Obama's Press Conference Mistake

[Shady]

The president of the United States may be reluctant to condemn Ayatollah Khamenei or Hugo Chávez or that guy in Honduras without examining all the nuances and footnotes, but sometimes there are outrages so heinous that even the famously nuanced must step up to the plate and speak truth to power.

And thank God the leader of the free world had the guts to stand up and speak truth to municipal police Sgt. James Crowley.

Link

I think that pretty much sums it up. When civilians in Iran are being beaten and killed in the street, by pro-government forces, Obama stays silent for 5 days. Speaks volumes.

If you're keeping score at home, you can now add a policeman to the group of firefighters, who have received a raw deal from Obama and his administration. Question. Which white, middle-class, blue-collar worker will be the next target of President Obama?

Edited July 25, 2009 by Shady

[bush_cheney2004]

....If you're keeping score at home, you can now add a policeman to the group of firefighters, who have received a raw deal from Obama and his administration. Question. Which white, middle-class, blue-collar worker will be the next target of President Obama?

Obama knew he made a big mistake and tried to back pedal. By doing so he keeps stepping on his own crank.

[August1991]

I was waiting for someone to start a thread on this. Thanks Shady, but could you change the thread title so that the issue is more clear?

Here's my take (for what it's worth).

"Skip" Gates has shown that he's a big jerk. But being a jerk is no reason to handcuff a guy. Obama made a big mistake using the word "stupidly" - particularly after saying that he didn't have all the facts and that "Skip" Gates was a personal friend.

------

I watched the entire press conference (because I was genuinely curious to know what Obama's health care plan is). I am certain that the White House inserted the Gates question. (Watch the video if you don't believe me.)

IMVV, Obama wants to get on with being a left wing president but he also wants to advance US race relations. He tends to have these little fluorishes or references to race, often at the end of an interview or an event. For example, after his long trip to Europe and Russia, he went to Ghana and the staging fort where slaves left to America.

So far, so good. IMV, Obama was right to raise the issue of relations between police and blacks, although he could have waited for all the facts before wading in. And then he bungled it when he used the word "stupidly". I fear that he'll try to turn this "Beer at the White House" into a "teaching moment". The president is a leader, not a teacher.

Trudeau was far more adept at these kinds of situations. When questioned about bilingualism, he told people to "turn the Corn Flakes box around". When questioned about whether he was a closet separatist (just as Obama is now being questioned whether he represents all Americans), Trudeau answered: "I want to put Quebec in its place and its place is in Canada."

At some point, Obama will have to say something like that - and drop his false overuse of the word "folks". (Everytime I hear Obama say "folks", I cringe. It sounds false.)

Edited July 25, 2009 by August1991

[Smallc]

People make mistakes. Obama made a mistake. He's trying to make it right.

[Moonlight Graham]

Oh no the sky is falling. Much ado about little.

[kimmy]

Quote Shakespeare, from his early days with Hallmark:

"Roses are red

Violets are blue

Victims are black

Like 2 Live Crew."

-k

[August1991]

Obama is going to show them

while drinking the beers.

[kimmy]

Obama is going to show them

while drinking the beers.

outstanding.

-k

[punked]

He was right.

[sharkman]

Oh no the sky is falling. Much ado about little.

Too bad Obama couldn't see past his colour to realize this, he missed a perfectly good opportunity to stay silent on this non-issue.

[kimmy]

He was right.

Chris Rock? Certainly.

-k

[Smallc]

Too bad Obama couldn't see past his colour to realize this, he missed a perfectly good opportunity to stay silent on this non-issue.

Yes, accuse him of racism. That'll make it all better.

[August1991]

Yes, accuse him of racism. That'll make it all better.

What? Obama gets another pass?

There is no owner’s manual for the Oval Office, no school to learn how to be a president. Perhaps most challenging for any new president is learning how powerful that megaphone really is. Every offhand word, every spontaneous remark, every comment informed more by emotion than calculation risks profound consequences.

NYT

[Smallc]

No, he made a mistake by jumping to conclusions, and I'm sure that his life experience was part of the cause. It's not a pass for him, but accusing him of racism isn't going to make it better.

[Shady]

Black police official: "It's unfortunate. I supported him (Obama). I voted for him (Obama). I will not again." (1:51)

CNN Videos

Ouch.

[Alta4ever]

No, he made a mistake by jumping to conclusions, and I'm sure that his life experience was part of the cause. It's not a pass for him, but accusing him of racism isn't going to make it better.

Americans have seen that they made a mistake too, and I don't think they are going to repeat it in 2012, Obama Jimmy Carter numer 2, I hope he enjoys his forst term in office, because americans won't give him a second. I doubt they will hold the House of Reps in 2010 either.

[lictor616]

The president of the United States may be reluctant to condemn Ayatollah Khamenei or Hugo Chávez or that guy in Honduras without examining all the nuances and footnotes, but sometimes there are outrages so heinous that even the famously nuanced must step up to the plate and speak truth to power.

And thank God the leader of the free world had the guts to stand up and speak truth to municipal police Sgt. James Crowley.

Link

I think that pretty much sums it up. When civilians in Iran are being beaten and killed in the street, by pro-government forces, Obama stays silent for 5 days. Speaks volumes.

If you're keeping score at home, you can now add a policeman to the group of firefighters, who have received a raw deal from Obama and his administration. Question. Which white, middle-class, blue-collar worker will be the next target of President Obama?

How inane, seriously: a president using his power to comment on a mere local issue of absolutely ZERO significance- when the world is where it is today... how astonishing..

Secondly to call whole police departments "stupid", should send shivers down the spine of any rational individual. The awkwardness of BO's speeches (when he is not in front of a dozen teleprompters) are embarrassing to watch... he can scarcely line up a sentence without bumbling and clearing his throat nervously and looking at his podium with that smirking grin and his oily and lisping voice. His "s" sounds are like nails on a chalkboard.

On top of it; his buddy who got arrested (Gates) is simply a fraudulent poltroon who was obviously looking to pep-up his upcoming documentary on racial profiling in the US. This whole thing is undoubtedly an obscene publicity stunt.

Be ready for more in the future, as obama and his limousine liberals try to fleece white america to filch more tax dollars from them and make them agree to more "affirmative action"... although everyone knows the aim is to get rid of the kulaks i.e: "white americans", if we are to share the blessings of true democracy like the one they had in the Soviet Union.

The "whites" in the United States, who are, of course, much less numerous than the population statistically counted as White, will probably become an actual minority in 20 or 30 years, and in some regions (e.g., California and many major cities) massacres of the dumb "crackers" will probably begin before that time. Well, a nation of imbeciles is unfit to survive anyway, and the tax paying white boobs will doubtless enjoy swilling beer and squatting in hypnotic trances in front of television screens until their doom overtakes them.

Edited July 30, 2009 by lictor616

[CANADIEN]

Well, a nation of imbeciles is unfit to survive anyway.

Oh darn, now I cannot suggest you form your own country without being accused of wanting you dead.

Edited July 30, 2009 by CANADIEN

[lictor616]

Oh darn, now I cannot suggest you form your own country without being accused of wanting you dead.

good job canadien, I admire your consistency in avoiding subjects which your leftist slant could not entertain without loosing face.

way to use short and meaningless ad hominems

Edited July 31, 2009 by lictor616

[CANADIEN]

good job canadien, I admire your consistency in avoiding subjects which your leftist slant could not entertain without loosing face.

way to use short and meaningless ad hominems

That I haven't commented on Obama's foot-in-the mouth incident does not mean that I jdon't know he made a fool of himself. I didn't think it was important enough to comment on. Nothing to with his politics, or the number reason why you hate him - the colour of skin.

As for detracting for the subject, your piece of drivel about the U.S. being a nation of imbeciles had nothing to do with the topic at end, but hey, we've come to expect that from you.

[lictor616]

That I haven't commented on Obama's foot-in-the mouth incident does not mean that I jdon't know he made a fool of himself. I didn't think it was important enough to comment on. Nothing to with his politics, or the number reason why you hate him - the colour of skin.

As for detracting for the subject, your piece of drivel about the U.S. being a nation of imbeciles had nothing to do with the topic at end, but hey, we've come to expect that from you.

of course you don't!

we know you don't have the integrity to be fair with obama, you simply ignore all of his many (and multiplying) defaults and glory in the fact that he... "talks good" and is "black" and OH isn't it a wounderful thing...

My pointing out the fact of american indolence and idiocy, has everything to do with this topic... there isn't nearly enough public outrage and nearly enough public awareness of what this fraudulent episode was really all about: a ploy to demonize white americans in order to brow beat them into surrendering even more of their tax money and dispossess them further to placate minorities.

and I know what you're thinking Canadien: "if only canada could put a black as prime minister... heck why not Michaelle Jean or Donovan Bailey? who cares if they aren,t qualified.. they're black right... it would be a "milestone" and a momentous occasion for canada"...

Edited July 31, 2009 by lictor616

[CANADIEN]

of course you don't!

we know you don't have the integrity to be fair with obama, you simply ignore all of his many (and multiplying) defaults and glory in the fact that he... "talks good" and is "black" and OH isn't it a wounderful thing..

You mwan I fail to hate him for the colour of his skin..

and I know what you're thinking Canadien: "if only canada could put a black as prime minister... heck why not Michaelle Jean or Donovan Bailey? who cares if they aren,t qualified.. they're black right... it would be a "milestone" and a momentous occasion for canada"...

As I made clear often enough, I do not care about the colour of another person's skin. Oh well, we're all used to our intellectual dishonesty by now.

Edited July 31, 2009 by CANADIEN

[Cato]

I think that pretty much sums it up. When civilians in Iran are being beaten and killed in the street, by pro-government forces, Obama stays silent for 5 days. Speaks volumes

The belief of Americans, that they they and their Presidents are appointed/called upon to make judgements everywhere in the world has been the pest of societies in the past century, paralleled only by the former Soviet Union.

[bush_cheney2004]

The belief of Americans, that they they and their Presidents are appointed/called upon to make judgements everywhere in the world has been the pest of societies in the past century, paralleled only by the former Soviet Union.

How does this differ from the "belief" of Canadians and their PMs who did the same thing?

[Cato]

How does this differ from the "belief" of Canadians and their PMs who did the same thing?

They were/are not acting upon it, except when forced by Americans (or earlier by England).