Video: Police union demands an apology from Obama, Patrick
posted at 1:36 pm on July 24, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Does the union for the Cambridge police department read Hot Air? That was the first reaction from College Politico, who thought that their response to Barack Obama’s nationally-televised criticism of them as stupid amply demonstrated the ignorance of the issue that Obama professed. The union demanded an apology from both President Obama and Governor Deval Patrick for jumping to a very public conclusion, and they argue, the wrong one:
I’ve remarked at least twice on the blog that if you have to start off a sentence with “I wasn’t there and I don’t have all the facts,” the only correct conclusion to it is “so I have nothing to say about it at the moment.” Did they read that here? Actually, I rather doubt it. It’s pretty much a common-sense rule, which makes Obama’s failure to understand it quite indicting.
Update: That point applies equally to all sides, actually. I don’t know that Sergeant Crowley handled this properly; I don’t know whether Henry Gates was so disruptive that he had to be arrested; and even if Crowley didn’t handle this properly (which I also don’t know), I have even less knowledge of whether that came from some racial animus or just bad judgment in reaction to verbal abuse. In that situation, it’s better to let the city complete its own investigation to determine what happened — which is exactly what Barack Obama and Deval Patrick should have done before leaping to conclusions on all of these counts.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages: « Previous 1 … 8 9 10
ronnie, your argumentum verbosium isn’t convincing anyone. You certainly have proven one thing though: Having spent your entire Friday evening posting here, you’ve demonstrated that you don’t have a life.
No wonder your ex left you.
LMAO
fossten on July 24, 2009 at 8:55 PM
Running out of relevant material?
ajsleepy on July 24, 2009 at 9:01 PM
You interpreted his remarks as you saw them? Is that what it’s called now?
No, you blatantly stated a percentage and applied to a term he never used. I was being kind by saying you inaccurately paraphrased him. You never cited him and then purposely misused the context to fit your ideals.
ajsleepy on July 24, 2009 at 9:07 PM
Very well done. One of your best. But one question: Do you think Barry ever did have any moral strings? Sometimes I wonder.
Loxodonta on July 24, 2009 at 9:09 PM
I don’t have a choice but to believe Barry Sotero AKA B. Hussein Obama. After all, who knows stupid as well as he does?
pitter43 on July 24, 2009 at 9:09 PM
Apparently they do and even if they become President the need seems to continue and perhaps grow even stronger, although the data sample is limited in this regard. As with their cousin maniac, the fire pyromaniac, the race pyromaniac has an exact pathology that is hard to determine. Most such maniacs lack conscious motivation although they are fully aware of the acts they are encouraging or that they themselves are committing. Typically they will feel intense pleasure, gratification, or relief when causing destruction or when witnessing or participating in the aftermath. Some research suggests that feeling such joy at such situations is pathological. However other research suggests that some motivation for this comes from rational thought. Taking joy in destructive acts for envisioned gains in political power and/or the concealment of the imposition of devious plans are examples of presumed rational decision making. For Professor Gates a reasonable working hypothesis would be 50% pathological and 50% rational. For President Obama a reasonable working hypothesis would be 25% pathological and 75% rational. Further study is needed but in the mean time I would strongly recommend that both Professor Gates and especially President Obama be kept under strict psychiatric supervision preferable in a well staffed and secure facility.
Sigmund on July 24, 2009 at 9:14 PM
Ok. I take it back. You won’t be hearing from my attorney for accusing me of missing geometry and algebra on the internet.
LibTired on July 24, 2009 at 9:20 PM
President Obama excels at mathematics although not the kind that most people use. Just as President Obama has little use for the old U.S. Constitution and it’s tradition of liberty he also has little use for the old traditional branches of mathematics. He has his own variant of mathematics in fact. He is well schooled in bigotry and allegations, of course, to begin with, and then his own variant of the different branches of arithmetic: ambition, distraction, falsification and derision.
Cheshire Cat on July 24, 2009 at 9:36 PM
Obama shot from the hip on this one and looks to be wrong. I wonder what other conclusions he’s come to recently that are just as wrong?
Just thinking.
unclesmrgol on July 24, 2009 at 9:47 PM
1,000 comments or bust! I helped!
Dukeboy01 on July 24, 2009 at 9:48 PM
Those wanting to send a shout out to Hawkdriver in Afghanastan, go to the YON thread….Cindy set up a deal and will send the comments to him……
HornetSting on July 24, 2009 at 9:52 PM
I believe President Obama, Governor Patrick, and Gates all owe an apology to the Police Officer and Police Department in this case. However, I wish the Police Union had not demanded an apology. Instead, I wish they had simply put forward the facts in this case, and let facts speak for themselves, which I believe demonstrates that such apologies are indeed owed.
My observations, if worth anything:
Troll: equality. Many examples in many threads.
Possible Troll: rokemronnie & cr66. They are certainly trolling these Cambridge Police threads, but I have not yet gotten enough data about other issues and threads.
Not a Troll: ernesto. Almost always on topic, except when he’s socializing as many of us do. He does engage in rational debate. The differences many of us have with ernesto are similar to those that happen between conservatives and libertarians. Of course, he may be too clever and subtle for me. Sorry, ernesto.
Also, I must disclose that I have been called a Troll, so…
Loxodonta on July 24, 2009 at 10:04 PM
After reading all of this Troll’s comments, All I can say is I didn’t know AprilOrit had a brother. Oy vey!
kingsjester on July 24, 2009 at 10:06 PM
Hawk, just come home the way you left, strong&proud. Thank you sir!
Oh yeah…give’em HELL.
M-14 2go on July 24, 2009 at 10:11 PM
Ernie at the very least is troll lite
CWforFreedom on July 24, 2009 at 10:12 PM
Agreed. Ernesto’s no troll.
jazz_piano on July 24, 2009 at 10:12 PM
FYI, here’s Wikipedia’s definition of a troll.
Engaging in honest debate doesn’t make a person a troll.
jazz_piano on July 24, 2009 at 10:15 PM
Maybe you missed it but Ernie admitted to not being honest.
CWforFreedom on July 24, 2009 at 10:17 PM
I did miss it. Apologies.
jazz_piano on July 24, 2009 at 10:24 PM
Ronnie, you still here, I was waiting almost two days for you to answer on the other thread concerning this subject. Here you didn’t answer about the possibility of others being in the house at the time of the call. How professional is that where you can’t even answer simple questions? Whereas you paint all police the same way makes you out to be a mere simplton with very thin skin.
garydt on July 24, 2009 at 10:25 PM
The Policeman’s union should request that the President, the Professor, and the Govenor go to racial sensitivity counseling.
paulsur on July 24, 2009 at 10:40 PM
You are implying that Obama has made other conclusions, previous to the ‘acted stupidly’ comment, that were right.
Is voting ‘present’ right?
Does a person who, when he opens his mouth, spews mostly lies and more lies on top of all the other lies, can ever be right?
The US president and his buddy should apologize, indeed, to the police officer who just did his job, and to the police department as well.
mz.josephine on July 24, 2009 at 10:50 PM
paulsur on July 24, 2009 at 10:40 PM
Yes.
bridgetown on July 24, 2009 at 11:02 PM
In this scenario one person stands out convicted of racial profiling- President Obama.
tullius on July 24, 2009 at 11:11 PM
I’ve read every post in this thread up to this post, then went back and searched for the term “ernesto” and reread every post by him, and still have not found anything like what you state. But I’m quite willing to be proven wrong, as I’m old ado miss things. So, would you mind posting this quote from ernesto for me please? I really don’t want to have to defend him, as I disagree with him so frequently, but seeing is believing.
Loxodonta on July 24, 2009 at 11:19 PM
Yes.
Loxodonta on July 24, 2009 at 11:19 PM
What is that thing on Gates’ face in the picture?
OmahaConservative on July 24, 2009 at 11:35 PM
It was not on this thread. It was in the last 1-2 weeks and he admitted that he was not honest and that he posted things he did not believe. If you search back enough you will find others asking Ernie to at least tell us when he is lying about his beliefs and when he is telling the truth. Ask around.
CWforFreedom on July 24, 2009 at 11:47 PM
Still getting exhaustive coverage in Boston — the icing on the cake tonight was a statement from a very pretty African American police officer who stated she supported President Obama, voted for President Obama, and will not vote for him again.
D2Boston on July 24, 2009 at 11:57 PM
Nah, he said exactly what he meant the first time.
Wonder if one-party (D)-Mass. is enjoying its diversity — full-throttle Zimbabwe style. The police in Cambridge ought to quit and accept offers from a red state, where they’d be appreciated.
Feedie on July 25, 2009 at 12:02 AM
Awesome! Maybe there’s hope after all.
Feedie on July 25, 2009 at 12:05 AM
D2Boston:
Is there a link to that footage? I would really like to see that.
Dukeboy01 on July 25, 2009 at 12:07 AM
I think this prof is coming out with a rap album and he needed a perp walk on video.
Mojave Mark on July 25, 2009 at 12:48 AM
It would be far less work to list the ones that are correct. Take all of about 30 seconds.
Regarding the thread topic – who was the other guy in the 911 call, and where was he hiding during the uproar?
Is it possible that in sodomite-friendly Massachusetts, the “professor” was engaging in a little cruising and he was still “in the closet?”
I support the cop but I do find it interesting that Crowley says he asked who else was in the house but he never reported finding out.
There’s a cover-up going on that has nothing to do with race. Rent the movie Swordfish and then the purpose of this kerfluffle becomes very obvious.
The only question is what is being covered up.
platypus on July 25, 2009 at 12:54 AM
Did anyone watch Hannity on FOX tonight? He had his All American Panel discussing CrowleyGates, and there was a black man on the panel, someone who was affiliated with the Donks, and a reverend (no, not Sharpton or Jackson). Anyway, he really put his foot into it. Naturally, he defended Gates’ behavior, and shouted, “He had a white person in his house!” I couldn’t believe my ears. Everyone in the panel looked stunned for a moment, then went on. I am trying to find out this guy’s name, but FOX doesn’t list who Hannity had on tonight – will probably have to find out tomorrow.
I wonder if anyone else picked that up. It was very revealing.
atheling on July 25, 2009 at 12:59 AM
Send it to Rush, John Gibson, and Jerry Doyle. One of them will use it.
platypus on July 25, 2009 at 1:05 AM
JACQUES DEGRAFF
artchick on July 25, 2009 at 1:11 AM
I’d like to know why the charges were dropped. Did Patrick have anything to do with that?
artchick on July 25, 2009 at 1:17 AM
After 925 comments, I wonder if this has been touched on already…
Pres. Obama was a professor of constitutional law, yes?
I would think that for him to be at that level of teaching he would have had taken a class or two on the the fundamentals of law, law enforcement, on how one gathers and evaluates evidence to come to an informed, intelligent conclusion.
It seems so logical. He taught constitutional law.
Then Pres. Obama goes ahead to make such immature, uniformed, unwise comments at the end of his press conference, not knowing the facts, making hasty judgments, and alienating a raft of people.
It’s not something one would expect from an articulate, thoughtful, unifying leader.
Pazman on July 25, 2009 at 1:20 AM
Which certainly explains why we aren’t getting it from Duh Won.
platypus on July 25, 2009 at 1:26 AM
Not necessarily. And even if he did take such a class, he could have skated his way through them and received the highest possible scores, not based on any actually learning or work he did, but because of his charm. It happens.
That was just the title of his classes. With all things Obama, the label on the shiny container is rarely related to the hidden content.
Agreed. But this is something to expect from this man who is not what he and his fans claim he is. Slowly, as it is quite painful to admit one has been misled and betrayed, Americans are slowly learning this.
Loxodonta on July 25, 2009 at 1:49 AM
May we focus on the President’s desire to “recreate America” and not his background or lack of public religious affiliation?
I strongly believe that his misguided policies will be enough for us to rely on in all respects.
bbh on July 25, 2009 at 1:49 AM
Brain Deaths per 100k lefty trolls: 99653. The other 347 have no brains.
bayview on July 25, 2009 at 2:01 AM
I don’t care who you are, dat dere’s gol durn FUNNY!
platypus on July 25, 2009 at 2:23 AM
That’s it! artchick, thank you so much!
atheling on July 25, 2009 at 2:46 AM
You expect an egotistical,narcisstic racist to acknowlege a mistake?Shame on you.
DDT on July 25, 2009 at 2:55 AM
The prosecutor, probably with an overburdened caseload, didn’t want to pursue such a small potatoes, yet racially explosive, case.
Gates probably should have just received a citation, if that’s in their books.
atheling on July 25, 2009 at 2:55 AM
Your welcome. :-)
artchick on July 25, 2009 at 2:56 AM
I don’t believe he has ever practiced law, and I do believe that his license to practice is expired or revoked.
I bet his grades were mediocre, and he just got by on snake oil and charm, in the spirit of affirmative action.
atheling on July 25, 2009 at 2:58 AM
I just hate that the left throws that out there, that the case was dropped, like its proof the cop was wrong. I wish they didn’t drop it.
artchick on July 25, 2009 at 3:02 AM
Exactly. It’s very common for cases like these to be dropped, especially if the defendant has no previous record, and is an upstanding member of the community.
The court systems are overburdened, and prosecutors have to make priorities.
atheling on July 25, 2009 at 3:28 AM
In my area, disorderly conduct charges seem mostly made to quickly terminate a public incident by removing the disruptive person and allowing tempers to cool down. And then, once that has been done, the charges are dropped because the cost of completing the paperwork and going to trial are simply not worth it the trouble. Unless, of course, the person causing the disturbance demonstrates a pattern of such activity, or there are other charges worth pursuing, in which case the charges are pursued. I believe this is how it is handled in Cambridge, Massachusetts as well.
So, while possible, I don’t think Gates’ status or political pressure had anything to do with dropping the charges. Nor does dropping the charges mean that the charges were not properly made in the first place. It’s one of those “fuzzy” areas where I tend to side with the police, as in this case, while libertarians might side with the perp. It is a judgment call.
You can read about this matter here:
Gates’ Disorderly Conduct: The Police’s Judgment Call
The article from Time appears to be more sympathetic to Gates and less sympathetic to police officers. But I believe the description about filing and dropping disorderly conduct charges is basically accurate, unless there is someone in law enforcement who can post a correction.
Loxodonta on July 25, 2009 at 3:55 AM
Barack should just say those 2 words: I’m sorry
by Michael Goodwin, NY Daily News, July 25, 2009
It will also be a “teachable moment” if the MSM and the American voting public let Obama get away with this. It will teach the same lesson Barry seems to have learned throughout his life: I can get away with anything.
Loxodonta on July 25, 2009 at 4:56 AM
Bumpty Odumpty spoke as a racist in a unguarded call
Bumpty Oumpty had a great fall
All the tyrants Axelrods and all the tyrants Rahm con men
Can’t put Odumpty’s mask back on again
Cheshire Cat on July 25, 2009 at 4:56 AM
He Lox!
Cheshire Cat on July 25, 2009 at 4:57 AM
llo Chesh!
Loxodonta on July 25, 2009 at 4:58 AM
Tally ho!
Cheshire Cat on July 25, 2009 at 5:00 AM
I usually count three at Christmas.
Loxodonta on July 25, 2009 at 5:05 AM
Hickory Dickory dock,
Obama ran up the clock,
The clock struck one
Obama ran down,
Hickory Dickory dock.
Hickory Dickory dock,
Obama ran up the clock,
The clock struck two
And down Obama flew,
Hickory Dickory dock.
Hickory Dickory dock,
Obama ran up the clock,
The clock struck three
And Obama did flee,
Hickory Dickory dock.
Cheshire Cat on July 25, 2009 at 5:11 AM
Hickory Dickory dock,
Obama ran up the clock,
The clock struck four,
Obama hit the floor,
Hickory Dickory dock.
Hickory Dickory dock,
Obama ran up the clock,
The clock struck five,
Obama took a dive,
Hickory Dickory dock.
Hickory Dickory dock,
Obama ran up the clock,
The clock struck six,
That Obama, he split,
Hickory Dickory dock.
Cheshire Cat on July 25, 2009 at 5:14 AM
Hurry up and get to 2010. We’re dying here.
Loxodonta on July 25, 2009 at 5:18 AM
It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant
Though all of them were blind,
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind
The First approached the Elephant,
And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side,
At once began to bawl:
“God bless me! but the Elephant
Is very like a wall!”
The Second, feeling of the tusk,
Cried, “Ho! what have we here
So very round and smooth and sharp?
To me ’tis mighty clear
This wonder of an Elephant
Is very like a spear!”
The Third approached the animal,
And happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands,
Thus boldly up and spake:
“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant
Is very like a snake!”
The Fourth reached out an eager hand,
And felt about the knee.
“What most this wondrous beast is like
Is mighty plain,” quoth he;
“ ‘Tis clear enough the Elephant
Is very like a tree!”
The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,
Said: “E’en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most;
Deny the fact who can
This marvel of an Elephant
Is very like a fan!”
The Sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope,
Than, seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope,
“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant
Is very like a rope!”
And so these men of Indostan
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right,
And all were in the wrong!
Cheshire Cat on July 25, 2009 at 5:31 AM
What makes the elephant charge his tusk in the misty mist, or the dusky dusk?
What makes the Hottentot so hot?
What puts the “ape” in apricot?
What have they got the GOP ain’t got?
Loxodonta on July 25, 2009 at 5:36 AM
So oft in political wars
The disputants, I ween
Rail on in utter ignorance
Of what each other mean
And speculate about a future
Not one of them has seen!
Cheshire Cat on July 25, 2009 at 5:40 AM
I saw it. Typical racist behavior
OmahaConservative on July 25, 2009 at 5:53 AM
“*Police union demands an apology”
They should simply release the 911 tapes of this incident, Sergeant Crowley would have reported in during the confrontation … after the world hears Gates screaming and yelling insults in the background let justice take its course.
.
philly_PA on July 25, 2009 at 7:16 AM
rokemronnie on July 24, 2009 at 8:46 PM
I don’t know where you list came from, nor do I care, I’ll take it as accurate.
So let us analyze the list – Out of the ten that are listed, it would seem that the top eight’s deaths were most likely caused by what I would refer to an a gap in operator head space and timing. In other words their mishaps were most likely caused by their own actions, not by the actions of others.
The same most likely can not be said about the bottom two.
SPIFF1669 on July 25, 2009 at 8:25 AM
Advice from Chris Rock:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj0mtxXEGE8
patch on July 25, 2009 at 12:06 PM
Sorry, it takes a certain amount of humility, introspection, understanding, human connectedness and concern to apologize. NONE of which our lame, no account, artificial, lying, activist, racist, elitist, poster boy for affirmative action, bigot, lazy, conniving, cheating, agitator, misleading so called president has. Show us your grades. Show us your birth certificate. Show us your love for America. Get out of here, you pandered your way into the white house with lies and false promises. NONE of which you have kept. Whoops, forgot, you cut defense, arms and US Forces spending and the F22′s. Oh, also, forgot, you cancelled the ban on funds to all countries paying for abortion. Vote him out……. starting in 2010.
highninside on July 25, 2009 at 12:23 PM
Would also love to see that. I’ve searched the Boston TV outlets and cannot find it.
Loxodonta on July 25, 2009 at 1:56 PM
Obama is not capible of apologizng for himself, only America.
bluegrass on July 26, 2009 at 11:21 AM
Comment pages: « Previous 1 … 8 9 10