The good news is that President Obama is a very bright politician, and will quickly recognize that his gaffe was much more than that --it was an insult to a very large community that has been dealing with such insults for a very long time. The president thus has a lot of reasons to work overtime to repair the damage and to do so in a much more meaningful way than a Rose Garden photo op. If the president's embarrassment propels him to elevate the subject of the intellectually challenged in the public discourse, if he launches an initiative for them similar to the White House Council on Women and Girls he initiated last week, then the sting of the "joke" will dissipate, to be replaced with genuine appreciation.
The community of and around the disabled know how to make lemonade. They have been doing so for decades and even centuries. We should hope President Obama makes more than apology. We should hope he makes good.