Obama’s beer diplomacy
Will talking over beers resolve the racial-profiling standoff over Henry Louis Gates Jr.'s arrest?
Barack Obama drinks a beer on the 2008 presidential campaign trail.
(Jason Reed/Reuters/Corbis)
“It started out as a casual suggestion,” said Peter Nicholas in the Los Angeles Times, but now President Obama’s “beer summit” with Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Cambridge Police Sgt. James Crowley is a real “diplomatic mission.” And it’s getting way more attention than Obama’s forays into actual “high-level diplomacy” with foreign leaders—not that defusing the “volatile dispute” over Gates’ arrest and the issue of racial profiling will be any simpler.
The effectiveness of Obama’s “peacemaking efforts” are still to be determined, but at least “the drink orders are in,” said David Alexander in Reuters. The president will probably drink a Bud, Crowley a Blue Moon white ale, and Gates either Red Stripe or Beck’s.
If this gets people talking about health care, said Robert Shrum in The Week, instead of all the right-wing “hysteria” over Obama’s "impolitic” but not inaccurate comment that Crowley “acted stupidly,” well “that’s worth a beer.” The beer summit is also another example of Obama’s desire to help “heal, not divide,” America.
From where I’m sitting, Obama’s beer outreach is a “goodly slice of humble pie,” said Human Events in an editorial, although it’s also “a class act.” The one who should be eating “a little crow” now is Gates, who accused Crowley of racial profiling without “a shred of evidence.” If anyone’s the victim of racism here, it’s the “Irish cop.”
All three men overreacted at some point in this “tumultuous week” in race relations, said the Salem, Mass., News in an editorial. But if they’re willing to sit down over a beer and “put the incident behind them,” by teaching one another and letting themselves be taught, “hopefully, everyone else can do the same.”
Show: Oldest | Newest
12 Comments
Posted by Johnny Reb, Tuesday, July 28, 2009, 4:22 pm There was no racial profiling. Two people, no race given according to the 911 call, appeared to be breaking into a house. Cop showed up, homeowner got an attitude, cop got one back, idiocy and overreaction ensued on both sides. Race had nothing to do with it. Christ sake, don't we as a nation have better thing to worry about than this? I'm pretty damn certain the President of the United States does. Well, he should anyway.
Posted by Mike, Tuesday, July 28, 2009, 5:07 pm Race had nothing to do with it!? Crowley falsified a police report to cover his ass. The witness didn't mention race, the police report did and falsely attributed it to the witness. The report also stated Crowley talked to the witness before going into the house. The witness says that never happened. I expect Crowley will be the one eating crow at the white house, and rightly so. Yes we have better things to worry about . . . can we get back to healthcare now?
Posted by mjg, Tuesday, July 28, 2009, 7:08 pm Professor Gates is the one with the high falutin education and communication skills. The police sergeant is a high school grad with some college credits I believe. What's this nonsense about the white man with the gun intimidating the black professor? Where is the professor's education and speaking skills, not to mention courtesy? The public can't expect police officers to have to take a lot of crap from an absent minded professor who doesn't have the sense to carry his house keys with him or call a locksmith when he gets locked out.
Posted by Everyman , Tuesday, July 28, 2009, 7:57 pm You can take a black man out of the ghetto...
Posted by Mike, Tuesday, July 28, 2009, 8:30 pm mjg:..Nobody said anything about forgotten keys. The door was jammed is what I heard. Also the professor had just returned from China..Kind Of A Long Trip..So his communication skills might not have been at their best ... lets blame the victim why dont we. Who said the srgeant only has a highschool education? You just assumed that, now who is disparaging the police? If highschool grads can't do a sergeants job maybe the police dept shouldn't promote them to that position. ... And Everyman..your comment is too stupid to respond to.
Posted by Brian Cumings, Tuesday, July 28, 2009, 8:37 pm Mike, next time that you think that someone's comment is too stupid to respond to, don't respond to it.
Posted by Mike, Tuesday, July 28, 2009, 8:37 pm mjg and Eberyman:..You are both missing the point. Crowley's credibility is the one in question now that there is proof that he falsified his report. The falsification was obviously intentional...you cant misremember talking to someone outside the home before going in ... when there was nobody there to talk to. That was pure fabrication. There aught to be a law . . . . Still you two want to ignore the cops lies and blame the blackman. I don't know what Crowleys motivations were .. but yours are obvious.
Posted by John, Tuesday, July 28, 2009, 8:41 pm Maybe they can have some Billy Beer.
Post a Comment