Obama Tries and Fails with Star Wars Reference

By Cynthia Herbert :: 9:12 PM

When President Barack Obama held a sequester press conference earlier today, he made a major gaffe when answering a reporter’s question that set Twitter off in a flurry of incredulous reactions.

Obama fielded a question from CNN reporter Jessica Yellin about heading off automatic spending cuts that start to take effect today due to sequestration. Obama responded to Yellin’s question by trying to make a Star Wars reference, but instead mixed his Star Wars and Star Trek knowledge, and said, “I can’t do some kind of Jedi Mind Meld on congressional Republicans.”

A “mind meld” is a Star Trek term, it refers to the technique that allows the Vulcan race to share thoughts, experiences, and memories with each other. The phrase Obama was actually trying to say was “Jedi mind trick,” a Star Wars reference.

As soon as Obama made this mistake, Twitter was engulfed with commentary pointing out his error, and passing judgement for making light of a serious national issue.

However, the White House jumped into action quickly, and tried to make the best of the President’s misstep. A Tweet was sent out from the official White House account acknowledging that the sequestration cuts were not the solution to the budget issue America is currently facing, and also included some self-deprecating humor for Obama – see below.