So honored to be able to speak to you on the phone! Thank you for everything! :)
Just talked to the President of the United States!!! WOW such and honor and a amazing feeling!! 🇺🇸😄
— Gabrielle Douglas (@gabrielledoug) August 1, 2012#thankyou
Just talked to the President on the phone! Pretty much the coolest thing ever!!
— Jordyn Wieber (@jordyn_wieber) August 1, 2012#ProudAmerican
Just talked to the President of the United States..🇺🇸
— McKayla Maroney (@McKaylaMaroney) August 1, 2012#whaaaat So grateful!! That was amazing!!#ProudToBeAnAmerican
Such an honor getting to talking to the President on the phone!!!! Thanks for supporting us!🇺🇸
— Kyla Ross (@kyla_ross96) August 1, 2012
Watch the women chat about their win on TODAY:
Jordyn Wieber, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, McKayla Maroney, and Kyla Ross, known as the "fab five" of the U.S. women's gymnastics team, reveal how it feels to be only the second women's gymnastics team in U.S. history to strike gold.
Original post:
Michael Phelps has a fan in a high place!
President Barack Obama tweeted his congratulations to the swimmer after he received his 19th medal — a gold in the 4x200 relay — making him the most decorated Olympian of all time.
Congrats to Michael Phelps for breaking the all-time Olympic medal record. You’ve made your country proud. -bo
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 1, 2012
Thank you Mr. President!! It's an honor representing the
— Michael Phelps (@MichaelPhelps) August 1, 2012#USA !! The best country in the world!! RT@barackobama: ... tmi.me/ux7k2
Obama's staff, who run his Twitter feed, have said those signed "-bo" come directly from the president.
Read more about Phelps' record-breaking race on NBCOlympics.com.
More on TODAY.com:
Let them live their dream: Parents of 'Fab Five' offer advice
Ryan Lochte's mom: He's too 'on the go' for girlfriend
Olympians flash their bling while going for gold
Phelps rival writes his own headline: 'Ryan Lochte takes over'
Leave a Comment:
surprised he didn't tell him he didn't do it on his own.
Mit Romney already said that, specifically about Olympic athletes:
"You Olympians, however, know you didn't get here solely on your own power. For most of you, loving parents, sisters or brothers, encouraged your hopes, coaches guided, communities built venues in order to organize competitions. All Olympians stand on the shoulders of those who lifted them."
Bo didn't call Phelps because BO would have choked on having to be nice to a TRUE AMERICAN. The "girls" were no threat to BO. BO this!!!
To the 2 posters before me - you are pathetic!
Wait! Wait! What happened to the "you didn't do this" lecture?
fantum, here's what happened it:
"You Olympians, however, know you didn't get here solely on your own power. For most of you, loving parents, sisters or brothers, encouraged your hopes, coaches guided, communities built venues in order to organize competitions. All Olympians stand on the shoulders of those who lifted them." - Mitt Romney
These athletes are amazing! What an inspiration. I am so happy for the young women's gymnastics team! Congratulations to Michael Phelp, as well! You should all feel very, very proud.
To "I can think on my own" and "ghr19" - it's obvious that you cannot think on your own as you are missing parts. As the old saying goes, "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."
KLL,
I agree. Let's celebrate these victories without using it as a chance to badmouth our president. Not everything needs to be about politics!
mistake or how MR Obama thinks Your country not Our country Proud
"Your" would be implying he's directing the sentence at Phelps, which was true - Phelps is an American. He was making singular praise, to more or less show that Phelps loves his country (he would not be representing the USA if this were not true - and I'm not sure on Olympic rules but I think you forfeit any individual medals if you switch nationalities, not to mention he forfeits all respect from America as a whole if nothing else was confiscated from him).
But perhaps you WANT Phelps to ditch America? Perhaps you wish he had fled and not supported this country like the true sport and patriot he is? Correct me if I'm wrong, but that thought alone signifies you are NOT a patriot, Henry - even if you didn't intend to say it out loud.
EDIT: I forgot to mention this, but....
Having "you've" and "our" in the same sentence does sound kinda weird, but it MIGHT have been a typo. Spur of the moment kinda thing - but I think in this case it's somewhat acceptable, considering that it was meant as a singular pronoun.
Obama: " now ah, umm,ah, Michael those golds aaa, ummm,ah, YOU DIDN'T DO THAT! YOU DIDN'T EARN THEM. Some interstate earned them, your 2nd grade teacher who said, "get your azz out of the pool and read" did that. YOU DIDN'T DO THAT!
Phelps: yes I can!
Obama: ah ah ummmm, isn't that yes WE can.
Phelps: don't think so.
Obama: ah er, ummm ah er, I killed bin laden
Phelps: good grief