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© Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.Obama, Gates, policeman pledge to try and move on
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USNinJapan2
Sure. Right.
Badsey
Beer Summit:
So when is a Summit not a Beer and when is a Beer not a Summit?
=Beer Summit.
neganip
Its nice to see the president spending energy on real issues.
LastBestHope
As American presidents go Mr Obama strikes me more as the white wine sipping type. Looks as though he is really going out of his comfort zone here. Is it the steep slide in opinion polls?
OssanAmerica
If he takes this opportunity to apologize to Crowley for stupidly shooting his mouth off I'd be impressed. Somehow I don't think I'm gonna be impressed.
urufuls
The fact that he even discussed it with the press further pushed the hype.
Sarge
"With mugs of beer and more carefully chosen words"
Usually with mugs of beer the words are less carefully chosen...
sfjp330
It's a nice gesture. It's not everyday that a cop on the beat gets offer like that. But what concerns me is that Obama also said that he sees this incident as a "teachable moment." Just what does the President think is the lesson from all this, and who does he think needs to learn it?
sfjp330
Obama seems to be struggling with an inner tension between the responsibility he feels to offer the country some special insight into such matters as the first black president and the desire to be post-racial. It's a difficult tightrope to walk, and the Gates arrest made the president lose his footing.
Badsey
It seems Gates and Obama are teaching the "unenlighted" Cop beer games that they only have in college and not at the Police Academy.
USNinJapan2
Something tells me Sgt. Crawley is still not going to be on Dr. Gates' Kwanzaa card list, but who knows...
Statistician
It was a good move. Obama is a skilled leader.
moonbeams
This is actually really cool. instead of letting a tension spiral out of control into "us and them." This "beer" represents bringing together both sides of this conflict on a nationwide scale and finding common ground. Best move yet.
skipthesong
moonbeams, I agree. Sometimes all it takes for people is to sit down, relax, and iron things out. This is a lot better than what could have happened.
Bgood41
For being educated in law profession and as President, allegedly speaking it was stupid for Obama to say without knowing the fact that police acting stupidly. The happy beer hour is all about covering up Obama's mistake, and if any lesson can be learned; Obama must be the person and the student. He apologizes for everything, except being humble to say it upon his own mistake. This case is more about "the arrogant of black elite". Neither beer nor holy water will wash away these stupidities. It takes a real man, who know how to apologize. What a shame.
lostrune2
Obama was the only one definitely on the wrong and should apologize, but nevertheless the get-together is a good idea to ease up the tension for everyone - and by everyone, meaning, everyone in the nation. Mama always tells ya to talk things out to sort out misunderstandings, and your mama's always right. Kudos also for Crowley and Gates for taking the high road, unlike, say, some of the posters and pundits.
Helter_Skelter
Absolutely correct. An apology from Obama would have gone a lot further than this silly beer summit photo op.
skipthesong
wonder if the issue of gates and crowly somehow being related came up
AK619
Obama should of just kept his mouth shut regarding Gates, what a good lesson to learn that you can't get emotional over friends as a President.
Obama's the President of America and surrounded by a horde of Republican right-wing racist snake Bush lovers. Obama will come under attack for any little thing he dose wrong.
Next time Obama just let Gates and others friends like him file for false arrest or civil rights violations when the DA drops the charges. Case closed.
AK619
Don't apoligize for nothing Obama.
Mark_McCracken
Stick to the speech. Read the teleprompter. Stay on message. Don't deviate from the speaking points.
"The police behaved stupidly" probably cost Obama 2 or 3 approval points and distracted from his health care message. Even Jon Stewart was making fun of Obama.
ca1ic0cat
You don't invite people to the White House to chat without it being a "summit." I wouldn't drive that far for a beer.
I notice that neither Gates or Obama apologized so whatever lessons could be learned both are too arrogant to recognize the fools they've made of themselves.
The problem is that this has pointed out to a lot of people just how race relations are in the US. I think the stupidity of the whole thing is going to linger.
Oh, before you all start in on the US for race relations I would say they are better here than most other places. At least we're working on it....
sailwind
BULLSHIT.....VICE PRESIDENT WAS THERE ALSO.
MSM......SHAME
usaexpat
Absolutely the stupidist thing I've ever seen. If Obama had stayed above the fray in the first place there would have been no need for this "friendly beer" between these 3 men. This does nothing to adress race relations it's merely a publicity stunt for Obama to get out of a potentially stocky spot.
30061015
Guess the VP isn't a "folk" with his fake beer.
Madverts
sailwind,
Obama beat McCain.
Get over it.
HonestDictator
I've already moved on from this issue. Mountain out of a molehill. I'm still wondering why the president didn't comment/focus more on the other issue where those kids were told they couldn't visit a club pool that they paid for because "it would change the pallette" of the members that go there. Now that was a very clear civil rights violation.
LastBestHope
A comparison of Blue Moon Beer sales before and after this silly summit is likely to be the only 'teachable moment' that this needless controversy will produce.