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Obama takes to Twitter to defuse Sci-Fi fan uproar after his 'Jedi mind-meld' reference mixed up Star Wars and Star Trek


Published: 18:33 EST, 1 March 2013 | Updated: 09:47 EST, 2 March 2013



Presidential briefings typically send political journalists into a frenzy, but Obama's comments at today's press conference set off an inter-galactic war of words among science fiction fans.

President Obama was talking about his last-ditch meeting with congressional leaders earlier this afternoon when he said that he wouldn't do a 'Jedi mind-meld' with Republican Speaker John Boehner to reach a compromise over the sequester.

Though the most basic muggles likely didn't spot the mistake, Yoda-lovers were instantly aware that the President accidentally blended Star Wars and Star Trek in his reference. Not enough of the Force: The President said today (pictured) that he could not make congressional leaders agree on a way to avoid the sequester, but during the briefing he made a science fiction flub by mixing his Star Wars and Star Trek references and saying a 'Jedi mind meld' as opposed to a 'Vulcan mind meld'

His lack of a true understanding of the galaxies far far away was clear because Jedis are from Star Wars, while Mister Spock from Star Trek is the one who made the Vulcan mind meld a famous maneuver.

Science fiction fans and White House aides alike did not waste any time pointing out the error.

The Associated Press got a comment from actor Leonard Nimoy who played Mister Spock in the television series, who added his own coded reference at the end.

‘Only a Vulcan mind-meld would be effective on this Congress. LLAP,’ Mr Nimoy said, concluding with the acronym for his catch phrase, Live Long And Prosper. Imitating a Jedi: The mind-controlling tricks of Obi Wan (right) didn't work as well on the White House Press Corps when President Obama (left) tried it out today Playing it up: The White House then used the gaffe to their advantage and released a satirical picture referring to the mixed-metaphors and directing followers to a webpage about the sequester

The White House also took advantage of the flub, poking fun at the gaffe that appeared to upset the force of his message.

They released a photo via Twitter that had a message in the style of Jedi Obi Wan and in the iconic font used at the beginning of all Star Wars movies, followed by the President making a similar motion to the one used in a pivotal point in the film.




In the movie, Obi Wan waves off Storm Troopers saying that ‘these aren’t the droids you’re looking for,’ and members of the Press Office decided to add a sequester-spin to it.

‘These cuts aren’t the solutions Americans are looking for,’ the line reads above the picture of the President waving his hand in a mind-controlling manner. Vulcan mind meld: In Star Trek, Mister Spock uses his famous move to understand the thoughts of others

Below, they added a caption in the vein of ever-logical Mister Spock, writing: ‘To deny the facts would be illogical’.

Seizing the moment, they suggest further reading on a White House web page with the tag ‘JediMindMeld’ which then directs to a briefing on the Democrat’s view of the sequester.

Aside from the Star-themed silliness, there was a serious message behind the President’s briefing.

He was answering up for why, after yet another last-ditch meeting, top politicians were unable to agree on a way to avoid the sequester before it legally goes into effect this evening at midnight.

The tough budget cuts will strike out $85billion in spending over the next seven months, potentially causing thousands of layoffs and major breaks in federal resources in an extreme attempt to curtail the deficit.



Obama causes inter-galactic uproar after flubbing a Star Wars reference and mixing it with a Star Trek phrase





