Obama: "I Am Surprised By The Controversy" Over My Comments On Gates Arrest

[babylonsister]

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/07/obama-i-am-surprise-by-the-controversy-over-my-comments-on-gates-arrest.php?ref=fpblg

Obama: "I Am Surprised By The Controversy" Over My Comments On Gates Arrest
By Eric Kleefeld - July 23, 2009, 3:48PM


President Obama is standing by his comments about the Henry Louis Gates case, which the Republicans have been attacking him on. From an interview with ABC News:

"I have to say I am surprised by the controversy surrounding my statement because I think it was a pretty straight forward commentary that you probably don't need to handcuff a guy, a middle-aged man who uses a cane, who's in his own home," Obama said.

...

"I think that I have extraordinary respect for the difficulties of the job that police officers do," the president told Moran. "And my suspicion is that words were exchanged between the police officer and Mr. Gates and that everybody should have just settled down and cooler heads should have prevailed. That's my suspicion."

The president said he understands the sergeant who arrested Gates is an "outstanding police officer." But he added that with all that's going on in the country with health care and the economy and the wars abroad, "it doesn't make sense to arrest a guy in his own home if he's not causing a serious disturbance."

[merh]

1. Wait for it

Here they come, the "he wasn't in his home" brigade.

3... 2 ... 1.

[babylonsister]

4. Unreal, aren't they. Yes, they'll be around, no doubt. nt

[Solomon]

5. Aw damn.

I didn't know they were trying to go that far.

Damn.

[FrenchieCat]

2. GoBama!

:headbang:

[BlooInBloo]

3. Welcome to America, Mr. President.

[masuki bance]

6. Weird, why base whether he should be arrested on health care reform, the economy and wars? nt

[Solomon]

7. It burns, don't it. LOL

Teh stupid. It burns. :rofl:

[babylonsister]

8. Because the media is aghast at how he answered his last

question last night and are hardly covering health care, the economy, or wars.

That was a slap in the face to the talking heads.

[NatBurner]

9. wait, what?

[masuki bance]

11. That's what I said.

"...The president said he understands the sergeant who arrested Gates is an "outstanding police officer." But he added that with all that's going on in the country with health care and the economy and the wars abroad, "it doesn't make sense to arrest a guy in his own home if he's not causing a serious disturbance."

[florida08]

12. LoL

did you decipher that?

[jefferson_dem]

14. You win.

Most obtuse post of the day.

You obviously like to play contrarian but ... seriously. At some point, you might want to stop digging.

[masuki bance]

15. ...

"...The president said he understands the sergeant who arrested Gates is an "outstanding police officer." But he added that with all that's going on in the country with health care and the economy and the wars abroad, "it doesn't make sense to arrest a guy in his own home if he's not causing a serious disturbance."

[florida08]

17. yes

what's your question about that?

[masuki bance]

19. What does health care reform, the economy, and two wars going on have to do with a disorderly

disturbance arrest?

[florida08]

21. ok

Allow me to use my own vernacular. "Isn't there enough damn problems in the country without folks getting arrested for trying to get into their own home?"

[ecstatic]

25. Are you really confused or just acting?

Maybe you should try re-reading that sentence?

[masuki bance]

28. Why? nt

[jefferson_dem]

18. ...

Right.

:crazy:

[vaberella]

30. +1. n/t

[MUAD_DIB]

10. Now that was a perfect way of handling it.

[Spazito]

13. Love it, a perfect response, imo...

Standing by what he said last night AND pointing out to the media, yet again, there are REAL issues like "health care and the economy and the wars abroad" on which they should be focused.

[damntexdem]

16. None of us should be surprised at the 'controversy.'

Yes, we should be aghast at it. We should be surprised at our need to not be surprised by it. But it is still something we should expect.

[ecstatic]

20. Surprised by the stupidity of our media?

Not buying it, Mr. President. Still love you though!!!

[Thrill]

22. wooooohooooo don't apologize!! Way to go Obama

[Bluenorthwest]

23. I am also surprised because I thought the President was very moderate

in his words.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

24. Me too. You would have thought he'd called for their badges

[Solomon]

27. LOL That WAS moderate. By saying they acted

stupidly, he was actually cutting them some slack.

[HopeOverFear]

26. YESSSSS!!!! THANK YOU FOR NOT APOLOGIZING, PRESIDENT OBAMA!

WHEW!

[vaberella]

31. I know you were a bit worried about that. He came through.

He actually threw a dig into his statement as well. :D

[HopeOverFear]

32. Oh I was soooo scared LOL I really was. But now would you believe

I've found something else to be worried about? God help me. :rofl:

[politicasista]

29. Very good!

People are acting like Obama said "F*ck the police" or something. He was being honest and defending a friend. And yep, the police acted "stupidly" in this incident.

I don't trust them nor the police chief because of they way they handled the Steve McNair tragedy down here. And they need to be investigated IMO. And the county sheriff has ordered lots of Hispanics to be deported because they were "taking up space" instead of seeing that they were good for the economy.

[intheflow]

33. He's more than defending a friend.

He's defending a citizen! :patriot:

[politicasista]

34. Yep. Citizen is the word!

:)

[PVnRT]

35. I'm not

The Republicans and their media whores are always quick to defend a white guy who does something wrong to a black guy. Welcome to America.

[cleveramerican]

36. I don't believe him

I don't believe he is really "surprised".
I saw it coming and he always seemed smarter than me.

He planted this shitstorm at the end of the press conference, on purpose.
Why do you think he did that?