Vieira asks "did" Obama "go too far and rewrite the headlines" in response to Gates question at press conference

by o rly (July 23, 2009 11:07 am ET)

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I for one found his candor refreshing.

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by mk3872 (July 23, 2009 11:14 am ET)
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I agree with you, o. I think the DC Villagers are so trained to expect politicians and POTUS to read from a script, never go "off message" and essentially act robotic.

We need to remember that Obama is only in his late 40s and has only been in national politics for a few scant years.

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- by seeryer (July 23, 2009 11:36 am ET)
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  Obama gets slammed by the press when he tells the truth. I guess they got used to lying after covering W for 8 years.
  
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by RABBITLUVR (July 23, 2009 11:42 am ET)
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I will say my jaw dropped. Couldn't beleive what I heard and, yes, it WAS refreshing. THIS is what we need in the WH - an intelligent articulate man who is a verbal sharpshooter.

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by nerzog (July 23, 2009 11:19 am ET)

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As soon as the Troglodytes can shift gears from Healthcare Hysteria, they'll accuse Obama of being "Anti Law Enforcement" and bring up Bill Ayers again.

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by shaggles (July 23, 2009 11:31 am ET)

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I thought his response was very even handed and reasonable. Good lord the right wing media has been calling him a fascist, a communist, saying he doesn't believe in Democracy, hates America, wants to kill old people and babies, etc. for months and he's being harsh by acknowledging that people of color are arrested in disproportionally high numbers? That's not harsh. That's a fact. One of the big problems we have as a country is an innability to admit our own mistakes and flaws. Pretending problems don't exist will not make them go away.

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by Easy to refute wingnuts (July 23, 2009 11:53 am ET)
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he's being harsh by acknowledging that people of color are arrested in disproportionally high numbers?
A few years ago I was in Anchorage, Alaska for a week. My wife was at a conference, and I walked around the city during the days. While I was there I saw seven cars that had been pulled over by the police.

Every driver was black.

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- by puppienrainbows (July 23, 2009 12:04 pm ET)
  1 7
  
  Had each of the seven drivers broken the law? Did the police 'pull over' any drivers other than black drivers that day? I have a feeling you don't know the answer to either of those questions. You simply made an observation(based on race) and without any imperical evidence, suggested that black drivers in Anchorage are subject to scrutiny. It's that kind of narrow minded thinking that creates problems for racial healing, if your story is accurate.
  
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  - by RABBITLUVR (July 23, 2009 12:13 pm ET)
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    So you are saying that 'driving while Black' is a fictitious concept?
    
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    - by puppienrainbows (July 23, 2009 12:44 pm ET)
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      No.
      
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  - by Easy to refute wingnuts (July 23, 2009 12:23 pm ET)
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    I offer only the anecdote. Your racist interpretation, "puppies," is all your own contribution.
    
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    - by mjh (July 23, 2009 7:36 pm ET)
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      Exactly, ETRW.
      
      The Pup said:
      
      "I have a feeling you don't know the answer to either of those questions."
      
      Well, Pup -- if YOU know the answer, please enlighten us . . . or STFU . . .
      
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  - by shaggles (July 23, 2009 12:28 pm ET)
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    It doesn't actually matter whether or not they'd broken the law. African Americans are only about 4% of the population in Alaska. It's probably a little higher in Anchorage but it is still very unlikely that only those 7 drivers broke the law during the observed period. IMO what really creates problems for racial healing is pretending that things like racial profiling don't happen.
    
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    - by puppienrainbows (July 23, 2009 12:41 pm ET)
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      I believe racial profiling exists but all too often used as a crutch by individuals to avoid prosecution. I'll ask you the same question. Do reports and accusations of racial profiling occur when there is none?
      
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      - by blk-in-alabam (July 23, 2009 1:07 pm ET)
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        Mabe, but there are many many more cases of racial profiling not reported.In many places it has become accepted as the norm.A quick check to verify would be in what neighbor hoods road blocks are set up on a regular basis.Road blocks were set up near voting precints in minority neighborhoods on election day.this was done for no other reason but to discourage people from voting.This is a desecration of democracy. Republicans and conservative(republical)talk radio host have stated many times that certain type people should not be allowed to vote.They have presented no other reason than they disagee with them
        
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        by puppienrainbows (July 23, 2009 1:21 pm ET)
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        You said 'many more cases of racial profiling not reported'. If they are not reported, how do you know? Your statement is a typical example of inflating numbers based on the fact they weren't reported!?!
        
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        by blk-in-alabam (July 23, 2009 1:26 pm ET)
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        Becaused I am black and I PERSONALLY know the times its been done to me that I did not report and other people I know.
        
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        by puppienrainbows (July 23, 2009 2:22 pm ET)
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        The only way to curtail or stop that kind of behaviour by police is to report it. I know it's easy for me to say(I'm not black) but if black people ignore it, as you said you did, it makes it more difficult to substantiate and erradicate the behaviour. Rosa Parks didn't settle for less.
        
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        by Scotty Johnson Sr. (July 23, 2009 3:50 pm ET)
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        The only way to curtail or stop that kind of behaviour by police is to report it.
        Whom do you report it to? The police?
        
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        by Scotty Johnson Sr. (July 23, 2009 3:50 pm ET)
        
        The only way to curtail or stop that kind of behaviour by police is to report it.
        Whom do you report it to? The police?
        
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        by puppienrainbows (July 23, 2009 4:06 pm ET)
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        Of course you report it to the police, Harley, and then you send a copy of your report to the Mayor and any state representative who'll listen. It might take a little work, but that's how it gets done.
        
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        by Scotty Johnson Sr. (July 23, 2009 7:49 pm ET)
        
        Of course you report it to the police, Harley
        Who's Harley?
        
        You live in a fantasy world, my friend. One where there is no global warming and cops will investigate their own.
        
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        by Scotty Johnson Sr. (July 23, 2009 3:49 pm ET)
        
        Becaused I am black and I PERSONALLY know the times its been done to me that I did not report and other people I know.
        Snap. Bingo. I but puppiepuncher wasn't expecting that.
        
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        by puppienrainbows (July 23, 2009 4:09 pm ET)
        
        Yeah, Harley, I was really blindsided on that one. I thought blk-in-alabam meant something other than black in Alabama.
        
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        by Scotty Johnson Sr. (July 23, 2009 7:49 pm ET)
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        Yeah, Harley, I was really blindsided on that one. I thought blk-in-alabam meant something other than black in Alabama.
        Harley's not in this conversation puppie, or is that anotheramerican? Hmmm? Where's your birth certificate?
        
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        by blk-in-alabam (July 23, 2009 1:47 pm ET)
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        There are videos,recordings and witnesses reddily available to support what I have said.What information can you provide to support you point.Information that can't easily be refuted with facts? I do not believe you have any ,if so produce it to shut all these liberals up.If you have it produce it
        
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        by puppienrainbows (July 23, 2009 2:13 pm ET)
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        Are you asking me to prove a negative? Classic!
        
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        by blk-in-alabam (July 23, 2009 2:40 pm ET)
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        I am simply asking you to be real.Show all these liberals you know what you are talking about.Be truthful with your self.Take a look at your comments on the various MMA subjects.I have read many of your post from an objective piont.I have also read many responses to your post.A lot of your post have been refuted by people armed with facts,figures and videos.I haven't seen you prepared to do the same.Most of your post I've read have been hyperbole,and slogans and cheers.Some of your post have been called out rigtht lies by others.And I haven't seen you verify anything with the lowered standard of "with reasonabel doubt.
        
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        by puppienrainbows (July 23, 2009 2:26 pm ET)
        
        Submit those videos and reports to authorities for review. If there is a MSM outlet you can trust, send that info to them. It's the only way it will stop.
        
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        by Scotty Johnson Sr. (July 23, 2009 3:51 pm ET)
        
        Submit those videos and reports to authorities for review
        Uh huh....Report the authorities to the authorities. That often works so well.
        
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        by puppienrainbows (July 23, 2009 4:13 pm ET)
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        Your level of paranoia is striking, Harley. Trust until your trust is broken, otherwise, stay in your room curled up in the fetal position, waiting for 12/24/2012.
        
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        by Scotty Johnson Sr. (July 23, 2009 7:50 pm ET)
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        Your level of paranoia is striking, Harley.
        Harley isn't here. You are nuts.
        
        It's called objective reality. You should try it sometime. It's refreshing.
        
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        by robyn20094113 (July 24, 2009 9:42 pm ET)
        
        Is calling someone Harley, a new slam I have not heard bout? I am always the last to hear these things. I was the last person in the world, to know what "teabagging" meant. I had to call my son, at work and ask him. He screamed it at me and hung up. I felt really stupid and wondered why I could not figure that one out. I can not figure this "Harley" thing out either. I am not about, to call my son and ask him.
        
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      - by shaggles (July 23, 2009 1:29 pm ET)
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        I'm sure accusations of racial profiling occur when there is none but it's unlikely to help anyone avoid prosecution if they've committed a crime and it doesn't invalidate the mountains of evidence that minorities are targetted by the police far more often than whites. I'm not saying it's always intentional or even concious. In fact I think most of it is probably unconcious. The fact that these disproportional stops sometimes turn up a crime may seem to validate this behavior but I say it doesn't. Even if an officer stops one white guy for every black guy he stops the black population is still grossly over represented. Of course you will find more criminals if you look at 10% of any given group than if you look at 1%. I think I'm veering off point now though. There is a lack of equity in our society and ignoring it or making excuses for it will not improve matters. Not saying you're doing either of those things. That's just my 2 cents.
        
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        by puppienrainbows (July 23, 2009 2:24 pm ET)
        
        You are correct.
        
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      - by open_mind (July 23, 2009 1:35 pm ET)
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        Of course they do, each case should be taken on its own merrit. I am white, but my children and wife are black. I can say I have been pulled over in the past because my license plate was "crooked".
        
        I did not argue. I handed the guy my license and registration answered some questions about what I was doing and moved on.
        
        I kind of wish now that I did raise a stink about it.
        
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        by blk-in-alabam (July 23, 2009 1:57 pm ET)
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        RWBP(Riding with black person) in some places.An incident that happened to me in Florida two years ago.A white fellow who works for me and I were pulled over by police.I asked the officer why he pulled me over.He told me around here black people and white people don't ride together around here.
        
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        by puppienrainbows (July 23, 2009 2:17 pm ET)
        
        That is an outrageous account of poor behaviour by the police and I would have been furious at the comment. BTW, was the officer black, or white? Just curious.
        
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        by juliajayne1 (July 24, 2009 1:21 am ET)
        
        My H is black and I had an incident in Jamestown, NY that wasn't much different than that. Purportedly it was because we took a picture of a sign. And somebody didn't like that, and it caused suspicion. Right.
        
        Like Prof Gates, I asked for the badge number and name of the officer and he backed off. That was a minor incident but I can tell you, it shook me.
        
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  - by Scotty Johnson Sr. (July 23, 2009 3:47 pm ET)
    
    Um...how many blacks could there be in Anchorage? Are you telling me that what he observed shouldn't raise suspicion?
    
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    - by puppienrainbows (July 23, 2009 4:22 pm ET)
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      Only in a suspicious mind. You know the old college experiment where a roomful of students are subjected to a sudden experience and then they are all asked to comment on what just happened. 100 'eyewitnesses' usually give 100 different accounts. Easytrw, as he said, offered the anecdote and I contend, until all the facts are in, don't judge the situation too closely. We were recently subjected to a still photo of Obama and Sarkozy 'ogling' an attractive young woman only to find a video proving the snapshot wrong. I trust what Easytrw saw was, in fact, 7 black people stopped for something but if the black population in Anchorage is so sparse, why were 7 black motorists in the same area at the same time? It does defy logic if I'm understanding his account correctly.
      
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      - by Scotty Johnson Sr. (July 23, 2009 7:51 pm ET)
        
        Only in a suspicious mind.
        Only in a rightfully vigilant mind.
        
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by seeryer (July 23, 2009 11:34 am ET)

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Meredith,
Let me explain this to you so you might understand it. Say you had to crawl through the window of your house to get in because your key would not work. Say the police were called becasue they saw someone crawling through your window. The Police arrive and tell you they had reports of a possible break in at your residence. You explain to them that your key would not work so you had to go through the window. You show them your family photos on the wall and your electric bill yet they are still skeptical. There skepticism leads to you displaying attitude. They arrest you in your own home and were only there because of you climbing through your own window in the first place. What word would you use to describe the police officers who arrested you?

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by puppienrainbows (July 23, 2009 12:07 pm ET)
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Responsible. Under no circumstances is it appropriate to disrespect an officer who is doing his or her job(walk a day in their shoes!!!!!).

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- by MickD (July 23, 2009 12:12 pm ET)
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  Yes, the authorities are always right. They NEVER let their own human prejudices color their judgment. They are neutral robots.
  
  Look, we all know that police officers have one of the most difficult jobs in the country. To say under "no" circumstances is it appropriate to disrespect an officer is hubris...a badge is not a permission slip for bad behavior.
  
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  - by blk-in-alabam (July 23, 2009 1:16 pm ET)
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    Not being disrespectful of the police.There has been a case of an applicant for a police job,denied because he scored too high on the aptitude test.The reason given was if you are too smart you would get bored with the job
    
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    - by puppienrainbows (July 23, 2009 1:25 pm ET)
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      I hope you are not trying to say hiring and recruiting is aimed at those scoring low on apptitude tests, insinuating police officers are not as smart as others.
      
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      - by blk-in-alabam (July 23, 2009 1:28 pm ET)
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        I am talking about a case that actually happened.You have a computer check it your self.
        
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      - by Scotty Johnson Sr. (July 23, 2009 4:06 pm ET)
        
        I hope you are not trying to say hiring and recruiting is aimed at those scoring low on apptitude tests, insinuating police officers are not as smart as others.
        He's right. There was a city that actually had an IQ cutoff of 125 or something like that. If you scored above that, you were not considered for the job. A guy sued over it but I think he lost.
        
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        by puppienrainbows (July 23, 2009 4:36 pm ET)
        
        Was this an isolated situation? I'd like to read that story. I'll goooooogle it tonight when I get home.
        
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        by Scotty Johnson Sr. (July 23, 2009 7:52 pm ET)
        
        I don't know how isolated it was. I believe they were told by consultants that smart people wouldn't want to be cops for long and thus there would be high turn over if smart people were hired.
        
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  - by Scotty Johnson Sr. (July 23, 2009 3:54 pm ET)
    
    To say under "no" circumstances is it appropriate to disrespect an officer is hubris
    Exactly. If a cop is in my house harassing me, then I'm not going to friendly to the chap and reasonable people shouldn't expect me to be.
    
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    - by puppienrainbows (July 23, 2009 4:29 pm ET)
      1 2
      
      I'm not suggesting you start a bromance with the officer, just co-operate. If you choose to be combative, rude or surly, then the officers have the right to excercise options that make the experience less appealing. They have a job to do. Just because they are required to respond to a complaint does not give anyone the right to abuse them, verbally or otherwise. They are not whipping boys.
      
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      - by open_mind (July 23, 2009 5:34 pm ET)
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        I agree that it is a wiser course to be polite with the police, but there is no law against being rude to a police officer. There was no basis for the arrest as it seems the DA agrees here.
        
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        by Scotty Johnson Sr. (July 23, 2009 7:53 pm ET)
        
        I agree that it is a wiser course to be polite with the police, but there is no law against being rude to a police officer
        Exactly correct.
        
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- by seeryer (July 23, 2009 12:17 pm ET)
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  If an officer disrepects me in my own home he or she can expect the behavior to be reciprocated. Officers can be as big of a-holes as any one else.
  
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- by blk-in-alabam (July 23, 2009 2:12 pm ET)
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  Sounds like some of Jefferson Davis Sessions comments."You don't talk to white folks like that". Since you suggest walking a day in the police shoes.I suggest you walk a day in the shoes of a law abiding black person.
  
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  - by puppienrainbows (July 23, 2009 2:37 pm ET)
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    Don't put words in my mouth. I said nothing of the kind! As for walking a day in the shoes of a law abiding black man, I'll have to rely on your account. I'm not trying to diminish the scars of racism, just trying to understand why it occurs. To understand something better is the only way to 'fix' it. I believe racism is based on primitive fear, fear of someone different than ourselves. Historically it is a defense mechanism but in a modern society, it has no purpose. I believe it is slowly disappearing, but not fast enough.
    
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    - by blk-in-alabam (July 23, 2009 2:53 pm ET)
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      I won't tell any body but I believe you may an undercover liberal.
      
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      - by Scotty Johnson Sr. (July 23, 2009 3:56 pm ET)
        
        I won't tell any body but I believe you may an undercover liberal.
        He's not. He's a fervent global warming denier. Global warming isn't a liberal/conservative issue. It's a science/anti-science issue. However, those that align themselves with the anti-science crowd are often at odds with liberalism which respects logic and rationality above all else.
        
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        by puppienrainbows (July 23, 2009 4:33 pm ET)
        
        I've never denied global warming, Harley, just the anthropogenic aspect. There's a big difference.
        
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        by Scotty Johnson Sr. (July 23, 2009 7:54 pm ET)
        
        I've never denied global warming, Harley, just the anthropogenic aspect. There's a big difference.
        Not really.
        
        By the way, I'm not Harley. Are you anotheramerican?
        
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    - by open_mind (July 23, 2009 3:19 pm ET)
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      It sounds an awful lot like the evolutionary explanation us pointy-headed types believe in.
      
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      - by puppienrainbows (July 23, 2009 5:01 pm ET)
        1 1
        
        The primitive 'fight or flight' instinct is still imbedded in our response mechanisms. It could save your life if confronted by a natural enemy but nowadays it can get us in trouble in our everyday life.
        
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        by open_mind (July 23, 2009 5:25 pm ET)
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        I agree. I think racism is ingrained on a level that originally was much more tribally oriented. People that looked different at one point in our history were often competition or a threat from another tribe or group. The instinct to be xenophobic is probably natural and evolutionary in the context of our evolutionary past. At one time, those instincts may have led to our forebearers preservation and continuation of the genetic line, but today it does not really fit with our more cerebral and enlightened sense of community or nation.
        
        This is why I have some problems with Oprah when she tells women to "follow your gut instincts" as I believe that is the root of much of our primordial prejudice that is no longer considered rational.
        
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        by Scotty Johnson Sr. (July 23, 2009 7:55 pm ET)
        
        I'm not so sure we're hard-wired to be racists. I haven't had to do much outward tolerance teaching to my kids and they are naturally accepting of all races. I think racism has to be taught by words, example or both.
        
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        by franky (July 23, 2009 9:41 pm ET)
        
        It could vary and you may differ in this regard SJ but this study indicates it is biologically based:
        
        http://www.psych.nyu.edu/phelpslab/abstracts/phelps_oconnor.pdf
        
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- by historygeek001 (July 23, 2009 2:27 pm ET)
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  Puppy:
  
  Crap. He lived in the house, he showed identification, proved it is where he lived, and they arrested him anyway. THEY were wrong without question. And I absolutely do not believe that you would simply accept being arrested in your own home and call it responsible on the part of the police. Your dishonesty is showing.
  
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  - by puppienrainbows (July 23, 2009 2:47 pm ET)
    3
    
    You conveniently left out a great deal of the situation. Regardless of why a police officer detains you or asks you questions during a routine investigation, you must co-operate. That's why there are laws on the books for not co-operating. Beligerent behaviour can turn deadly, for the detainee and/or the officer. Ask any police officer and they will tell you that responding to a domestic disturbance is one of the riskiest endeavors. It's because the emotions can run high. I believe, IMO, that emotions ran high in this case and the officer followed his training. I'm glad the charges were dropped and I think Professor Gates should thank his neighbor for watching his property and thank the police for responding to a legitimate complaint. Professor Gates let this one get out of hand.
    
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    - by blk-in-alabam (July 23, 2009 3:06 pm ET)
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      Do you believe the police would have treated you like that.If not,why? How would have handled the situation. The police in this case used a technique commonly used to arrest a black person in there own home not voilating any laws. "Step out side so we can talk better" Then bam handcufs on. Disorderly conduct is a charge that generally means you are being disorderly in public.The professor was tricked outside of his house so he could be arested.
      
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      - by Scotty Johnson Sr. (July 23, 2009 4:02 pm ET)
        
        Disorderly conduct is a charge that generally means you are being disorderly in public.The professor was tricked outside of his house so he could be arested.
        That is the most disgusting part of this whole incident. Cops use these kind of tactics all the time, whether it's racially motivated or not. If they don't like you, they can always find ways to arrest you and nail you for things like disorderly conduct or resisting arrest. Meanwhile, it's your word against the officers. If you are a Harvard professor, you might get the better end of the stick in that situation. However, how many people are? Juries are inclined to believe police.
        
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      - by puppienrainbows (July 23, 2009 4:56 pm ET)
        1
        
        I can only speculate how I would behave. Generally speaking, I co-operate without getting 'mouthy'. 99% of the time, police officers are responding to legitimate concerns and must be allowed to do their job. Usually, when they are doing their job, someone is not going to be too happy. It's just a fact that often will cause an officer to appear to be aggressive when he/she is merely trying to be objective. Nobody wants to be confronted by the police, but when it happens, the best course,IMO, is to co-operate now, complain later.
        
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        by Scotty Johnson Sr. (July 23, 2009 7:59 pm ET)
        
        Have you ever watched Cops? These cops encounter belligerent drunks and hostile folks all the time. I don't think I've ever seen them arrest someone for disorderly conduct even though in some cases it might actually be warranted (unlike this case). They usually work to diffuse the anger rather than inflaming it. The main reason I think is that they are on camera. They don't want to come off as capricious. If only the cop in the Gates case knew that there would be cameras and public attention, I bet he'd handle the situation differently.
        
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    - by Scotty Johnson Sr. (July 23, 2009 3:59 pm ET)
      1
      
      Ask any police officer and they will tell you that responding to a domestic disturbance is one of the riskiest endeavors.
      It wasn't a domestic disturbance.
      I think Professor Gates should thank his neighbor for watching his property
      He already has. However, why didn't his neighbor recognize him?
      thank the police for responding to a legitimate complaint.
      That's going too far. If I was being harassed by cops, I don't thank them for squat. They are doing a poor job in that situation. It would be liking tipping a waitress who takes your order but gives you attitude while doing it.
      
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      - by puppienrainbows (July 23, 2009 4:47 pm ET)
        1
        
        I understand that. The officer was responding to a reported B&E. While statistics show most burglars are not armed, they generally tend to be young and typically drug or alcohol abusers making for a tenuous situation. The adrenaline is surging and the professor only exasperbated the issue by not co-operating and simply holding his tongue. The time to vent his anger is after the officer left. File a complaint. Too many people get injured when they can't control their emotions while police officers are performing their duty.
        
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        by blk-in-alabam (July 23, 2009 5:12 pm ET)
        1
        
        You want to go by the book? Let's go buy the book.The police had no reason to arrest the professor.THE BOOK says to charge someone with disorderly conduct,they must be disorderly in public.So the professor was tricked outside so he could be disorderly in public.The charges were dropped extremely quick.THE BOOK says in case like this please sue us for as much as you want,and you will be paid.And I hope he dose.THE BOOK says they must pay.
        
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        by open_mind (July 23, 2009 5:30 pm ET)
        2
        
        That is a good point. It was the officer who suggested they go outside (in public). I am pretty sure that is a good case of entrapment if I ever saw it.
        
        Nowhere in the police report does it claim that Gates was physically threatening to the police officer. There was simply no reason to arrest Gates from what I read in the report.
        
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    - by mjh (July 23, 2009 8:23 pm ET)
      
      "I believe, IMO, that emotions ran high in this case and the officer followed his training. I'm glad the charges were dropped and I think Professor Gates should thank his neighbor for watching his property and thank the police for responding to a legitimate complaint. Professor Gates let this one get out of hand." - puppienrainbows
      
      Late one Saturday night I made some deliveries in a white neighborhood. I was pedaling my bicycle back to the store as fast as I could, when a police car, swerving toward me, jammed me into the curbing.
      
      "Get down and put up your hands!" the policemen ordered.
      
      I did. They climbed out of the car, guns drawn, faces set, and advanced slowly.
      
      "Keep still!" they ordered.
      
      I reached my hands higher. They searched my pockets and packages. They seemed dissatisfied when they could find nothing incriminating. Finally, one of them said:
      
      "Boy, tell your boss not to send you out in white neighborhoods after sundown."
      
      As usual, I said: "Yes, sir."
      
      - from The Ethics of Living Jim Crow, an Autobiographical Sketch by Richard Wright
      
      So -- what have we learned from this incident?
      
      1) When an AA gets racially profiled, it's the AA's fault, and
      2) They should be THANKFUL about it
      
      Reply Report Abuse
- by open_mind (July 23, 2009 3:13 pm ET)
  2
  
  I think it is important to always be respectful to people. However, it is important to believe that the police work for us. They cannot just arrest people who treat them rudely either. Police, like everyone else need to learn when to pick their battles.
  
  It should have been pretty clear that Gates did not appreciate being mistaken for a burglar in his own home. The policeman admitted that he confirmed Gates lived there. It should have ended there, but the policeman was apparently too embarrassed to back down when he should have outside the home. A wise cop would have just left. Arresting Gates was the dumbest thing he could have done even if he somehow felt justified in doing it.
  
  Reply Report Abuse

by latanza (July 23, 2009 11:52 am ET)

1 1

O'Bama handled all of the lies and the mis interpretation with clarity. The truth always prevails! Don't they know that? The President is not a wuss either. The man bends, he doesn't break. He is a worth opponent.
Let's GO!

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by Easy to refute wingnuts (July 23, 2009 11:53 am ET)
2

There was no one at the press conference named O'Bama.

Reply Report Abuse
- by RABBITLUVR (July 23, 2009 12:15 pm ET)
  2
  
  Yeah, I don't know why people are doing that thing with his name... thought it was something done only by winkers but I see a few libs are even doing it. Why?
  
  Reply Report Abuse
  - by puppienrainbows (July 23, 2009 12:44 pm ET)
    2
    
    They think he's Irish.
    
    Reply Report Abuse
    - by RABBITLUVR (July 23, 2009 12:47 pm ET)
      1
      
      Whether he has Irish ancestry or not is not the issue. His name is Obama. OBAMA. O-B-A-M-A. No apostrophes.
      
      People - cons and libs - need to knock it off.
      
      Reply Report Abuse
      - by puppienrainbows (July 23, 2009 1:27 pm ET)
        2
        
        McBama? No.
        
        Reply Report Abuse
        
        by franky (July 23, 2009 10:08 pm ET)
        
        I know Obama is non-Gealic name. But just for the record, there were very few Irish-Catholic slave owners here (for Blacks to derive their surnames from). The O' ('grandson of') is Gaelic but that does not necessarily mean 'Irish' which to most people in this country seems to equate with Irish-Catholic. Most of the early population of this country was predominately English-Protestant with some mixed with a small portion of Scottish or Scots-Irish (Protestant planters from Britain into Ireland) and some of them did have Gaelic names, hence the 'Irish' sounding names family names a small percentage of American Blacks.
        
        Reply Report Abuse
        
        by franky (July 23, 2009 10:12 pm ET)
        
        Last line should NOT read: "...,hence the 'Irish' sounding names family names a small percentage of American Blacks."
        
        Should read: "...hence the 'Irish' sounding family names a small percentage of American Blacks have."
        
        Reply Report Abuse
    - by mjh (July 23, 2009 7:46 pm ET)
      
      Well, that's a new one . . . all before, it was, "he's Kenyan -- he's Indonesian -- he's British -- and even, he's Canadian" . . .
      
      Reply Report Abuse
- by blk-in-alabam (July 23, 2009 2:19 pm ET)
  1
  
  There are people in Alabama who voted for O Bama for president.Roll tide football and stuff.They thought they were voting for Ole Bama,no joke.
  
  Reply Report Abuse
  - by puppienrainbows (July 23, 2009 2:51 pm ET)
    
    That's amazing. Joe Namath may have been one of them!
    
    Reply Report Abuse
  - by seeryer (July 23, 2009 4:19 pm ET)
    
    What part of the state are you in? I went to UA for two years but transferred. I liked the school, just hated the football coach.
    
    Reply Report Abuse
    - by blk-in-alabam (July 23, 2009 6:44 pm ET)
      
      Learn how to laugh.
      
      Reply Report Abuse

by mjh (July 23, 2009 12:01 pm ET)

4

Vieira asks "did" Obama "go too far and rewrite the headlines" in response to Gates question at press conference

TRANSLATION: How DARE the president take away from us, the all-powerful corporate mainstream media, the ability to set agendas and dictate opinion!

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by bip84124092 (July 23, 2009 12:07 pm ET)

Poor Mike, he's fallen the way of Ed Henry. These so called "journalist" just can't help themselves. They actually think people want to know what they think. Maybe the question should be "did Mike Vieria go too far"?

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by RABBITLUVR (July 23, 2009 12:12 pm ET)

3

OT, but Limpjaw is whining about the Gates question already. Not even five minutes into the show and he's crying about it. What a pathetic loser.

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by open_mind (July 23, 2009 3:18 pm ET)
1

It combines everything Rush is about. It has a supposedly snooty-elitist-intellectual-black Harvard professor claiming racism. Let me guess...Rush says Gates is the "real" racist.

Reply Report Abuse

Vieira asks "did" Obama "go too far and rewrite the headlines" in response to Gates question at press conference

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Vieira asks "did" Obama "go too far and rewrite the headlines" in response to Gates question at press conference

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