Beer diplomacy: Obama aims for calm with Gates, police officer

Wednesday 29th July, 05:56 AM JST

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Madverts at 06:46 PM JST - 29th July

"Heaven forbid Obam chooses an import; we'd never hear the end of it!"

Europe would understand ;) American "beer" leaves a little to be desired.
USNinJapan2 at 07:51 PM JST - 29th July

Does no one else here think it's a bit ridiculous for the President of the United States to be even remotely involved in this incident? So what if the offender (in more ways then one) in this case was a close personal friend of the President's, situations like this probably happen countless times every day accross the nation and this one particular one isn't unique nor worthy of the artificially-created national interest it's getting. The press corps shouldn't have asked him to comment about the case and Obama should never have gotten involved, period. This farcical beer session isn't going to prevent race riots, resolve the factors that caused the incident involving Dr. Gates and Sgt. Crowley or do anything other than prolong the limelight that this non-story is enjoying.
Triumvere at 08:56 PM JST - 29th July

Madverts,

Europe would understand ;) American "beer" leaves a little to be desired.

To me, all beer "leaves a little to be desired." I'll take a cup of hot sake or a nice glass of scotch, but beer...? Still I'd wager they'd make out all right with microbrew.

USN,

This farcical beer session isn't going to prevent race riots

No, but it might get the media to shut up about "Gates-gate". Contrary to prolonging the limelight, I think if he manages to defuse the situation a bit he'll be able to spin it to his advantage. I'll agree that it was unpresidential of Obama to comment, but the beer session is clearly an attempt to bow out gracefully. Let's pray it works.
sharky1 at 09:20 PM JST - 29th July

Maybe they figure the odds will be even, black president, black professor, white cop, white house.
zurcronium at 11:01 PM JST - 29th July

USNinJapan,

you are right. Obama is in the weeds on this one and never should have commented about such a minor issue. Of course the rightwing echo factory pushed this issue for their own purposes.
alphawolf at 01:26 AM JST - 30th July

It's great, because even the liberals are hoping this dies down. Gates was a black man overly sensitive to racism. He is the type that sees racism everytime he sees a white man looking at him. You can see it in his "spike lee" eyes...

aw
YuriOtani at 01:51 AM JST - 30th July

Oh give the American President a brake! He is doing what he thinks is correct and this entire event shows that with 24hour news what the press will do to fill the time. I think this is a watershed moment my self. Perhaps some good can develop from this meeting. The President, the policeman and the civil rights worker. It is worth a try to make things better.
sfjp330 at 02:22 AM JST - 30th July

The only person who needs to learn a lesson from all this is Gates, and the syllabus for that course should include a few lines about the proper way to interact with police officers. With all the knowledge that Gates has acquired on the way to becoming one of the nation's most renowned public intellectuals, he never learned how to talk to police officer, and more importantly how not to talk to one.

The answer is politely and with respect, with the goal of diffusing tension rather than exacerbating it. And this is universally true, whatever your color or the color of the officer.

This incident wasn't about racial profiling, a concept that Crowley is well acquainted since he has taught police academy recruits how to avoid it. What this incident was really about was Crowley trying to control a situation that was quickly getting out of control.
seijichuudo9sha at 04:09 AM JST - 30th July

The most important thing is this:the 911 caller has been identified.People need to go after her.A few beers isn't going to change anything.
alphawolf at 04:53 AM JST - 30th July

With all the knowledge that Gates has acquired on the way to becoming one of the nation's most renowned public intellectuals, he never learned how to talk to police officer, and more importantly how not to talk to one.

The guy teaches african american studies.. why do we always overblow the accomplishments of blacks who do something.. totally lopsided the way blacks and whites are treated. We aren't even allowed to have white american studies in colleges. Liberals have told whites to shutup about their accomplishments, prefering to call them accomplishments "american" and not "white american"..

aw
sfjp330 at 06:57 AM JST - 30th July

Gates also sounded a tad naive when he said that the incident "made me realize...how vulnerable all black men are, how vulnerable all people of color are and all poor people to capricious forces." He has spent his career chronicling the African-American experience, and he just realized this now? That speaks to how detached the Harvard professor is from his own subject matter.
sharky1 at 07:04 AM JST - 30th July

Too often, people treat other people in accordance with their perceived monthly income. All people are worthy of dignity and respect until they prove otherwise. I think this is the case with Gates, who felt he was superior to the officer, and failed to treat him with the proper respect due to any fellow human being.
Badsey at 08:50 AM JST - 30th July

Beer Diplomacy + Encouraging the Negative:

So if being a racist gets a Beer and a Brat with the President, what does it take to get a chair at his SuperBowl party? What if I want an ice cream with the Prez? A photoOp. Fly Air Force 1 around NYC a few times?
sfjp330 at 05:12 AM JST - 31st July

As Crowley enters the premises of a White House, he should be careful. I hope he doesn't find himself cast as racially insensitive or on the wrong end of a lecture about how to do police work by those who have never had to do it.
xpompey8 at 05:04 PM JST - 3rd August

We aren't even allowed to have white american studies in colleges.

= History 101, 102, 103...