Gates jokes: I told Crowley I’d get his kids into Harvard
posted at 10:25 pm on August 3, 2009 by Allahpundit
Cute, and gratifying that they got along well enough that he can be light-hearted about what happened, but this reminds me of what his daughter said about Crowley’s daughter’s “heavy and charmingly untrained amount of green eyeliner.” Class consciousness keeps creeping into the Gateses’ rhetoric in the aftermath, which makes me wonder if the deeper affront of the arrest was to their identity as American aristocracy. Race plays into that — doubtless Gates would say that a white aristocrat would never have been treated similarly — but plenty of white aristocrats would also have taken offense at being treated in such an undignified way by blue-collar joes unaware of their station. Which is just another reminder of how atypical this is an “example” of profiling: Gates, with his connections at Harvard and the White House, was far more powerful than the cops accused of hassling him. In which case, if you’re Crowley, why arrest him and risk the headache of a public outcry once you knew who he was unless you thought you had good reason to?
As for why Biden was at the beer summit: Optics, silly.
Blowback
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Crowley’s best response would have been, “No thanks. I’ve seen some of the trash that teaches there, and my kids deserve better.”
ynot4tony2 on August 4, 2009 at 12:30 AM
Serious question: why did Crowley even agree to the “Beer Summit”?
Because he’s a raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaycist?
The CNN drones look at each other in such a loaded situation as well.
Honkey looks at hyphenated american anchor-babe and thinks “no I’m not thinking what you think I’m thinking….”
Hyphenated american anchor babe looks at honkey white paleface cracker ghostface kkk “the man” anchor dude and thinks “Oh no, honkey-assed cracker, you can’t think that on the air while we’re exploiting a race “story”".
What a damned joke.
roscopico on August 4, 2009 at 12:33 AM
Oh Yeah, forgot to say “Yo Mama”.
Fin.
roscopico on August 4, 2009 at 12:34 AM
Crowley jokes: I told Gates I’d get his kids into a job that they actually qualify for.
Luka on August 4, 2009 at 12:36 AM
Zing!
roscopico on August 4, 2009 at 12:41 AM
I read the daughter’s account. She was actually pretty nice. The remark about the eyeliner was said with less class snark than identification of an age group, in my opinion.
AnninCA on August 4, 2009 at 12:50 AM
But you aren’t Sgt. Crowley, who has stated that he supports Obama 110%. When you are a liberal, you can forgive a lot of things which would send us conservatives into warfare mode. As I’ve stated previously, if Gates had been a real burglar, Crowley would have lost the fight because of his PC hesitation. Sometimes a guy with a cane doesn’t need the cane for walking.
unclesmrgol on August 4, 2009 at 1:29 AM
NOTE that Gates doesn’t offer to pay for that Harvard tour….
Lourdes on August 4, 2009 at 2:21 AM
Just as I doubt that Gates paid for his…Obama certainly didn’t.
Lourdes on August 4, 2009 at 2:22 AM
Is this Gates way to aplogize for his ignorant actions?
BigMike252 on August 4, 2009 at 2:32 AM
Well, it is all about class with Marxists.
Dirty proles need to learn their place.
spmat on August 4, 2009 at 3:32 AM
No, it’s Gates’ way to remind Crowley that Gates considers Crowley to be a stupid Honkey.
Lourdes on August 4, 2009 at 4:30 AM
Sounds like a case of “Ted Kennedy Syndrome”.
Zorro on August 4, 2009 at 6:37 AM
What’s that supposed to do? With a Harvard degree and $1.50 one can get a cup of coffee.
RobertInLexington on August 4, 2009 at 6:55 AM
Professor Skippy is proof positive that even a Ha-vad Man can be an ignoramous.
Your damn skippy he is one.
RandyChandler on August 4, 2009 at 7:20 AM
So she is concerned that there are more black men in prison then in universities, and the insinuation that many are there as innocent men.
Honey, my little racist ranting girl, many men are “arrested for no reason”, the prison is full of men like that…both black and white and brown…interestingly very few Asian’s.
This little racist girl found a way to stick in her racist views, a view well taught by her father.
right2bright on August 4, 2009 at 7:26 AM
Class is here to stay. So is regional snobbery. This is what was behind the attacks on Sarah Palin.
I read a book called the The Glass Castle in which the author talks about her past and her efforts to hide where she came from. She eventually gave up her shame..but she makes the point that if people in her circle had known who her parents were…she would have been kicked out of the circle and maybe her job.
Terrye on August 4, 2009 at 7:27 AM
Read it again, she was just parroting the old racist line of “we are innocent, the white man is keeping us down”.
She doesn’t understand, that their are are always at least two versions to a story, and this story had several versions, with her dad’s being the only one she accepted, all the others backed the “officer”.
right2bright on August 4, 2009 at 7:31 AM
This is the narrow mindset of a black racist…he thinks all black men in prison are like him…and in some ways they are…
right2bright on August 4, 2009 at 7:33 AM
Mary Jo Kopechne could not be reached for comment……
csdeven on August 4, 2009 at 7:39 AM
Thanks for this post. BOTH of those comments bugged me big time. What the heck was Gates’ daughter doing embarrassing Crowley’s young daughter like that!? It was SO snobby and rude! And I thought his Harvard comment was very condescending and elitist.
sarainitaly on August 4, 2009 at 7:53 AM
I believe his 15 minutes of fame are over…
cmsinaz on August 4, 2009 at 7:57 AM
Ted will be dead soon. Mary Jo still won’t be able to reach him. He’ll be “extra crispy”.
Jeff from WI on August 4, 2009 at 8:16 AM
Exactly. And what’s funny is that “aristocracy” mantle slipped and the true Professor was revealed with his “your mama” tirade. Many of today’s so-called aristocrats are pretty much trash made into gourmet. It may look good but it tastes like crap.
Deanna on August 4, 2009 at 8:17 AM
Oh yes she will, and she’s going to have a he11 of a lot of bitching saved up for him, she’s only got what 40 years experience on him in the politics of the inferno.
doriangrey on August 4, 2009 at 8:34 AM
Oh yes she will, and she’s going to have a he11 of a lot of b.i.t.c.h.i.n.g saved up for him, she’s only got what 40 years experience on him in the politics of the inferno.
doriangrey on August 4, 2009 at 8:35 AM
What? And deprive some equal opportunity lesser-qualified minority a chance to go to the Ivy Leagues?
kens on August 4, 2009 at 8:46 AM
Headline should read
“Fey Elitist Race Baiter Shows His True Condescending Nature”
peacenprosperity on August 4, 2009 at 8:47 AM
This is the problem. There is, unfortunately, such a thing as group think, or a groupist personality. By identifying yourself as a member of that group in the first place, you forfeit the right to be offended by people who treat you as that. When John Jones self-identifies as a black prisoner, that’s what he tells people to consider him. He limits himself and forfeits his individuality. While I may be a white Northern European with some traces of Ojibway, while I consider conservatism the more valid political opinion, I am first and foremost, an individual named Bill Hedrick.
If you want to be treated as an individuas, you must be one.
billhedrick on August 4, 2009 at 8:49 AM
individuas = individual
billhedrick on August 4, 2009 at 8:50 AM
is he gay?
he seems gay.
max1 on August 4, 2009 at 9:34 AM
I’ve come back to this post several times thinking I would have managed to process it mentally and come up with some reasonable comment. Honestly? I don’t know what to say to this. I really don’t. Words have failed me before in the face of some truly aweful behavior, but this one? This one just sucks the air out of my world completely.
BrideOfRove on August 4, 2009 at 9:35 AM
Gates: “I’ll get you into Harvard, you working class stooge”
Crowley: “Nah, I think I’m sending one of my kids to Bob Jones University and the other can get a band scholarship to Ole Miss (she plays a mean ‘Dixie’)”
What, too soon??/?
battleoflepanto1571 on August 3, 2009 at 10:33 PM
BWAHHAAAA!
max1 on August 4, 2009 at 9:46 AM
Gates simultaneously paints himself as a big shot intellectual and a poor downtrodden black man.
The only thing Gates has managed to do is show the world what a tool he is and that Harvard is vastly overrated.
RadClown on August 4, 2009 at 9:55 AM
Crowley: So that they can be indoctrinated by your drivel? No, thanks!
Steve Z on August 4, 2009 at 10:03 AM
Of course, but she’s the daughter of Gates. I would expect her to defend his perspective. That would be setting entirely too high of expectations to think she’d be completely objective.
The tone was nice. She, naturally, restated that he lied on the police report. LOL* But she’s her Dad’s kid. But I thought she was quite fair-minded in that she recognized that Crowley is truly not a racist and mortified that anyone would think that of him. Nor are his children.
It does sound like they had a nice meeting and saw eye-to-eye from a human level. I think both men have probably done a good job here in smoothing this over.
None of us can say that either of them hasn’t tried.
And you know, after years of rancour and then drama from the likes of Sharpten, followed by lawsuits?
I must say that I like this approach better. I though the notion of getting together for a beer was sort of goofy, but it actually gave them an opportunity to put a more human face on the story and get it out of the debate circles.
I thought her account was thoughtful and showed a spirit of compromise.
There will always be differences of opinions, of course, and differing slants or values. That’s OK.
But the kindness is very important. We leave that out?
We are doomed to live in a divided and angry society.
AnninCA on August 4, 2009 at 10:10 AM
The audacity of it all is that Prof. Gates is implying that Sgt. Crowley’s children couldn’t get into Harvard of their own academic accord. I don’t know about y’all, but after reading Gates’ police report, that is one well-educated man. Probably one of the best and most thorough reports I’ve ever read.
MsUnderestimated on August 4, 2009 at 10:10 AM
Serious question: why did Crowley even agree to the “Beer Summit”?
lutherjw on August 4, 2009 at 12:21 AM
Because he’s a raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaycist?
roscopico on August 4, 2009 at 12:33 AM
Seriously, when the summit fizzles as a teaching moment and Officer Crowley becomes seen as the hero. Some lefty will say he accepted the summit and a free beer(s) because he is an alcoholic. Also, note the aristocracy in the choice of beers. Upscale hops vs. cheap blue collar
MSGTAS on August 4, 2009 at 10:28 AM
Well, this episode isn’t going to heal everything, but I can guarantee you that he won’t be a hero to many black citizens. They share Gate’s perspective. That won’t change.
AnninCA on August 4, 2009 at 10:39 AM
AnninCA on August 4, 2009 at 10:40 AM
Class does seem to be an issue with Gates and his daughter. It also shows up in his stilted almost condescending writing style. Sad little man who thinks he has it all(and does,seemingly) but in reality has no inner depth whatsoever. I doubt he can even grasp it as a concept. He behaved foolishly and apparently is totally incapable of recognizing this even to himself.
jeanie on August 4, 2009 at 10:42 AM
A common thread amongst the not-so-elite Catholic school clique in the W-towns west of Boston is to tell our children they have to get extra good grades because they will need a scholarship to go to Harvard – we’re not paying for it. While there are many out there who still view Harvard as the be all end all of higher education on America, their image has rapidly become tarnished. Their admission this spring to admitting more and more minorities every year based on ethnic status as opposed to qualifications has only lowered their image in the eyes of many. Many of our friends attended Harvard and it is always surprising and refreshing to hear they will encourage their children to attend elsewhere.
There was a link in headlines last week to an interesting article at The Daily Beast the diagnosed the Gates debacle as a class issue not a race issue. I thought it was spot on.
gopmom on August 4, 2009 at 10:54 AM
There are so many really excellent smaller colleges in the New England area that I have long wondered why any one would choose any of the Ivies. The educational quality of these smaller schools is far superior to the Ivies and if one is qualified, it’s like a smorgasbord or a delicions buffet to choose from.
jeanie on August 4, 2009 at 11:01 AM
This might answer the question on who Sgt Crowley voted for:
http://www.mediacircus.com/2009/07/sgt-crowley-i-didnt-vote-for-obama-and-wont-apologize/
crickets chirping….
Sweet_Thang on August 4, 2009 at 11:57 AM
Crowley clearly did not have a good reason to arrest him, as the speedy dismissal of charges made clear.
Thus, the answer to your question is that Crowley was unwise to arrest Gates. In fact, you could say that he acted stupidly.
(that said, so did Gates)
orange on August 4, 2009 at 11:58 AM
So Gates thinks it’s appropriate for people to get into Harvard based upon who they know rather than what they know. I’ll tell my grandchildren to choose a better school than Harvard.
HotWeaver on August 4, 2009 at 12:07 PM
Gates is a repulsive little weasel, not unlike the majority of PhD-holding Ivy League college professors.
Sgt. Crowley towers over him in every way, not just height.
PoodleSkirt on August 4, 2009 at 12:11 PM
You tell an idiot that he is such a wonderful man, just to be polite. A few moments later the idiot comes back and tells you: “You’re such an idiot.”
Now, extrapolate.
albertpale on August 4, 2009 at 12:21 PM
Just the fact that one might end up in one of Gate’s classes would send me scurrying to find another school.
jeanie on August 4, 2009 at 12:53 PM
Okay, you think as long as someone is smiling they can lie, and infer racism.
You have a very low standard for being reasonable…this is why they continue their clarion cries of racism, and racial profiling; which are so blown out of proportion it is embarrassing to see the actual numbers and how few they are…you allow them (race baiters like this family) to exist, and not challenge them to the truth.
You and others “she was so sweet calling us racists” are what allow racism to continue in a society, the only society, to basically eliminate racism.
It exists primarily in the liberal mind.
right2bright on August 4, 2009 at 1:00 PM
If kindness or even it’s lesser cousin consideration existed in obama’s world, the GOP would have long since been included in decisions being made that may change our lives. The present administration only understands manipulation and all that connotes-in fact this is its watch word. Kindness cannot thrive in this environment.
jeanie on August 4, 2009 at 1:12 PM
If Officer Crowley’s kids do want to go to Harvard, they should get in because they have the grades and qualify…oh, what am I thinking?!
-uh, a degree in what? Journalism? Basket weaving? (same thing I guess).
Well, sounds like an unbiased source of info to me!
Maybe there wouldn’t be 800,000 black men in prison if it weren’t for Commie knuckleheads like Gates telling them it’s OK to steal, kill, rape, deal/use drugs, and beat up people because their ancestors were slaves.
Loved the comments-quite a war going on there…
This comment has been removed by The Daily Beast’s editors.
LOL
Dr. ZhivBlago on August 4, 2009 at 1:14 PM
Once a racist, always a racist I guess. Applies to Obama too ya’ think?
jeanie on August 4, 2009 at 1:18 PM
The Obamessiah showed his true colors big time as a result of this fiasco.
Dr. ZhivBlago on August 4, 2009 at 1:21 PM
In a word, “NO”. What’s your point?
dcwvu on August 4, 2009 at 2:48 PM
What difference does that make? Afterall no one really cares that we can decide if Lindsey Graham is gay either.
Monkei on August 4, 2009 at 4:33 PM
Scrappy on August 4, 2009 at 7:12 PM
hmmm
the_pilgrim_mindset on August 4, 2009 at 7:22 PM
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