Maybe so … but what the hell does that have to do with this situation?

The instant Sgt. Crowley had determined to a reasonable degree of confidence that no crime had been committed, was in the course of being committed, or was about to be committed — which was apparently about 30 seconds after he arrived on the scene — and then did anything other that politely take his leave, he was in the wrong. And he stayed in the wrong.

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/07/obamas_revealing_body_language.html

For all his faults, Bush is far more the gentleman than Obama the pompous.

I’ll never forget the countless hours Bush and his wife spent walking among and embracing the victims of 9-11.

If asked to have a beer with either man, I’d refuse Obama and gladly drink with Bush.

From a legalistic point of view, Crowley should uphold higher standards than would be expected from a racially paranoid, pompous, self-important, Harvard Professor of African-American studies. While Crowley should not kow-tow to Obama, he should have turned off his hearing while Gates was doing the “yo mama” diatribe rather than sinking to Gates’ level and try to one-up the fool. A good civil liberty law summary comes from Harvey Silvergate:

http://www.forbes.com/…/gates-crowley-arrest-first-amendment-free-speech-harvard-opinions-contributors-harvey-a-silverglate.html

Almost arrested in 2000 at an airport, I calmed down since I lack the “disadvantage” of Gates. Getting into a stupidity match with cops and TSA is my main fear of flying – I’m far more likely to be arrested for attempting to smuggle yogurt onto an airplane than being blown up.

By the way, here’s a link to a better version of the Chris Rock video, “How To Not Get Your Ass Kicked By The Police.”

No bedrock principle of governance was revealed here. Just an accidental confession and then an equivocation to putty over it without denying the premise that was revealed.

The beer-drinking might ride the president through his little image crisis, but the underlying truth that we glimpsed is ominous. If we are lucky, the only visible effect of this little episode might be more complaints that cops don’t respond to burglary reports in black neighborhoods until after the perpetrators are long gone. If we are unlucky, we may get to see the reaction of the entitlement class when even printed money can’t satisfy them. After all, they’ve just been empowered by the president to treat local law enforcement as the enemy.