We at USDemocrazy want to make one thing clear: We’re not suggesting you drink a beer with this post (even though we might be!).
When we first heard that Mr. Obama had invited Sergeant Crowley of the Cambridge police force (the arresting officer in the ballad of Henry Louis Gates and the Law) to join Dr. Gates for a beer at the White House (to take place today!), we thought it was a joke.
But the U.S. media soon set us straight. Everybody and their grandmother (Hi grandma) had something to say about this.
And, like most things in the news, this story is getting some folks, shall we say, animated.
Mostly, there’s talk over what kind of beer the president and his guests should consider imbibing, because when you’re invited to the White House for a drink, it is no casual affair. (sure beats talking about health care reform).
For instance, there’s the “small and unique micro-brewery” camp, who lobby for Obama to choose a more unique beer, giving one brand some needed national exposure, versus the “go All-American” camp, wanting, of course, to see some dudes throw back some All-American brews today.
Well, after what we’re sure were intense deliberations with important political ramifications, President Obama has decided that tonight, he’ll have a Bud Light. (If you listen closely, you can hear Anheuser-Busch execs praising the heavens all the way from Belgium.) Sergaent Crowley is going for a Blue Moon and Dr. Gates will have a Red Stripe.
What we thought started out as a joking comment turns out to be way true, so we’re very interested to hear how the drink the three will be sharing goes. What will they talk about? Our guess is that they’ll keep things civil, since this meeting is being looked upon as one of major diplomatic importance…
The Harvard Crimson, reported on the issue of Dr. Gates and his scaling back of his rhetoric since receiving the now-famous beer-vitation to the White House, noting
The remarks appear to suggest a shift in tone from only days earlier, when Gates had called on Crowley, the officer who had arrested him, to “beg my forgiveness.” Gates, who had also publicly flirted with the idea of filing a lawsuit against police over the encounter, said in a television interview on Tuesday that “this [incident] has just to do with human relations between a man who did something terribly wrong and then lied about it.”
Finally, the Crimson reported a comment by Obama, in which he said:
My hope is… that instead of flinging accusations we can all be a little more reflective in terms of what we can do to contribute to more unity.”
Very diplomatic indeed…
Now do you think Sergeant Crowley and Dr. Gates will share a cab home?
