U.S. gymnast Gabrielle Douglas performs on the balance beam at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Julie Jacobson/AP
Obama says he's awed by U.S. women's gymnastics team
President says he could not walk across a balance beam.
President Obama called the U.S. women’s gymnastics team on Wednesday to congratulate them on their gold-medal win in the Olympics. He also confessed to voters in Mansfield, Ohio, that he’s mystified by their stunts.
“These gymnastic folks, I don't understand how they do what they do. So I told these young ladies, as I was congratulating them, how do you not bust your head every time you're on that little balance beam?” Obama said. “I couldn't walk across that balance beam.”
Obama watched both the U.S. gold medal-winning swim relay and the gymnastics events, White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters. Obama and swimmer Michael Phelps have also Tweeted at each other.
“We could not be prouder of them and everything else they're doing,” Obama said of the U.S. Olympics delegation.