Thad McCotter to introduce House resolution demanding Obama apologize to Crowley
posted at 5:31 pm on July 27, 2009 by Allahpundit
A dumb idea any way you slice it. It won’t pass; if it did pass, it’d set a precedent of Congress trying to wrist-slap the president every time he acts like a jerk to score political points; and in fine Republican tradition, it unnecessarily makes a partisan issue out of what was a useful unenforced error by the other side. You don’t need a House resolution to glean the point made by Harry Stein:
With each such ["teachable moment"], however, fewer and fewer of us are playing along. This time, more than ever, we’re learning other lessons. One of them: for all the talk from his starry-eyed acolytes, in the media and elsewhere, about Obama’s being “post-racial,” the president clings to the discredited and deeply damaging view of America as fundamentally racist, seeing his fellow blacks as perpetual victims justifiably suspicious of cops and other establishment authority figures. So when it comes to race, it’s facts be damned. Indeed, while Obama is so famously cautious and deliberative it took him months to decide on the family dog, his now-infamous off-the-cuff comment on the stupidity of the Cambridge police made it clear that on this issue, the former community organizer wholeheartedly embraces the black victim/racist cop trope.
I’m not so sure this is a problem of The One seeing America as “fundamentally racist” — his own election argues rather strongly to the contrary — as it is him being cynical enough to pander to his base with a paint-by-numbers narrative about racial profiling when put on the spot. For every one instance of heartfelt leftist outrage at genuine racism there are five instances of manufactured outrage at behavior that’s arguably not racist but which can be dishonestly spun that way to the left’s advantage. Barry was just playing the game.
If you missed the audio of the 911 call in Gates’s arrest that was released today, you’ll find it in the sidebar here. The caller, Lucia Whalen, never says the men breaking into the house next door were black (only that one might be Hispanic); Crowley claimed she told him that when the cops got there but she insists that she didn’t. Hmmm.
Blowback
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I love this guy on Red Eye.
sdillard on July 27, 2009 at 5:35 PM
Symbolic resolutions like this are a waste of time, no matter who pushes them. I like McCotter, but this is, frankly, petty.
MadisonConservative on July 27, 2009 at 5:36 PM
Hey was unbelievable on the Howie Carr show today. He impressed the Hell out of me. Not sure if the audio is on the website yet but It’s worth keeping an eyes out for it. He was fantastic. He’s just gone up 10 notches in my book based purely on his logical analysis of the situation and remedy.
http://www.howiecarr.com/
TheBigOldDog on July 27, 2009 at 5:36 PM
Well between this and the birthers, it looks like the GOP is determined to snatch health care defeat right out of the jaws of victory.
Rational Thought on July 27, 2009 at 5:37 PM
When Obama goes off of his teleprompter, the results are baddddd, verrry baddddd! Lose-lose situation for the messiah.
TampaBayBull on July 27, 2009 at 5:37 PM
Obama stepped in it.
Let the wound fester on it’s own.
catmman on July 27, 2009 at 5:37 PM
Good luck on getting Obama to apologize. he doesn’t really see himself as fallible, as U.S. citizens, or other citizens of the world, that aren’t like minded with dictators, and tyrants.
capejasmine on July 27, 2009 at 5:38 PM
Is there anyone in Washington, on either side, that understands the concept of overreach? Leave it alone.
Ted Torgerson on July 27, 2009 at 5:38 PM
The more this lying racist is held to his words the better.
frizzbee on July 27, 2009 at 5:38 PM
He has no more reason to get involved in this then the president did. Hush, please Rep. McCotter.
Cindy Munford on July 27, 2009 at 5:38 PM
have to agree with Big A on this one, I’d rather they focus on a little bit more important things like destroying Obamacare
cmsinaz on July 27, 2009 at 5:38 PM
Much as I appreciate the sentiment, less fits of pique on taxpayer time, please.
TheUnrepentantGeek on July 27, 2009 at 5:39 PM
Same. Easily one of the best senses of humor in Congress. And that’s saying something considering most of them are clowns.
Grayson on July 27, 2009 at 5:39 PM
W A S T E of time and taxpayer money. If scumbama won’t apologize it’s just a testament to his racism and what kind of person he is in general…which is a socialist, marxist, fascist, racist hate monger.
Let him stew in it, just add it to the list of his other many, MANY failings and advertise it in 2010 and 2012.
No need for the legislature to waste time on this.
Spiritk9 on July 27, 2009 at 5:40 PM
Because there nothing evil about games.
Stephen M on July 27, 2009 at 5:40 PM
How about an apology OR produce his orig. b/c.
JiangxiDad on July 27, 2009 at 5:40 PM
Considering Obamacare will not be put to a vote until after the recess (mid Sept) – I think there is plenty of equity in this story, that Obama thrust himself into “without knowing all the facts”.
Obamacare is being destroyed by Democrats themsleves.
Odie1941 on July 27, 2009 at 5:41 PM
That’s got a snowballs chance in hell of passing. How about a Resolution condemning Obama’s penchant for apologizing to every country on the planet?
GarandFan on July 27, 2009 at 5:41 PM
Hm, Obama’s error was in the pursuit of political leverage. Therefore, I disagree with the assessment that this is symbolic and petty.
Spirit of 1776 on July 27, 2009 at 5:41 PM
McCotter really needs to pay attention to what’s really important – like keeping an eye on Conyers……..
http://speakmymindblog.com/2009/07/27/conyers-introduces-bills-to-restore-voting-rights-to-former-prisoners-before-the-end-of-their-sentence/
sherryande on July 27, 2009 at 5:41 PM
Most of them caught a bad case of delusions of royalty. The rest, like McCotter, are prone to exposure.
He needs to show up on Red Eye more often. The dude takes wit, spanks it, and makes it get down on all fours.
MadisonConservative on July 27, 2009 at 5:41 PM
Waste of time. Just make a statement saying “The black president cited racism in America. We don’t appreciate his racist language. We are the Republican Party. Good night.”
Black Adam on July 27, 2009 at 5:42 PM
I don’t think this is petty at all.
The President of the United States said the police acted “stupidly” in an affair he obviously had 0 knowledge about and said so in an official capacity and executing the duties of his office.
Skywise on July 27, 2009 at 5:42 PM
I agree that Obama truly stepped in it, but this does not belong in Congress
cmsinaz on July 27, 2009 at 5:43 PM
Congress can express its own opinion on a matter by thanking or censuring, but calling on anybody to apologize is condescending.
Chris_Balsz on July 27, 2009 at 5:43 PM
Blacks play the race card and it’s just a game.
Whites play the race card, careers are ruined, charges are filed, and the media cucifies them in lockstep with Sharpton and Jackson.
The game is fixed if you ask me.
fogw on July 27, 2009 at 5:44 PM
Why the surprise? This is what he learned for 20 years in church.
Elbar on July 27, 2009 at 5:44 PM
I would like to add – Obama’s recent polling numbers from Rasmussen were post news conference, therefore I don’t see him ticking up if this were to go forward, in fact I believe will continue to bog him down.
Odie1941 on July 27, 2009 at 5:44 PM
He has egg on his face, this resolution is stupid, but I would still keep it “alive”.
Calling police stupid, getting involved in a “neighborhood” dispute without facts, and then twisting words to pretend like he was giving everyone a lesson has hurt him more then any resolution.
Meanwhile, a leader should stand up and pass this resolution:
“While President Obama was concerned about a friend of his being harassed by a non-existent racist…one of our border patrol agents was shot and murdered along out border.
I would like a moment of silence to pay homage to this brave soldier who was defending our border. And would ask that the president put aside his personal relationships for a moment, and concentrate on the safety of our country.”
right2bright on July 27, 2009 at 5:44 PM
This should be repeated. Well said.
Spirit of 1776 on July 27, 2009 at 5:44 PM
!!!!!!!!!!!!! SWEET !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After hearing the police tapes on Hannity,
Thad McCotter might have a point!
canopfor on July 27, 2009 at 5:45 PM
Yeah, the point has already been made. Let him stew in his own juices on this one and spend the energy luring him into an extemporaneous opinion on another issue.
a capella on July 27, 2009 at 5:46 PM
Totally harmless. August Recess started last Thursday.
Christien on July 27, 2009 at 5:47 PM
forcing apologies is so gay
gatorboy on July 27, 2009 at 5:48 PM
Obama should read MacBeth ‘all the beers of Bavaria cannot setten this little hand.’
MaiDee on July 27, 2009 at 5:49 PM
I think this is stupid. You can’t make someone apologize, even if he is the president, and even if you disagree with him.
There are better things for McCotter to do than waste his time on this.
therightscoop on July 27, 2009 at 5:50 PM
Could have sworn I sasid ‘sweeten’ not setten.
MaiDee on July 27, 2009 at 5:50 PM
I might be wrong,but is this proper use
of the POTUS time!
canopfor on July 27, 2009 at 5:51 PM
Obama only apologizes to the dictators of the world for the Country he is supposed to represent. Ain’t he just something special?
suzyk on July 27, 2009 at 5:52 PM
Agreed
Texas74 on July 27, 2009 at 5:53 PM
What an incredibly stupid idea. Surely Thad could find something more productive to do . . .
califcon on July 27, 2009 at 5:54 PM
This isn’t leadership, c’mon Repubs.
califdreamnred on July 27, 2009 at 5:55 PM
How about a bill forcing Obama to stop lying about keeping your own insurance.
marklmail on July 27, 2009 at 5:56 PM
Dispatch tape. http://www.breitbart.tv/cambridge-officerdispatch-audio-he-is-not-cooperative/
artchick on July 27, 2009 at 5:56 PM
yes
and yes
funky chicken on July 27, 2009 at 5:58 PM
Republicans need to learn to sit back and let the White House occupant make a fool of himself.
Speedwagon82 on July 27, 2009 at 5:58 PM
Sometimes I wonder if Allah ever gets it. Hussein provided a clear, indefensible peek into his heart to show the country what he’s really about. He then tried to spin it into an up-coming feel-good beer bash between three old pals.
The country will be sick of this event when it’s ready. Until then, let the flames burn, and who cares who sets them.
And as for Allah’s exhaustion with birthers: “I did not have sexual relations with that woman…” rings as clear today as it did in the 90s. Let the birthers raise the subject and create pressure for a journalist to smell millions of dollars in media reward. The higher the profile, the bigger the chance it will be discovered and aired. Get over yourself Allah, you aren’t, well, ALLAH.
leftnomore on July 27, 2009 at 5:58 PM
Thad, don’t be dumb. You can’t legislate manners. Just like you can’t legislate charity.
Stupid move mav.
ted c on July 27, 2009 at 6:01 PM
+1
funky chicken on July 27, 2009 at 6:01 PM
With all due respect, I have to quibble with this. I think he sees himself as being elected by (i) a racist black core, (ii) a strong leftist voting block, (iii) a lot of centrists anxious to prove they are not racist (whether they are or not – and hasn’t Jesse Jackson said we’re all racists?), and (iv) a Republican party that forgot to come to the dance. I don’t think Barry’s election proves a darned thing about Barry’s view of the racist nature of the country. (It may – or may not – prove the country is, in fact, not racist. But it doesn’t say Barry is convinced of it.)
ManUFan on July 27, 2009 at 6:02 PM
I guess this is how we know the issue has jumped the shark. This is really nutty, why should Congress be wasting its time on something like this?
If anything, make him apologize for the Stimulus Package.
El_Terrible on July 27, 2009 at 6:03 PM
And on that comment, since when do you let the enemy have his own defense time? He created a huge opening– FILL IT. I don’t care if the KKK starts squawking, the president needs to be shown as a fire-starter. when he’s supposedly a peacemaker. The more noise the worse it is for the perp.
leftnomore on July 27, 2009 at 6:05 PM
Dumb idea — Any president, who wasn’t a racist, would have never said what this one said. Now we know how that 22 years spent in Rev Wright’s church was put to use.
And what was the purpose of Obama’s ‘teaching moment’?
tarpon on July 27, 2009 at 6:05 PM
That has to be the dumbest comment yet. Birthers are “passing” BHO’s reform, with a chaser from McCotter? Give me a break.
leftnomore on July 27, 2009 at 6:08 PM
If my neighbors see me or any member of my family breaking into our own home and call the police to protect my home since they don’t it’s us…….thank you.
If you do it after this mess, and whomever you see is Black…that goes double.
This woman must be new to the People’s Republic of Cambridge. It is an free town where illegals can vote, find amnesty from the law, and minorities are well above the benefit of the doubt. I don’t know how law enforcement can stand it.
Hening on July 27, 2009 at 6:10 PM
Hussein’s going to teach the D’s how to slither out of a self-dug hole. Watch And Learn.
leftnomore on July 27, 2009 at 6:11 PM
Wow, a new troll . . .
califcon on July 27, 2009 at 6:17 PM
Many of you are missing a point that I think ol’ Thad understands. Commenters on blogs are very politically aware. The rest of the populace, not so much. If no one is banging the drum on this, it will very soon go down the memory hole. A nice debate on cops and false charges of racism in Congress might get more headlines, and keep this embarrassment alive longer.
Buford Gooch on July 27, 2009 at 6:19 PM
What about all the “Jiggers” Obama insulted………?
Seven Percent Solution on July 27, 2009 at 6:20 PM
The “teaching moment” is if you see something, say nothing.
diogenes on July 27, 2009 at 6:20 PM
Thad knows it wont pass, he also knows that this stunble hurt Obama with independents. So he’s trying to keep it in the news for more attention. It not a stupid move but it probably wont help much either.
Amadeus on July 27, 2009 at 6:23 PM
She said. Cop said? Who cares? I suppose it’s an interesting point, but it’s also entirely beside the point that Gates has ranted about and that Obama stupidly chimed in about.
From what I’ve heard on the tape, Lucia isn’t guilty of racial profiling. And Crowley necessarily couldn’t be guilty of racial profiling because he didn’t stop Gates on the basis of his race. Rather, Crowley confronted Gates in the house because he was the first homo sapien that he encountered.
From there, Gates turned himself into the little boy who cried, “Wolf.” Obama backed the wrong horse in this race, and we shouldn’t let him forget it.
BuckeyeSam on July 27, 2009 at 6:23 PM
The only thing worse than political grandstanding is stupid political grandstanding. Why would you want to let Obama take on the role of victim and absolve him of the responsibility of both his original words and his apology? Obama’s statement is money in the bank come election time, but McCotter wants to flush it. The Stupid Party indeed.
Socratease on July 27, 2009 at 6:25 PM
I’m going to wait to hear what Ashley Herzog thinks of this before I form an opinion.
I_C on July 27, 2009 at 6:26 PM
No way. I think the public is against The One on this thing and won’t mind him being smacked over it.
Perhaps the actual witness, not the woman who called 911, said they were black? Remember, the caller hadn’t even seen the incident.
RightWinged on July 27, 2009 at 6:36 PM
Unenforced error? What’s that?
angryed on July 27, 2009 at 7:02 PM
It would be a mistake for the GOP to tie its apron strings too tightly to Crowley. Who knows what he’ll do?
Joe the Plumber was fine for his 15 minutes… but he stayed too long and proved a small liability.
mankai on July 27, 2009 at 7:04 PM
What’s ridiculous is that we have gotten to the point in some places where people are so concerned about political correctness that they can’t bring themselves to use the most obvious visible physical identifier (race) to describe people they believe are committing a crime to police.
My sister is a liberal goofball and lives in Lawrence, KS. I went to visit her a couple of years ago. We went for a drive around down and she was pointing out this and that. Being a cop, I asked her about crime.
She informed me that there had been some problems with people coming to Lawrence from Topeka and getting in fights with college students at some of the local bars.
“People? What kind of people?” I asked.
“You know, inner city people. In gangs.” she stammered, looking at the floor.
Being her older brother, I played dumb and begin to pick at her. “I don’t understand. You mean homeless people are getting all the way down here from Topeka to fight with college students? How do they get here? Do they have cars?”
“No. Not homeless people. You know, people.”
Bless her heart, she couldn’t bring herself to say that the problem was groups of black gangbangers coming down to Lawrence to start trouble with the college dweebs. And this is to her own brother, who would never accuse her of racist feelings in a million years. It was crazy.
Dukeboy01 on July 27, 2009 at 7:08 PM
Radley Balko on Reason.com
rokemronnie on July 27, 2009 at 7:13 PM
Give him lots of slack, and enough rope to hang himself.
Let Crowley handle this–he’ll do better than Republicans in Congress. But the beer is better in Boston.
Steve Z on July 27, 2009 at 7:18 PM
Audio: Congressman McCotter: Obama Apologize
U.S. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich) will join us to discuss his…U.S. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich) will join us to discuss his intent to move forward with plans for a resolution calling on Obama to apologize to Sgt. James Crowley, the Cambridge, Mass., officer who arrested Gates.
Audio|Mon, 27 Jul 2009
TheBigOldDog on July 27, 2009 at 7:19 PM
I think you must be confusing petty with futile. There is nothing petty about Congress weighing in on an issue that the filthy bastard in the White House has already spent days talking about. As our Christian-hating host points out, it is futile.
highhopes on July 27, 2009 at 7:22 PM
I don’t see the GOP doing much with this story other than making as uncomfortable as possible for the racist liar in the White House. I see nothing wrong with that. The bastard needs to fail.
highhopes on July 27, 2009 at 7:24 PM
Yes, that’s right. When your opponent is on fire. Don’t hand him a bucket of water. Obama looks stupid on this. No need for the GOP to inject themselves into the story. They already win by Obama losing.
dedalus on July 27, 2009 at 7:41 PM
Caller: “congressman with all due respect I take great exception to what you are doing here. I have very little patience for both the right in the left who loved grand stander who got to indulge in political hack — you just hit the nail on the head when you said the president should not be injecting himself. Into a local matter and neither should you how do you respond to that.”
McCotter: “Well I respond that someone has to stand up for the principal that the power of the the presidency isn’t to do this and the president has said repeatedly that he thinks this is within this portfolio to do which means it’ll happen again someone who has police officers as constituents. But don’t wanna be the next one to have this happen I think it entirely appropriate to respond. To an issue the president has raised it continues to pursue. — could have a detrimental effect on the way the by officers. Conduct themselves and the concern that they have about what may happen of them in the future so as to grand standing– that your problems with the president. And I would argue that given a very honest advice which isn’t to apologize and retract its statement for you prejudged the officer. And let the process take its course he’d be right back to talking about things such as health care.”
Howie: ” Which which they don’t wanna talk. Host but — should anyway can correct I mean — let’s get down to what I mean this is billion away this it’s not this is my good news for the president but it’s it it is a distraction from moral long term significant issues isn’t it congress.”
” But think which has continued pattern of the president expanding into other areas I’m from Detroit we see the power the president used to. There is automotive task force to get these CO OG AM to resign. You’re not missing pressure brought to bear either cajole or otherwise if you offer of — at the White House to bring in an officer to get into either explicitly or implicitly say that he did something wrong. Which would be detrimental to his own interest so we continue to see this throughout the administration I would argue that it. — Continues to be a pattern that we see in the instance certain –”
TheBigOldDog on July 27, 2009 at 7:50 PM
McCotter has had some wonky votes.
Might be a poser…
But, what the heck…..haven’t we had Lott’s funeral comments go viral….what the heck, go for it McCotter…..crazy is as crazy does.
nondhimmie on July 27, 2009 at 7:52 PM
Agreed. Demanding apologies is what whiner liberals do.
Just derail as much of Obama’s liberal plans as possible, that will be enough.
Hog Wild on July 27, 2009 at 8:10 PM
I said it on the Birthermania thread, and it applies equally here. Let there be no confusion, I apply this standard equally without respect to political party:
I say we get someone to introduce federal legislation that makes it a felony to either submit or vote in favor of non-binding resolutions. Minimum one year in the prison.
You were voted into office to do a job, congresscritter. Do it. That job involves reading and understanding what you vote on BEFORE you vote on it, by the way. Yes, EVERY TIME!
VekTor on July 27, 2009 at 8:14 PM
This is beyond dumb.
When your opponent is floundering, it makes no sense to divert attention to one’s self.
guntotinglibertarian on July 27, 2009 at 8:34 PM
Wrong!
“which is a socialist, Maoist
marxist, fascist, racist hate monger”.He’s a Maoist not a Marxist.
If he were a Marxist his car czar would have an industrial/ manufacturing background.
The WUG were Maoist as well. Little Billy Ayres is a Maoist.
This is why when you Say Obama is a Marxist his idiot minions can laugh and say with a strait face “he is not a Marxist”
Other than that your absolutely correct.
The William Ayers plan to turn America’s schoolchildren into …
[In 2006 Ayers] continued to rail against his exclusion from the conference in an interview with the house organ of the Maoist Revolutionary Communist Party …
DSchoen on July 27, 2009 at 8:52 PM
Another example of the GOP overreaching. Obama stepped in it with his comments. Smart politicians would stand back and watch him dig himself out. Not our GOP politicians, they are going to throw Obama a rope and get crap on themselves in the process.
Chekote on July 27, 2009 at 8:59 PM
someone has to stand up for the principal that the power of the the presidency isn’t to do this and the president has said repeatedly that he thinks this is within this portfolio to do which means it’ll happen again someone who has police officers as constituents. But don’t wanna be the next one to have this happen I think it entirely appropriate to respond. To an issue the president has raised it continues to pursue. — could have a detrimental effect on the way the by officers. Conduct themselves and the concern that they have about what may happen of them in the future so as to grand standing– that your problems with the president
TheBigOldDog on July 27, 2009 at 9:44 PM
Well put, and I completely agree with AP here. Which doesn’t really happen all that often.
If you listen to the call, there was an older woman there who encouraged Whalen to make the call. Most likely, sh’s the one who thought one or both were black. Whalen kept thinking — and saying — one might be Hispanic.
I also notice that at one point Crowley asks for the Harvard Police. By this time, he’s probably seen Gates’ Harvard ID, presumably without the address on it, and is taking extra steps to verify who Gates is, since Gates is not especially cooperative himself.
One more piece of evidence that Crowley was trying to accommodate someone who was being very difficult.
ThereGoesTheNeighborhood on July 28, 2009 at 12:50 AM
As McCotter put it, the only stupid thing is allowing the President to go unchecked in thinking it is within his “portfolio” to interject himself into such maters and prejudice the process by prejudging it, thereby misuse the powers of his office. That’s why the Right as currently constituted (based on HA readers) is completely doomed to be crushed like cockroaches. They accept the premise that the President has the right to do what he did and never apologize for it. They accept the President misusing his power to implicitly bully the officer into accepting that he acted improperly. You’d think some of you would at least take a second to listen to the audio I posted earlier to understand the full implications of this issue and McCotter’s motivation for taking these steps. But that’s hard, It takes time and reasoning and it’s just so much easier to be a dead fish and go with the flow. Ya, Mccotter’s stupid…baaa…baaa
TheBigOldDog on July 28, 2009 at 1:06 AM
McCotter 2012.
HellCat on July 28, 2009 at 1:44 AM
You go on and cozy up to that strawman,allah. The woman was calling the police to report suspicious behavior which the police were going to respond to. Whether she said they were black on her own or the dispatcher asked her, the response would have been what we call in the english language, a “description” or an “adjective”. Descriptions are utilized in all kinds of manner in our society, the “red” car, the “brown” cow, the “flaming liberal” blogger. In this case it would be used by the responding police officers to identify the people involved in the suspicious behavior so the policeman would not be shot dead as those two officers out west were shot dead yesterday. As a liberal, you believe that the left has the right to judge and determine at the drop of a dime what language is bad, what language should be allowed. Unfortunately adjectives have an important and crucial use in our language and society and until you come up with another way for human beings to function without language, us lesser beings will have to continue to use descriptions.
peacenprosperity on July 28, 2009 at 7:51 AM
An editorial cartoon in today’s Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (an Obama newspaper) links Sergeant Crowley to the KKK. I am sure other newspapers across the land have similar slanders in them today. The Obama slander-machine has today begun a full-scale propaganda assault upon Sergeant Crowley.
jay12 on July 28, 2009 at 9:12 AM
Aren’t they all Obama newspapers?
tom on July 28, 2009 at 11:14 AM
.
NO…this POTUS_DUDE is a race-baiting imposter…
& Thaddeus has STONES!!.
”in the dead of night, by a hidden hand!”
“the largest tax increase in human history….money in reserve funds which means there is no money in it…”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMwpSODmnJY
lobosan5 on July 28, 2009 at 1:31 PM