Cheers, Salud, Skaal, Bottoms Up… Gates-Crowley ‘Beer Summit’, ‘Teachable Moment’ in the WH Rose Garden
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on July 31, 2009
Pres. Barack Obama and VP Joe Biden have a beer with Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., left, and Cambridge, Mass., police Sgt. James Crowley, right, in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
When asked about the president’s contribution to the meeting, Sgt. James Crowley said: “He provided the beer.”
Ouch. Not quite what I expected.
What I DID expect was that it would be touted as a success, which, yep, it is being. But was it indeed a success? I don’t have enough facts to judge, and unlike Pres. Obama when he capriciously judged the Cambridge police department on national TV as acting “stupidly” with no facts whatsoever, I won’t judge… too much, anyway.
Do I think this is a non-story that has run its course and has been overexposed in the media, much like Michael Jackson’s funeral had been?
No comment.
Libations consumed, for history/beer trivia buffs: Bud Light for Obama, Blue Moon for Crowley, Sam Adams Light for Gates. Vice President Biden had a Buckler non-alcoholic beer.
Cheers, salud, skaal, bottoms up... Obama Beer Summit's 'teachable moments'
WASHINGTON – The police officer at the center of a national dispute over race and law enforcement says a much-anticipated meeting at the White House was productive and all parties are looking forward.
Cambridge, Mass., police Sgt. James Crowley spoke after meeting with President Barack Obama and Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., along with Vice President Joe Biden. Crowley described himself and Gates as “two gentlemen who agreed to disagree” about the confrontation that led to Gates’ arrest.
He said that the conversation centered on moving forward, not reliving the events of the past two weeks, and that they plan more meetings.
AP’s earlier story is below.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is hailing his meeting with professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and policeman James Crowley as a “friendly, thoughtful conversation.”
In a statement after the three men and Vice President Joe Biden chatted over beers, Obama said he learned that Gates and Crowley had already spent some time talking with each other. He called that “a testament to them.”
Said Obama: “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.”
Obama, Gates and Crowley were at the center of a national uproar over racial profiling.
Snippet from Jake Tapper:
The media was cordoned off approximately 45 feet away from the patio furniture where the beers were being quaffed, so we have no idea what was being said.
President Obama and Vice President Biden appeared to be doing what they could to keep the mood light, wearing just shirt sleeves and appearing more relaxed than the professor and the policeman, who were in suits and more rigid.
In the less than two minutes that we were out there, Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Sgt. Jim Crowley did almost all of the talking. It didn’t appear chummy, but then again Gates has said Crowley racially profiled him, falsified a police report about him, and owes him an apology. Crowley says he did nothing wrong, resents being portrayed as a racist, and has said he came here with the understanding that he and Gates had agreed to disagree.
So one might not expect them to be re-enacting a Lowenbrau commercial…
From Doug Powers:
Professor Gates wrote after the meeting that he doesn’t necessarily think that Crowley profiled him and is semi-confident he won’t do it again.
President Obama said the discussion was constructive, in spite of the noticeable absence of his teleprompter, and also said that nobody should be calling it a “beer summit.” Okay, “Opportunistic photo op for reasons of gratuitous blame-deflection with beer backdrop” it is.
Joe Biden just showed up out of nowhere, apparently uninvited like the unemployed brother-in-law living in your basement who you hope doesn’t wake up when you’re having friends over for cocktails, who stumbles up the stairs in his underwear, sneezes on the hor d’oeuvres, scratches his butt and pees in the sink. Okay, maybe not, but that’s how it appeared to me…
Commentary from Below the Beltway:
Personally, I don’t see what the point of all of this is to begin with. It’s pretty obvious that Obama made a mistake when he waded into the middle of the Gates arrest imbroglio last week, and he’s paid a price for it in the poll numbers. There’s very little up-side, and a lot of down-side in keeping this issue on the table and in the headlines, especially when you keep saying there are more important issues out there.
This has to qualify as one of the dumbest political moves I’ve ever seen a President make.
‘Nuff said.
From my end, anyway, for now. The MSM will be milking and waxing philosophically about this “historic beer summit” through the weekend, guaranteed. To Obama’s dismal approval numbers, I say, “Bottoms up.”
Related:
NY Times, Reuters: Obama More Bartender Than Mediator At Beer Summit
Andrew Breitbart, Big Hollywood: On Race, No He Can’t!
Legal Insurrection: The Thanksgiving Summit
Orson Bean, Big Hollywood: A Beer is Fine But Forgiveness is Divine
Hot Air: Disaster strikes beer summit: Biden decides to attend; Update: Obama issues statement; Update: “Toast” photo added; Update: Gates issues statement; Update: Obama played only a small part, says Crowley and
Open thread: White House kegstand solves nation’s racial problems and Surprise: Stimulus not stimulating construction industry, infrastructure repair and The Peasant Plan
Jimmy Arone, Big Hollywood: Jimmy Crowley: One Good Cop
Jake Tapper, ABC News: Notes from the Suds Summit
Rachel Sklar, MediaIte: Beer Summit: A Ditty
John T. Simpson, Big Hollywood: The Monster That Nearly Ate Cambridge
The Root: Obama: Beer Meeting ‘Thoughtful’
Gary Graham, Big Hollywood: The Great Beer Summit of 2009
Lloyd Marcus, American Thinker: Who Will President Obama Drum Up Hate Against Next?
Wake Up Black America: Does the nation still have a hangover from the “beer summit”? and I have some words of advice for Sgt Crowley on his Thursday “beer meet” with Barack Obama and Henry Gates.
VotingFemale Speaks!: Barack Obama – An Angry Black Man in the Wright House; America Pushes Back against Socialist Agenda Promotion of “Black-On-White Spanking Moments”
GayPatriot: Making Gates’ issue a racial one prevents us from moving beyond race and Obama Needs to Learn from Himself About Apologizing
Patterico’s Pontifications: The Officer Didn’t Stereotype Henry Louis Gates — Henry Louis Gates Stereotyped the Officer
Mommy / GOP Mom: Star Parker: Beer Summit Should Have Been About Freedom
Hot Air Green Room: We Need The Truth, Not Beer and Apologies
Doug Powers, Michelle Malkin: Officer Crowley, Stimulus Funding Machine? and Beer Summit: The final summary and Beerestroika: Drinking to distraction
DONE (Democrats Over Nominating Elitists): Zogby, Rasmussen: Obama Job Approval Rating Continues to Drop
Gazzer’s Gabfest: He warnt as uppity as I thought…
Riehl World View: Beer Pong with Barry
Jake Tapper, Political Punch, ABC News: WH: Obama sit-down with Gates, Crowley is “about having a beer,” not formal meeting
Bloodthirsty Liberal: Who Will Pee First?
Ztower: Two Professors, A Cop And A “Teachable Moment.” And The Student Is? and Brewskies At The White House…Do You Need A Tie? UPDATE: No Tie Required…WH Says It’s Nothing Formal, Just About “Having A Beer.”
Hot Air: Change: Obama’s approval rating hits new lows in Gallup and Rasmussen and Obama: The Gates clusterfark is a “teachable moment” or something and Democrats: You’re Stupid, So We’re Going to Blame Bush and Pew: Obama’s numbers showing major declines and Maybe Gates should have stood on civil liberties rather than race and Must see: Cambridge cop says she won’t vote for Obama again after Gatesgate and Thad McCotter to introduce House resolution demanding Obama apologize to Crowley
Pundit & Pundette: Obama’s Beer Summit and other clunkers
Michael McGruther, Big Hollywood: We’ve All Felt a Little ‘Profiled’
Coldheartedtruth: Tried and true, or worn out?
Goodtimepolitics: Police officers across the country have a message for Obama
Frank DeMartini, Big Hollywood: Obama’s Six-Month Report Card
La Shawn Barber’s Corner: Black, White, and Blue
Steven Crowder, Big Hollywood: Lonewolf Diaries: Arresting Black People is Racist, You Pigs!
Michelle Malkin: ‘Racial Harmony Through Beer’ initiative kicks off Thursday and Stuck on stupid(ly) and The anti-police bigotry of the Left and The “Don’t taze me, bro” moment of Henry Louis Gates
Gadget’s Blog: News Flash: Obama not really black, just full of crap.
Frugal Café Blog Zone: Beer Summit ‘Quote of the Day’ | Update: A Few ‘Beer Summit’ Cartoons and Beer Won’t Solve It: Obama’s Lack of Leadership & Mistakes in Not Apologizing for His Controversial Gates Comments (video) and Black Cambridge Cops Back Crowley’s Actions – Kelly King: “Charges Are Bogus, I Won’t Vote for Obama Again” (video)
American Thinker: If Obama Were My Friend
Autographed Letter Signed: Thursday Stitch N’ Bitch: It’s All Black and White To Me
Gateway Pundit: Dr. Gates On Whitey: “Malcolm X Was Talking About the White Man Was the Devil… It Was Great” and Bill Cosby “Shocked” At Dear Leader’s Attack on Boston Police Officer and Double Digits and Holding! -10
Jan LaRue, American Thinker: Obama’s ‘Recalibrated’ Insult
Andrew Breitbart, Big Hollywood: The President’s Accidental Gift on Race
The Pugnacious Irishman: Acting Stupidly
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