Was this a useful lesson for Obama?

[DMB]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6726925.ece

He implied that the arrest was the result of racial profiling but Mr Obama told reporters: “I could have calibrated those words differently.” He said: “Because this has been ratcheting up, and I helped to contribute to the ratcheting up in my choice of words, I unfortunately gave the impression that I was maligning Sergeant Crowley specifically.”

It is much better for politicians to avoid commenting on most individual cases.

[premjan]

...off-the-cuff at least.

[DMB]

Comment by Andrew Sullivan:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6727100.ece

[premjan]

I think Gates' initial reaction was what turned the cop sour (he assumed the cop was racially profiling him). The other factor is that generally cops may not feel that safe turning their backs on hostile individuals. So even if you think a cop is racist it is better not to act out on that assumption. However the cop also seems not to have given his badge number to Gates. So I am not sure that Gates could have taken up the issue later.

[tjakey]

I think the cop was a fucking asshole who should be fired. And if I was Obama I would let my words stand as they are.

[Jobar]

Not a lawyer, but I'm pretty sure that unless a policeman is actively being assaulted, or is worried about the possibility of such an assault, he MUST respond to any request for his badge number, so that he can be identified as an official minion of the law.

I wasn't there, so I'm not sure that Gates didn't act aggressively enough that the officer thought he might be in danger. But I suspect if Gates sues- which I presume he will- that cop had better start looking for a new line of work.

[DMB]

I read somewhere today that a black cop who was with the other one throughout supports him 100 % and thinks Gates acted like a twit.

[darjeeling]

Acting like a twit in your own home is no reason for a cop to arrest you on some bullshit statute that he can use against anyone for doing just about anything. Disrespecting a cop isn't an offense.

[premjan]

The black cop supports his colleague but probably would not have taken identical actions under the circumstances. Gates does seem a little belligerent, probably has to do with his academic subject area.

[tjakey]

A cop harassing me in my own house? I'm going to get a little belligerent as well. Police / "Security" agencies are completely out of control. I have zero sympathy for any of them and I hope this one gets his ass handed to him on a platter.

[Harry Bosch]

I think the cop was a fucking asshole who should be fired. And if I was Obama I would let my words stand as they are. Yep, that's why he's the president, and you are a debator on the internet. No offense intended. Maybe the cop overracted. However, it's a cop job to establish that no crime was occuring. Gates could have been under duress in his own house. Or, another family member may have called the cops against Gates.

[tjakey]

Actually, I only pretend to be a debater on the internet, in real life I do real things. Unlike most of the cops I see around, who spend their time lurking in the weeks so they can give random (and utterly useless) speeding tickets to soccer mom's and people just trying to get to work, who sit in their cars catching a nap (doing paperwork so they say) and who harass people who are standing in their own goddamn living room. Cops are paid to not fucking overreact, the assholes are carrying guns, remember?

[DMB]

I have been questioned by a cop when trying to break into my house (this was many years ago), and it seemed to me perfectly reasonable. After all, the cop doesn't know to start with who you are, all he's got is a reported break-in. He has to make sure that it isn't a plausible intruder. At the beginning, Gates refused to give ID, started carrying on and tried the "Do you know who I am" card. Not surprising that the cop reacted badly.

[trendkill]

Crowley gave an interview on Thursday after Obama’s remarks, refusing to apologise. When asked what he thought of the president’s comments, he smiled, paused and said: “I didn’t vote for him.” The way he said it, the contempt in his voice and pride in his actions, helped to illuminate for me why Gates might have perceived racism.Yeah, no kidding. I had pretty much decided Crowley wasn't a bigot until I saw him respond to that particular question. Now I'm not so sure.

[premjan]

Republican, not necessarily bigot. At least his record would suggest not a bigot.

[Hevvin Machine]

I don't see anything complex about this. Two guys, both tired and stressed, get into an altercation over very little. It happens every day.

The lesson here, IMHO, is that the media will make a big deal about anything when it suits them. I would guess that Obama already knew this, but made a human misstep in replying to a stupid question. If the media can't make Health Care Reform or the disaster in Nigeria newsworthy they'll blow some non-event all out of proportion to fill the space.
Hev

[trendkill]

Republican, not necessarily bigot. At least his record would suggest not a bigot.It's not just what he said, it's how he said it.

[premjan]

If he is a bigot then brewskies with Obama and Gates will be a victory for Crowley and not Obama.

[spdnet75]

I don't know much about the case itself, but saw the news conference in which the President spoke and I think it would have been better for him, had he not commented altogether. In other words, he's not really in a place to speak to this case and it was not the focus of the address to the nation.

[Hevvin Machine]

If he is a bigot them brewskies with Obama and Gates will be a victory for Crowley and not Obama.

If Obama gets them both to come over for brewskies then he will have won. His shtick is big tent inclusivity and "Why don't we all just get along?" I think it is testament to Obama's brilliance as a politician to bring together, on camera, a black "ivory tower" elitist and a white bluecollarist. It is so perfect, at this point in his presidency, that I wonder..... It's just so picture perfect.
Hev

eta "It's just so picture perfect that it makes me suspicious"

[premjan]

It all depends on how Crowley reacts. My personal feeling is that Obama is starting to hit his first real rough patch. The conservative base will regroup starting now.

[Hevvin Machine]

It all depends on how Crowley reacts.

I don't see what Crowley can do. He has two choices:
1) Hey, even though I didn't vote for Obama he's a good guy!
2) Hell no, I ain't drinkin' with a cupla niggers!

What other option is there?

My personal feeling is that Obama is starting to hit his first real rough patch. It's way past due, wouldn't you agree? He inherited a huge batch of problems from Bush. Nobody is going to be happy with each and every decision he makes in trying to get America out of the quagmire. I feel sure that he will face vastly worse publicity problems, likely before the summer is out.

The conservative base will regroup starting now. I think the "conservative" base is still in free fall. They are not pinning so much hope on "Failin Palin", but who else is there? Huckabee? Jenna Bush? The best Republican 2012 presidential candidates have all been caught cheating on their wives, quite recently.

Hev

[premjan]

Who is there is a good question. Nobody really credible has stepped up yet.

[Garrett]

Gates behaved like a jerk, and Crowley overreacted. If Crowley is a bad cop (I don't think he is) I just hope he got a wake-up call.

Good citizens submit to cops, when confronted we adhere to their rules. So the cops have to submit to a higher standard of behavior. Crowley failed.

[BigEvil]

When I want insightful analysis and opinions, I go to the Onion, America's Finest News Source:

"I don't know how the White House is going to keep up if they have to invite over everyone who gets racially profiled.”

and for a competing view:

"Once Obama gets this lose-lose situation out of his system, it will come as less of a shock when his health care plan fails too.”

[premjan]

I have a feeling that Crowley lied on his report. So they are both in the wrong.