# Obama says cops acted stupidly in Gates incident **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 23, 2009, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995 "2009-07-23T14:37:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 22
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/421 "2009-07-31T03:59:51Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > There is a cop on TV right now explaining that calling him a banana eating jungle monkey is not racist. Good luck with that. Of course he never ,ever used that language before. If a cop says it, it must be true. So by your logic people should be judged by their words. I would agree. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/422 "2009-07-31T04:23:28Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Nothing if this is how he wants people to view him. The beer chugging contest was for the President’s benefit, not his. With all due respect, it doesn’t sound like you are predisposed to view him any way outside of Crowley’s report - which already has factual flaws, which you haven’t addressed. You still believe what’s in there, 100 percent? And what of Gates’ version of events? Hearing your response to these points would be quite interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/423 "2009-07-31T04:35:04Z")
> [@Hippy\_Hollow](#): > > With all due respect, it doesn’t sound like you are predisposed to view him any way outside of Crowley’s report - which already has factual flaws, which you haven’t addressed. You still believe what’s in there, 100 percent? And what of Gates’ version of events? > > Hearing your response to these points would be quite interesting. His report of events (and Gates’ behavior) were cooberated by the black officer who was there. So yes, I believe Gates started flinging poo from the start. And since I’ve been in the same situation as Gates I don’t understand why he didn’t understand that the officer needed to confirm he was the resident. It’s just common sense and beyond that, general courtesy. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/424 "2009-07-31T04:41:27Z")
In your haste, you neglected to offer us the cite of the black officer’s observations, which are news to me, and no doubt others. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/425 "2009-07-31T04:59:40Z")
You also haven’t explained why the report does not match the _indisputable_ evidence of what’s on the 911 call. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/426 "2009-07-31T05:05:37Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > In your haste, you neglected to offer us the cite of the black officer’s observations, which are news to me, and no doubt others. In your haste you were too lazy to google it. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/427 "2009-07-31T07:08:23Z")
A less understanding person than myself might suspect that you have no such cite to offer. You know how people can be. ---
**Author:** ![EasyPhil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@EasyPhil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EasyPhil)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/428 "2009-07-31T07:43:02Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > His report of events (and Gates’ behavior) were cooberated by the black officer who was there. So yes, I believe Gates started flinging poo from the start. So, where is the link to where the black officer says there were two black men with backpacks on the porch or better yet where he says that the witness said to crowely at the scene? > [@](#): > > And since I’ve been in the same situation as Gates I don’t understand why he didn’t understand that the officer needed to confirm he was the resident. It’s just common sense and beyond that, general courtesy. He provided his ID with an address, what’s left to investigate after that? ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/429 "2009-07-31T12:57:02Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > In your haste you were too lazy to google it. Y’know in general it is the obligation of the one making a claim to support it and the laziness charge (or the charge of being wrong) falls on the one making a claim that they do not substantiate. That said, [here](http://news.aol.com/article/black-officer-at-scholars-home-supports/586459?icid=sphere_newsaol_inpage), sort of. I did your work for you. Except that he didn’t exactly corroborate much. > [@](#): > > A black police officer who was at Henry Louis Gates Jr.‘s home when the black Harvard scholar was arrested says he fully supports how his white fellow officer handled the situation. > Sgt. Leon Lashley says Gates was probably tired and surprised when Sgt. James Crowley demanded identification from him as officers investigated a report of a burglary. Lashley says Gates’ reaction to Crowley was “a little bit stranger than it should have been.” So he supports his fellow officer and feels that Gates may have reacted “a little bit stranger” than he “should have”. That judgment is probably true. So? Not exactly documentation of abusive or disorderly conduct. Nor is it corroboration of the officers versions of events that conflict with the version of the person who called in the complaint, as recorded in the 911 call and stated afterwards, or that conflict with Gates version. So far it still seems that the officer has _made shit up_. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/430 "2009-07-31T13:18:11Z")
I’m just OUTRAGED that Obama chose a beer owned by a foreign company. A company based in Belgium, which might as well be France. This clearly proves he’s a Communist Muslim. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/431 "2009-07-31T13:43:55Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > You also haven’t explained why the report does not match the _indisputable_ evidence of what’s on the 911 call. I’d wager no police report matches exactly what is on a taped report of the incident. Human memory is extremely fallible, something most people don’t seem to understand, and don’t even recognize in themselves. (As an aside this is why it is kind of stupid that “eye witness” testimony is considered one of the most powerful forms of evidence in a criminal case, when it is probably the most error prone of them all.) Most people who don’t have to deal with writing about incidents in a highly detailed manner probably do not realize how many details they would get incorrect or totally forget if they **did** have to do so. A lot of cops will start writing notes on the incident moments after it happened because of this fact. ---
**Author:** ![IdahoMauleMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/71c47a/32.png) [@IdahoMauleMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IdahoMauleMan)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/432 "2009-07-31T13:44:19Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I’m just OUTRAGED that Obama chose a beer owned by a foreign company. A company based in Belgium, which might as well be France. This clearly proves he’s a Communist Muslim. Agreed. The least he could have done was choose an O’Keefes Extra Old Stock, or a McNally’s, from our good friends oop noorth. That’s good stuff there, yep it is. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/433 "2009-07-31T13:46:24Z")
The final word: [![](http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/understocked.png) ](http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/understocked.png) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/434 "2009-07-31T15:10:46Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I’m just OUTRAGED that Obama chose a beer owned by a foreign company. A company based in Belgium, which might as well be France. This clearly proves he’s a Communist Muslim. And a crappy beer to boot. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/435 "2009-07-31T15:20:39Z")
I think he chose the Bud Lite because he wanted to stay sober. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/436 "2009-07-31T15:22:17Z")
On a serious note, this is a no-win situation for Obama. He needs to let this go and get it out of the media spotlight. ---
**Author:** ![Sinaijon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Sinaijon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinaijon)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/437 "2009-07-31T15:28:55Z")
Strangely prophetic: > **[The Onion | America's Finest News Source.](https://www.theonion.com/)** > > The Onion brings you all of the latest news, stories, photos, videos and more from America's finest news source. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/438 "2009-07-31T15:52:38Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I think he chose the Bud Lite because he wanted to stay sober. I have friends who drink Miller Light with Lime. They seem to like that and it says 100 calories on the bottle. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/439 "2009-07-31T15:56:07Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > On a serious note, this is a no-win situation for Obama. He needs to let this go and get it out of the media spotlight. This entire incident is immensely “below the Presidency.” I think it was paramount stupidity for Obama to have offered an opinion on this or become involved in it any way. In sense I also think this whole story is “below the public”, it should never have been more than a news blurb up in the northeast. But it has grown like a monster and reached a point where prominent newspapers like the Wall Street Journal were publishing articles about how American brewers are outraged about the beer selection involved in the “beer summit.” ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995/440 "2009-07-31T16:31:32Z")
Manufactured controversy being augmented with brewed up outrages. When will it end? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995.md?page=21) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-says-cops-acted-stupidly-in-gates-incident/503995.md?page=23)