President Obama smeared a Cambridge Policeman and the Cambridge Police Force and then went even smaller. He seemed to imply that here in Chicago, police would have shot him. Not much of a joke, Mr. President - pretty small.
President Obama won a remarkable victory last November. High Hopes and Nowhere to go but up.
Since January 19th, President Obama has been honeymooned and swooned over.
Now, having junketed around the globe to Apologize for America - no one asked him to do that by the way - here or abroad - and fudged Guantanamo Prison, the Stimulus #1, and the Health Care Reform dodge. His numbers dropped significantly.
It'll happen.
However, last night President Obama showed America how small a man he happens to be and still sleep in the White House.
Read this transcript of his Meet the Press with Lynn Sweet over the Skip Gates nonsense.
WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama said Wednesday that police acted "stupidly" in the arrest of prominent black scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. and that despite racial progress blacks and Hispanics are still singled out unfairly for arrest.http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009...est=latestnews
"This still haunts us," Obama said.
Obama called Gates a friend, and said he doesn't know all the facts of the case. Nonetheless, Obama said, anyone would have been angry if treated the way Gates claims police in Cambridge, Mass., treated him. Gates, a Harvard University professor, claims he was arrested in his home after showing ID to police who responded to a report of a possible burglary.
"Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof he was in own home," Obama said during a prime-time news conference that otherwise focused on the health care debate.
Gates' arrest followed a report of a possible burglary. A woman apparently saw Gates force the front door and called police. Police came and demanded that Gates show identification. Gates was arrested shortly afterward for alleged disorderly conduct, a charge that was dropped Tuesday.
"What I think we know separate and apart from this incident is that there's a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately," Obama said. "That's just a fact."
That disparity is a reminder that "race remains a factor in the society," Obama said.
The nation's first black president held himself up as testament to what he called the "incredible progress" minorities have achieved.
The police sergeant accused of racism after he arrested Gates insisted Wednesday that he won't apologize.
Police say Gates at first refused to display ID and then accused the officer of racism.
Sgt. James Crowley said he followed proper procedures in arresting Gates.
Standing in the stately East Room of the White House where he now lives, Obama allowed some humor into the discussion.
Obama ticked off the reported facts of the Gates case -- starting with Gates apparently forgetting his keys and jimmying the door. Police responded appropriately at first, Obama said.
"I mean, if I was trying to jigger into ...," Obama began, and then trailed off as reporters laughed. Obama laughed, too. "Well, I guess this is my house, now so it probably wouldn't happen."
Obama said he could understand police responding in good faith if he was forcing his way into his old house in Chicago.
"Here I'd get shot," he joked.
Sgt Crowley seems like a professional Law Enforcement officer who gave mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to Boston Celtic Reggie Lewis in 1993. President Obama went small and will see his poll number shrink to sub-50% by Labor Day.
Infact. Sgt Crowley proved himself to be a Bigger Man than his President.
Cambridge police Sergeant James Crowley declined today to criticize President Obama for saying Wednesday night that police "acted stupidly" in the arrest last week of Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr., but he did say it was "regrettable" that anyone would speak without knowing the "whole story" of the confrontation a week ago at Gates's home near Harvard Square
http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/07/cambridge_sgt_d.html
I believed that President Obama was not ready to live in White House, much less lead America. Going small on an issue that will play out badly not only for Professor Skip Gates, but his pal the President of the United States. It is too small for a President. This was not small enough for Barack Obama. Too bad.
I am about the only Hickey in Chicago who did not vote for President Obama. John McCain, it seemed to me did not want to win, in the worst way. Ironically, I am sorry I did not vote Obama as well. I would still be disappointed. We all will be.
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