Obama calls white policeman who arrested scholar

[sabra]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has called the white policeman who arrested black Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. The president says he believes the sergeant to be an outstanding police officer.

The president said Friday that he continues to think both the officer, Sgt. James Crowley, and Gates overreacted during the incident — but Obama also faulted his own comments.

Making an impromptu appearance at the daily White House briefing, Obama told reporters: "I could've calibrated those words differently."

The president caused a stir when he said at a prime-time news conference earlier this week that police in Cambridge, Mass., had "acted stupidly" by arresting Gates.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g4TAbX5fIxkXoj9R_-Uldl6a8jygD99L06280

[EndersDame]

1. Grow some balls Obama don't cow tow ugggh

Disclaimer I still love Obama just wish he wouldn't back down from his previous statementbecause of the right wing pressure

[imdjh]

10. I like someone who can admit a mistake. Much better than , "I'm the decisionator." Bush

[EndersDame]

19. I am all for admitting mistakes It just seems like he retracted his

statement because of pressure I really respect people who speak their minds and stand their ground about their opinions and beliefs even if they aren't popular. I understand that is not good for a politician though

[No Elephants]

25. Obama neither made a mistake nor admitted one.

[totodeinhere]

49. President Obama said he should have "chosen his words more carefully."

Isn't that tantamount to admitting a mistake?

[No Elephants]

57. That is not what he said (and therefore you should not have it in quotes).

From the OP:

"Obama told reporters: 'I could've calibrated those words differently.'"

He was referring only to his "behaved stupidly" comment AND he never said he should not have used the word "stupidly." Or that he should have chosen other words. Further, he's said a lot about that incident, other than that stupidly comment and he took none of it back.

Besides, if I call you a dumbass and later say I could have chosen a different word, I am not still saying you are really a bright guy, am I?

I have another post on this thread that goes into what he said more, but I am too lazy right now to open another window and look for it.

[bsd13]

58. The exact quote was...

***"In my choice of words, I unfortunately gave an impression that I was maligning the Cambridge Police Department or Sgt. Crowley specifically, and I could have calibrated those words differently. And I told this to Sgt. Crowley," Obama said Friday.***

Close enough I'd say.

[No Elephants]

59. Not really. Please see Reply 57 (which I edited while you were posting, apparently) and

Reply 23.

Your quote makes it seem he was commenting on everything he said about the incident and he wasn't. Also, there is a difference between maligning an action (the arrest) and maligning a department or a person. He never did the latter. So those who got the impression that he hada maligned them, just didn't get it right in the firstt place.

BTW, exactly what does "calibrated those words differently mean?"

[RobinA]

75. He Should Have

stayed the heck out of it. It's nonsense blown out of proportion, originally by the victim and later by everyone who has decided to weigh in. Let it GO.

[8 track mind]

44. "I'm a unificater, not a divider upper!" n/t

[RaleighNCDUer]

11. Obama's a city guy - he's got no interest in cow towing.

Doesn't even own a trailer.

[sasquatch]

26. I hate puns

:grr:
























;)

[No Elephants]

28. If you really feel the need to comment on someone's spelling or the like, a pm is preferable, IMO.

Guess this my thread for working out all my pet peeves. Sorry. (But no retraction.)

[kwassa]

30. Kowtow

it is the correct word

"kowtow
1804 (n.), from Chinese k'o-t'ou custom of touching the ground with the forehead to show respect or submission, lit. "knock the head," from k'o "knock, bump" + t'ou "head." The verb in the fig. sense of "act in an obsequious manner" is from 1826.".

[No Elephants]

61. Please see Reply 28. (At least Raleigh made a joke, LOL.)

[Cha]

67. It's more important to diffuse the

situation and PO knows this.

[Dutch]

2. Well, I guess he's failed another DU purity test.

[No Elephants]

4. Oh, for pity sake. There are real issues and a real world. Everything is not about

whether every post at DU reads exactly as you would prefer. In fact, IRL, NOTHING is about that.

Hell, even DU is not about that.

I am so tired of seeing people post snarks about their fellow Democratic posters instead of posting about issues. Grow up.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[BOG PERSON]

9. If only more of us had zero standards like you n/t

[Cha]

68. No, he didn't ...expand

your mind.

[No Elephants]

3. It was taking on a life of its own; and he did

not back off on two points (1) the arrest was unnecessary; and (2) racial profiling is still alive and an important issue.

And, he said "calibrated my words differently." He never said he chose the wrong words.

But, overall I feel like they got their way..

[Fearless]

5. Uh-oh... here comes the shitstorm...

Oh no... but but but a Black man can't be wrong!

:popcorn:

[No Elephants]

6. LOL, this doesn't mean Gates was wrong.

[Fearless]

72. It means that Obama thinks they're both wrong... or rather his advisors told him to say that...

To turn the talk back to healthcare.

[Cha]

74. Obama thinks for himself..you

poor traumatized thing.

[Fearless]

79. Yeah, he did think for himself during the press conference.

And I'm quite sure even Bush is capable of thinking for himself. The fact remains however that politically it is a good move to fix this issue as soon as possible because it is overshadowing health care.

[BOG PERSON]

14. What do you mean?

Many people here are quite comfortable saying Obama was wrong to apologize to the police. You are aware that Obama is a black man, aren't you?

[Fearless]

71. Gates being wrong. Obama now says they both overreacted. So Crowley and Gates are wrong IHO

[Cha]

69. WTF...is that all you

got outta that?..poor thing.

[Fearless]

70. Quite.

:rofl:

[Indydem]

7. Obama is a class act. This is the kind of behavior I have expected from my President. n/t

[JimWis]

15. I agree Indydem.

[Freddie Stubbs]

12. The President is smart enough to know when he has made a mistake, and man enough to admit it

[Wednesdays]

17. What mistake?

:shrug:

[marshall]

22. "I could've calibrated those words differently"

Use of the subjunctive mood

[No Elephants]

29. He never said "stupidly" was the wrong word, or that he had used any wrong words. He

said only that he could have "calibrated" his words differently. Methinks he calibrated that statement quite purposefully.

[BumRushDaShow]

35. Which words?

His statement was not just the one sentence that the media keeps pushing about "stupidly". In the portion of his comments where that term is used, this is what he said (from here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/22/obama-on-skip-gates-arres_n_243250.html)

I think it's fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry. Number two, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home and, number three, what I think we know separate and apart from this incident is that there is a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately. And that's just a fact.

Here is part of what he said today (from a transcript here: http://wbztv.com/local/obama.official.transcript.2.1100071.html)

I continue to believe, based on what I have heard, that there was an overreaction in pulling Professor Gates out of his home to the station. I also continue to believe, based on what I heard, that Professor Gates probably overreacted as well.

He also goes on to say:

There are some who say that as President I shouldn't have stepped into this at all because it's a local issue. I have to tell you that that part of it I disagree with. The fact that this has become such a big issue I think is indicative of the fact that race is still a troubling aspect of our society.

Whether I were black or white, I think that me commenting on this and hopefully contributing to constructive -- as opposed to negative -- understandings about the issue, is part of my portfolio.

So where is there any "mistake"? He is basically saying the same thing, but apparently the issue has come down to semantics, which trivializes the stupidity of what was done.

[BumRushDaShow]

18. He didn't make any "mistake"

nor admit to doing such.

[EndersDame]

20. I am all for admitting mistakes but

this seems more like caving into pressure. I really respect people who speak their minds and stand their ground about their opinions and beliefs even if they aren't popular. I understand that is not good for a politician though

[No Elephants]

23. Obama has made mistakes. Saying Crowely acted stupidly was not one of them; and

Obama never said that was a mistake.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

37. Bingo!

His misstep had to be in front of the press corps and a TV audience, didn't it?

But, he was bound to step in something one of these days. He's only human..................

[BumRushDaShow]

13. He is basically back-hand smacking the press

and they missed it! :rofl:

[Tangerine LaBamba]

38. No, he's owning up

He made an ill-considered statement, and he's doing what he can to mitigate the effects of that statement.

It's one thing for someone on DU to call the actions of the cops "stupid."

It's another thing entirely when the President of the United States does it.

He should have simply declined comment.................

[BumRushDaShow]

41. He's not "owning up" to anything of the sort

He says he meant what he said about how the situation was handled (which is what I posted in Reply #35) and he even admits that he purposely got involved for a reason.

Wow. The spin cycle is in full revolve. :crazy:

[Tangerine LaBamba]

43. I think he's owning up to the fact

that his "stupidly" remark was ill-considered, and his actions - calling the policeman - are a fine testament to that opinion.

Feel free to see it differently. That's what's so nice about message boards - so many different perspectives..................

[BumRushDaShow]

50. I disagree but appreciate your candor

IMHO, it WAS stupid and he uses synonymous language to indicate that he still believes it was stupid. However I think his bigger point was in the rest of what he said, which the media doesn't seem to want to report - that he intentionally involved himself to start a dialog. And boy is a dialog going full speed.

It could be that this is all his way to open a pressure valve and blow off a little steam, because there's alot of pressure that has built up after the past year's election cycle.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

52. That's a good wish-

but this is hardly a dialogue.

The people here at DU who maintain that the facts are not all in are routinely shouted by the PC Patrol who ABSOLUTELY KNOW what happened in that house, on that porch.

They are as bad as freepers who don't want to tolerate even a hint of anyone having an opinion different from theirs. That's troubling and sad, at least to me.

This isn't a dialogue - this is a galvanizing and divisive episode. I applaud Obama's goals, but the heavyhanded way in which he tried to implement them - or tried to clean up an ill-thought-out remark - is doing nothing but having the sides dig in, and that's unfortunate.

Until we know what happened, I don't know that it's a racial matter, or a rogue cop matter, or what it is. I do want to know, though, eventually.

Duke lacrosse soccer team -rape = total outcry here for their heads. Close to a lynch mob, I swear.

Not a peep out of anyone when the woman admitted she'd lied.

Not much ever changes, alas...........................

[BumRushDaShow]

56. Oh but it is

Oddly enough, this is how the discussions went for me in college 30 years ago. At UMASS of all places. ;) A place with 25,000 whites and 400 blacks. It was knock down, drag out, all-nighters... until everyone finally fell asleep at 6 am in someone's dorm room emotionally exhausted after slinging arrows and hurling furniture.

It is all PERCEPTION. That is what I learned then, that is what I also learned more formally in many many workshops and seminars that I have taken over the past 30 years, Not everyone is going to come out of the process convinced. There will be some who will entrench further. But it is guaranteed that SOME % will lose their scotomas and will consider a different perspective.

[MellowDem]

16. Good decision...

Obama comes off looking better for it after the comment he made. Few presidents ever recant for a mistake, but that's exactly the kind of person I want as president.

Obviously he doesn't think the guy is a racist or was engaging in racial profiling if he's willing to call up the officer and call him "outstanding".

[BumRushDaShow]

21. Again with the mistake?

He never recanted for any "mistake". He meant what he said and if some didn't seem to "get" what he said the first time, then perhaps that was an interesting tactic on his part with his follow-up. The entire incident WAS handled "stupidly". There is no doubt about it.

[BOG PERSON]

27. "an interesting tactic"? LOL

Shrinking away from criticism is not a "tactic". Mealy-mouthedness is not a "tactic". Interesting though they may be, none of those things is a "tactic"

[No Elephants]

32. I don't think that is what he did. But, I guess it's in the eye of the beholder.

[No Elephants]

33. Welcome, BTW.

[BumRushDaShow]

40. Did you actually listen to what he said today

or at least read the transcript? I posted it in Reply #35.

His point was per this: http://wbztv.com/local/obama.official.transcript.2.1100071.html

There are some who say that as President I shouldn't have stepped into this at all because it's a local issue. I have to tell you that that part of it I disagree with. The fact that this has become such a big issue I think is indicative of the fact that race is still a troubling aspect of our society.

Whether I were black or white, I think that me commenting on this and hopefully contributing to constructive -- as opposed to negative -- understandings about the issue, is part of my portfolio.

Meaning the opening of a dialog. He apparently decided to wade in. They often say that one needs to pick their battles and maybe he felt this was one that was do-able (considering that Gates tends to command PBS for his documentaries and has been, when compared to similar scholars out there, essentially the "anti-activist" type, much to the chagrin of many in the black community). I.e., he is the opposite of a Rev. Wright.

[BOG PERSON]

46. Lame

Did you actually read the rest of this thread, including the OP? It is widely perceived as an apology.

[BumRushDaShow]

51. Where is it "widely perceived as an apology"?

You mean by the RW lunatic fringe M$M????? :rofl:

You still haven't read the actual transcript of what he said!

[No Elephants]

24. Please See Reply 23---and what BumRushDaShow said.

[MellowDem]

36. His mistake was clear...

He said he didn't know all the facts, they all hadn't come out yet.

He said he was biased.

And then he made an inflammatory remark.

It was a mistake. He may not have out and out "admitted" it, but in political speak, this is an admission and an attempt to patch it up. And an admiral one at that. It's not a big deal, really, and by doing this he makes sure it will not be made a big deal by the MSM.

And by mistake, I mean a mistake in the political sense. Who knows, he very well could be proven to be right that the police acted stupidly. But that's not the story. The remark after the "facts" and "bias" remarks is the political mistake. And being as politically savvy and calm and collected as Obama is, he has resolved it very well.

[BumRushDaShow]

42. What political sense?

THIS is what the President said this afternoon (as I posted in Reply #35):

From here:http://wbztv.com/local/obama.official.transcript.2.1100071.html

There are some who say that as President I shouldn't have stepped into this at all because it's a local issue. I have to tell you that that part of it I disagree with. The fact that this has become such a big issue I think is indicative of the fact that race is still a troubling aspect of our society.

Whether I were black or white, I think that me commenting on this and hopefully contributing to constructive -- as opposed to negative -- understandings about the issue, is part of my portfolio.

So where in the above is he backing off in any "political sense"? He says that he intentionally commented, apparently because he feels that it is an important subject that few if any in high positions will ever admit occurs and will address.

[MellowDem]

47. Right here...

"And because this has been ratcheting up -- and I obviously helped to contribute ratcheting it up -- I want to make clear that in my choice of words I think I unfortunately gave an impression that I was maligning the Cambridge Police Department or Sergeant Crowley specifically -- and I could have calibrated those words differently. And I told this to Sergeant Crowley."

It's true that the statement he made did give the impression of maligning the Cambridge Police Department etc. I don't think he's "backing off" so much as just ratcheting it back down. I'm glad he was willing to comment on the issue, and for the most part, he did it in an intelligent way, except for that one part, and he knows that, which is why he said the above.

[BumRushDaShow]

55. I see this as

him doing what most would do - "not blaming 'all'". That is something that our generation (Obama and myself) has had pummeled into our heads growing up - to not make "blanket" claims. But he IS attacking the chain of events that appears to be part of some police process, and that process lead to an epic FAIL. He is not backing-off of the primary issue and seems to feel (at least at the moment) that it IS politically expedient to address. If anything, I think he reacted emotionally, which is rare for him.

I actually wrote elsewhere that this question being asked at the presser became a catch-22. If he dodged it, he would have been pursued relentlessly for not commenting and forced to comment. And if he commented, he would be crucified for commenting as is happening now. That's the way it is. A different standard applied to this President.

[CakeGrrl]

63. Anyone who actually listened to him at the press conference knew

as he said it that he didn't characterize the Cambridge Police or even the specific officer as "stupid" - it was the ACT of arresting Gates after being presented with ID.

Since people are so quick to interpret rather than actually listen, it got blown up beyond what it should have been. He was clarifying his intent, and in the process he maintained that the arrest remained the wrong thing to do.

[No Elephants]

64. We went through all that on three other long threads, but let me see if I can

condense it.

He did not know ALL the facts. Maybe no one does, even Gates and Crowley.

That does not mean Obama did not know enough facts to say what he said.

He knew all he needed to know to concluded that the police (well, Crowley) had acted stupidly.

He knew Crowledy had come to investigate a break in at the home of a 58 year old, disabled man who is harmless. He knew that Crowley had determined that no break in had occurred and Gates was safe, and Crowley was not welcome. However, Crowley did not leave at that point, which made Crowley a trespasser.

As a trespasser, someon who is trained, and under an obligation, to both abide by the law and de-esclate situations, continued trespassing and escalating while he was trespassing.

He knew the police department dismissed the charges and admitted the incident was unfortunate, regrettable, not Crowley's finest hour, etc.

I think all of the above was fine. I also think today's speech was fine, even though--perhaps because--people who do not parse it carefully totally miss how fine it was.

Did Obama think he made a political mistake? Maybe. Maybe not. I think it was fine that this drew national attention for a couple of days. Meanwhile, the invite to WH will probably co-opt Crowley and therefor everyone else. By Monday, we'll be back on the crappy health care bill on which the Blue Dogs seem bent.

[Fearless]

73. He wants to get the talk back to health care where it was supposed to be...

It was a good call.

[Paladin]

31. Well Played, Mr. President...... (n/t)

[KansDem]

34. The difference between Obama and Bush

I could've calibrated those words differently
vs.
Who cares what you think?

[Tangerine LaBamba]

39. Boy, does that nail it!

Well done!!!

:toast:

[treestar]

86. Exactly, and I like the way he calls the people involved

Bush or McDope would never have done that.

They would see it as "weakness."

And they never would have faulted the white officer to begin with.

[TEXASYANKEE]

45. Brilliant move.

Obama knew that the Media was making this the #1 story, instead of health care reform. By doing what he's done, he has let all the air out of their hysteria, and the Media now has to drop it.

This *never* should have been the "big story" coming out of his press conference anyway. F'ing media.

[TankLV]

82. "let the air out"? THEY'RE ALL STILL TALKING ABOUT IT - NOW!!!

this did NOT "diffuse the situation" - it's just ANOTHER example FOR ALL TO SEE of the Democrats bowing to RUSH - and that's how it's being PERCEIVED out in the REAL WORLD...

[tomm2thumbs]

48. 'blame enough to go around' is what it sounds like to me from his comments

not saying it is right or wrong, but that is how I interpret the comments

[Kablooie]

53. The fact he made a judgement while knowing he did not have all the facts was a mistake.

And he admits it.

To apologize for this is an honorable thing to do.


And his apology has nothing to do with whether the police actions were appropriate or not.
That is a totally different issue.

Even if the policeman's actions were reprehensible, to state this before you know it's true is not right.

[fascisthunter]

54. this was a very intelligent move...

[Xenotime]

60. He shouldn't have said anything. His statements were correct.

[Lorien]

77. Agreed. nt

[The Stranger]

62. Obama called the pig who arrested Gates?

What did he call him?!?!?

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

[BOG PERSON]

66. "An outstanding police officer" is what Obama called him n/t

[The Stranger]

78. Boooooooooooo!

:donut: :donut: :donut: :donut: :donut: :donut: :donut: :donut: :donut: :donut: :donut: :donut: :donut: :donut: :donut: :donut: :donut: :donut: :donut: :donut: :donut: :donut: :donut: :donut: :donut: :donut:

[Dappleganger]

65. Obama is an extremely intelligent man.

I wish people on this board would quit second-guessing every word he says and every move he makes.
The man is going to make mistakes but he is an adult and knows how to handle the situation. He's not going to bend over and take it from anyone, but he's going to weather the storms headfirst because he has earned the confidence to do so. I may not like everything he does or says but in the long run, I feel comfortable with his decisions because of his proven character.

[ProudDad]

76. Obama's a classy guy.

I never said he wasn't...(I'm NOT going to get into policies and appointments here)

I thought this morning that the best result in the Gates affair, and one that I'm sure Professor Gates would agree with, would be for the Gates and the cop to meet.

President Obama's suggestion that they "have a beer together at the White House" works big time for me.

Gates said he'd be happy to do that! 'Cause he's a classy guy too.

The cop looks like he'd be willing to learn something about how the other side feels as well.

Obama's very refreshing (especially after the last fascist and his lap dog, Bush)...and is handling a teaching moment well.

[Old Vet]

80. Nobody wants to say it!

1. It was personal to the pres.
2. Spoke before he knew the facts
3. As pres. he should of stayed out of local situation
4. Using the word stupid was a wrong move,stupid
5. My personal opinion was the officer was restrained(Yo-MaMa)and other degrading yelling from gates.

I'm very dis-appointed in the president, I rarely side with law enforcement.
IMHO

[TankLV]

81. "Great" the Democrats BACK DOWN AGAIN...and bow to RUSH!!!

that's what it is PURE AND SIMPLE...

obama sure has been losing his "touch" since getting elected...

he sure is making a lot of "mistakes"...

but yet, the REPUKE WAR CRMINIALS are allowed to ROAM FREE and to bide their time to do WORSE next time around...

I DO NOT look forward to the near future at all...

[Name removed]

83. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

84. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ohio2007]

85. C'mon, he was the jr senator from Illinois that was fast tracked into the POTUS oval office

He has to learn fast or it will be a long 3 1/2 yrs ahead.