Sure it was a screw up. He did what every first time president has a tendancy to do at the beginning before they realize the consequences of words - shoot off at the mouth. He apologized, the beer summit was a success and no one complained except his critics but when it comes to them, there was nothing he could do right anyway.
So how has Trump handled similar situations? Not very well has he?
The only thing he screwed up was by telling the truth. What he actually felt and believed. It was a glimpse behind the political persona of an unpolished politician...you know, ones that actually state what they believe.
His internal biases escaped before the political filter could be applied. If those thoughts and beliefs didn't exist, then could not have escaped.
Here is a description of the situation and what Obama said - explain how it makes him racist:
Obama Backtracks Calling Police Action Stupid: Was It Moderation or Is Obama Becoming the First Wimp? | The Huffington Post
I liked the way Obama laid it out carefully, saying the initial stages seemed fine to him, when someone saw Gates in the dark from a distance trying to jimmy open the door of his Cambridge home. He said he didn’t mind at all that the police were called to investigate and found Gates, who was already inside his home.
But at that point he said it should have ended, as the professor showed the officer his ID, indicating he actually lived there, and Obama earned a big hurray from me when he said that the police department acted “stupidly” when they arrested Gates.
He was right. The policeman, Sgt. James Crowley, was wrong. Yet, though Gates was released without being charged after four hours of what must have been a humiliating experience for a distinguished professor — or any decent American — mug shots, fingerprinting and the like — Sgt. Crowley said he had done nothing for which to apologize, though the mayor of Cambridge did just that.
Another take on the situation, from another black man...4 star general, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Secretary of State and a man I would have voted for for President.
I have a lot of respect for Colin Powell as well, but notice - he doesn't totally disagree with Obama either. From your link:
Gen. Colin Powell talks about the Henry Louis Gates arrest with Larry King. He said the story "went viral" when President Obama commented on the story. Also, Powell thinks that America "isn't quite post-racial" at this time. "These problems still exist in post-racial America." However, he suggested that Gates should not have argued with the policeman arresting him. "You don't argue with a police officer," he says.
Powell also called the arresting cop, Sergeant James Crowley, "an outstanding police officer."
Also, at 5:10, Powell admits he's been profiled "many times" as a national security advisor.
Powell is right, Gates shouldn't have argued, and that most likely worsened the situation. The police shouldn't have arrested him. And Obama should have have been more circumspect ahead of the facts. Can we agree on that?
If so - then Obama did the right thing, calling for a beer summit. Wasn't that a brilliant and friendly way to deal with it?
How was any of the above evidence of Obama being racist? Or maybe people are just desperate to portray Obama as a racist because having black president brings race into the forefront rather than the backdrop and means anything Obama says can be given a racial spin (and likewise, any criticism, can also be given a racial spin).
But that was on the subject of racism in America. It exists, is wrong and will exist as long as men of different color walk the earth.
The evidence is that Obama immediately jumped to the racist victim conclusion due to him being of the same race as the alleged victim - just as he did in the Trayvon Martin case. Note that he even admitted in my first video that he did not have all the facts before is unpolitical remark. The police were automatically guilty (acted stupidly). Everything he did after that was political covering of his own ass.
How many beer summits did he hold with the families of terrorist victims or black on white crime? How many white funeral services did he or his official designees attend for victims that weren't black?
Barry played the race card to the hilt. Every time a black was killed by a white cop his people were all over it IF it became national news. A non-racist color blind president would not have the record he has. ALL are equal - we all bleed red. Such was not the case with Obama. Political expediency and racism were the drivers in his administration.
If my conclusions are incorrect, then there must be cases of support of white victims. I haven't seen them...I wish I had.
