From the "Black People Arrest Themselves" files

[Berkut]

Gates might have made a very bad decision initially, and exacerbated it a bit later, but he's a smart enough man to know when he needs to give... either that or had enough friends/advisors who were smart enough to know that.

Yeah, Gates' statement was quite good, classy. Whether it was him or not, still he sanctioned it so gets good credit for it.

He gets a C, at best.

Probably the best statement he could possibly make that doesn't include an apology.

[Caliga]

I've been trying to tell you guys that the "word on the street" was always that Gates was cool.  He obviously overreacted on the day of, and then I guess was possessed by Al Sharpton's ghost for the following couple of days.

[Caliga]

Probably the best statement he could possibly make that doesn't include an apology.

Like I said, they're saving that for Oprah.

[KRonn]

Not a bad statement, but an apology for acting like a grade-A asshole and accusing someone of racism on no grounds at all seemed to be missing from it.

He did stand to look quite badly from this. He wasn't looking a winner from things as the incident details played out. He had initially gone so far, perhaps "stupidly",      that it was perhaps becoming difficult for him to back off. This statement does help him, I'd think.

[garbon]

Even if McCain didn't die before his 1/2 terms, he'd be setting her up for a powerful shot at the Presidency becoming a PowerPoint consultant or a supporter of gay marriage (like VPs before her), if she managed to complete at least one VP term without looking retarded.

[garbon]

Probably the best statement he could possibly make that doesn't include an apology.

Why should he?  His claims of racism may be true.

[alfred russel]

Not a bad statement, but an apology for acting like a grade-A asshole and accusing someone of racism on no grounds at all seemed to be missing from it.

He may have done all those things, but he did them on his front porch, for which an arrest was a bit over the top and unnecessary. I don't think he really needs to apologize to the people who arrested him.

[Kleves]

And thank God that we have a President who can rise above the fray, bridge age-old differences and transform events such as this into a moment in the evolution of our society's attitudes about race and difference. President Obama is a man who understands tolerance and forgiveness, and our country is blessed to have such a leader.

[garbon]

And thank God that we have a President who can rise above the fray, bridge age-old differences and transform events such as this into a moment in the evolution of our society's attitudes about race and difference. President Obama is a man who understands tolerance and forgiveness, and our country is blessed to have such a leader.

People were right to fear that Obama would try to steer us into a pseudo-post racial moment.

[Martinus]

I wish Dr Gates was more like Berkut, i.e. always calm, never getting angry, and always apologizing for harsh words.

[Caliga]

I wish Dr Gates was more like Berkut, i.e. always calm, never getting angry, and always apologizing for harsh words.

[Berkut]

I wish Dr Gates was more like Berkut, i.e. always calm, never getting angry, and always apologizing for harsh words.

There is nothing wrong with harsh words, as long as they are right.

And I am perfectly capable of apologizing when I screw up.

[jimmy olsen]

I wish Dr Gates was more like Berkut, i.e. always calm, never getting angry, and always apologizing for harsh words.

Oh Snap!

[The Minsky Moment]

I'm 99% sure that someone in the Whitehouse wrote that statement (and a similar one for Crowley) well before either met the President.

I am almost equally sure that it didn't because the speech contains some noticeable Gatesisms that a WH staffer would not have written.  It may be that someone for the WH vetted it or suggested some language though.

[The Minsky Moment]

I've been trying to tell you guys that the "word on the street" was always that Gates was cool.

it's been kind of sad to see some here try to equate him with the likes of Sharpton or Jeremiah Wright given that his entire life he has been a principled voice for moderation and "accomodation" and kwown and respected for his open-mindedness in engaging with others.  I think Crowley was seriously wrong and that his actions were probably impacted by race but its not like I've tried make some ridiculous caricature of him as some Bull Conner crossed with Mark Fuhrman.