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President Obama attempted to quiet down the intense discussion over his remarks about Harvard academic Henry Louis Gates Jr.'s arrest by making a "surprise" appearance during a press briefing and telling reporters that he called Cambridge police sergeant James Crowley, who arrested Gates, "I have to tell you that, as I said yesterday, my impression of him is that he was an outstanding police officer...and that was confirmed in the phone conversation... In my choice of words, I unfortunately gave the impression that I was maligning the Cambridge Police Department or Sergeant Crowley specifically." He also apparently invited Crowley to the White House for a beer—with Gates as well.
Obama had said during his Wednesday night press conference that he thought the Cambridge police "acted stupidly" to arrest Gates in his own home, after Gates established he lived there. The President reiterated yesterday, "I think it was a pretty straightforward commentary that you probably don't need to handcuff a guy, a middle-aged man who uses a cane, who's in his own home," but added, "My suspicion is that words were exchanged between the police officer and Mr. Gates and that everybody should have just settled down and cooler heads should have prevailed."
Today, Obama said again he thinks both parties probably overreacted and added, "The fact that it has garnered so much attention, I think, is a testimony to the fact that these are issues that are still very sensitive here in American. And, you know, so to the extent that my choice of words didn't illuminate, but rather contributed to more media frenzy, I think that was unfortunate."
Steve Killion, president of the Cambridge patrol officers association, appreciated the call from Obama to Crowley, telling the Boston Globe, "I'm sure, knowing Sergeant Crowley, it's mended the fence with him... I'm absolutely pleased with [Obama's call]. I think it was a good thing for the president to do. He's the commander in chief, he's in charge. Whether or not he should be involved in local politics, he runs the country. We all want to see this behind us.''
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It's so ridiculous because it's not a race issue. It's an issue of cops saying "We can do whatever we want, to whoever we want, even in the safety of that person's own home."
If it's not a race issue what's Sharpton getting involved for? If it's not a race issue, why does this Gates guy keep saying it is?
Sharpton gets involved in anything that he can promote his image.
This started out as a partially racially motivated issue, but has drastically turned into a police power play.
Pigs are the biggest terrorists in America. No, terrorists don't need to wear a towel on their heads. Pigs terrorize regular citizens.
...exactly, it's not a race issue, it's a cop issue.
You try to ask an officer for their name and badge number.
PD's have forgotten they serve the public.
So the next time a burglar comes into my home and the cops asks questions, the burglar just has to say "I live here" and the cop can do nothing? The cop followed the correct procedure.
Well, Gates showed ID that proved he lived in the house.
According to Gates. According to Crowley, he didn't and just showed his Harvard ID card.
That does seem to be the case in the police report, but putting it that way makes it sound like he refused to show a drivers' license. The way it's described in the report, the cop asked for a photo ID, and he (eventually) produced his Harvard ID. While that likely didn't include his home address, it established his identity satisfactorily and there's no indication that Crowley pushed for further identification.
Putting all the actual incident crap aside, I find it so refreshing to have a president that actually responds to how his comments are received by the American public.
He said something he shouldn't have, he admitted it, he called the person to mend fences, and he made it clear to the public.
How goddamn refreshing.
Amen-he acknowledged something he said caused issues. It's not like he invaded another country looking for weapons of mass destruction or something really fucking stupid like that...
Obama just threw another person under the bus.
Oops, Gates acted stupidly too? Uh, uh, [backpedal, backpedal].
How many people does this make that he's thrown under the bus?
If being "thrown under the bus" means getting invited to the White House for a beer with the leader of the free world, where do I sign up?
maybe we can throw you under the bus next?
haters always sayin' the s&*#
How many young soldiers did George Bush send off to die in a war no one wanted?
I don't understand the controversy. I thought his original comments were pretty banal and diplomatic actually.
Why aren't we talking about Health Care Reform?
They would have been banal and diplomatic, but for the inclusion of the word "stupidly," which despite what he now says he intended certainly comes across as disparaging.
Sure. I can understand the word being offensive. I wasn't there, but it did seem the campus cops were being foolish (stupid... maybe?). Either way, I guess I'm just not very interested in this story. I dodn't see it as necessarily racial.
The Republicans who keep looking for ways to chip away at Obama grabbed this bit of 'nuance' and ran with it like it was the Watergate break in. This stupid kerfuffle was becoming another snowballing sideshow at exactly the time when everybody needs to focus on this healthcare legislation. If there was any reason for Obama backtracking, it's because he saw this thing getting away from him. Now, it'll be Rush Limbaugh and his fellow creepy, hateful pieces of shit wrenched from the asses of dead dogs beating this red herring...into a festive holiday Lutefisk.
Quick question about this beer invite. Is this a one warm Bud and a "slam bam thank you mam" kind of thing or will the two throw back a half case and talk about police work while watching a ball game?
NattyBoh and chili cheese fries followed by some hoops?
Gates performance was the racist one. Had it been a black officer the Professor would have behaved civilly and there would have been no incident. Gates may be a brilliant educator but the chip on his shoulder was activated. Sharpton should be recognized as the comic relief.
The issue is not race and Gates knows it. There was a Hispanic cop and a black cop along with Crowley. On top of that the mayor of Cambridge is black, the Governor of Massachusetts is Black, the President of the USA is black and the cop who assigned Sergeant Crowley to teach others about racial profiling is black.
What this is is all about is an elitist Ivy league professor insulted that his Harvard ID was not treated as trustworthy as a government issued ID and felt that the cops could be berated underlings and inferiors.
Nice one Barry...he is a disaster. Stimulus, healthcare, unemployment...everything he touches turns to shit. He has a glass jaw too.
Yep, there's nothing worse than a man who admits when he's wrong. Damn you, Barry!
After the conservatives shit all over this country for 8 years and turned EVERYTHING that was good about this country when they inherited it to shit you have some nerve asshole.
I would really like to comment on this one but it's so obvious that I wont.
Unemployment? lol wtf
This story is great. The liberal media is forced to see the ugly truth about the rampant practice of BLACK RACISM.
Thank you Professor Gates and President Obama for showing the world that black racism isn't restricted to bigots like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, but also infects "esteemed" Harvard scholars and Presidents alike.
Innocent white people who are profiled every day by paranoid, racist blacks should sue every one them for defamation of character and violating their civil rights.
right.
but suing won't work 'cause they're rigging the game, so you'll have to fight the man with your strong rap.