The highly anticipated “beer summit” took place this evening with President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden sitting down for a beer with Sgt. James Crowley and Harvard Prof. Henry Louis Gates Jr. The meeting comes a week after a press conference in which the President said Crowley and other officers “acted stupidly” in arresting Gates, right after admitting he knew nothing about the case. He looked foolish after more details emerged that portrayed Gates as the one to invoke race as he went off the deep end on officers just doing their job.
President Obama tried to portray the beer moment as a great step forward in race relations:
I have always believed that what brings us together is stronger than what pulls us apart. I am confident that has happened here tonight, and I am hopeful that all of us are able to draw this positive lesson from this episode.
Whatever happy spin he tries to put on it, the President is trying to put this behind him as a lot of Americans reacted negatively to his reflexive attack on the police without knowing the facts. Among other things, it diminishes his political capital at a time when he needs it the most to sell his health care plan.
As for the beer session itself, what did it really accomplish? I’ll agree with Obama in noting that it’s nice to see that Crowley and Gates have already talked about the subject and plan to talk again. Officer Crowley called the meeting productive and said all parties are looking forward (a relief to the President, I’m sure), but according to him he and Gates “agree to disagree” about the confrontation. Doesn’t that leave us back at square one? I’m all for people of all colors sitting down together, particularly for a nice cold one, and I’m all in favor of a frank, candid, and civil discussion on race.
But let’s be honest – this moment wasn’t about that. When you have news agencies breathlessly reporting each man’s beer of choice, you know it’s less about substance and more about style. This “beer summit” was only about a photo op and providing damage control for the President. The honest discussion on race will have to wait for another day.
Cross-posted at Wellsy’s World.
Steve Maley
KnightsofMalta
Dan Spencer
Moe Lane
Dan McLaughlin
Your analysis about square one
Justin_Case (Diary) Friday, July 31st at 5:55AM EST (link)is correct. That’s why Crowley should not have bothered with this meeting.
I’d be interested to know the percentage of cops who sit down with perpetrators for beers?
This whole thing is stupid and beneficial only to Obama, as it helps him to scrape something unpleasant from his shoes.
wellsy- Idisagree that the beer summit was short on impact
Scope (Diary) Friday, July 31st at 11:09AM EST (link)If anything it elevated Crowley in many people’s eyes. Look at the comments here on RedState on other diaries who have gained a new respect for Crowley. I suspect the Redstaters would be part of a larger majority in that belief. Did you really think that Obama or Gates would appologize at all, especially on national TV? Do you really believe that Obama and/or Gates want to stop the use of racism ? That would not further their sick “cause” of once again making the Blacks the victims, and the white cops the pigs. I wasn’t so much offended by Obama saying the Cambridge cops acted stupidly, I was more enraged that he followed it up with saying the country has a history of racial profiling against blacks and latinos. He incited and encouraged those same blacks and latinos that still feel shat upon, like Gates, to continue with their victimhood voices. Check out the diary here which contains the video where Sgt. Lashley’s letter was read. This was a win against those in high positions trying to reawaken the racism chant when it largely had been put to bed.