White House Refines Obama's "Stupid" Comment

(AP)

Updated 2:34 p.m. ET

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs today told members of the press corps that President Obama "was not calling the officer stupid" when he discussed the arrest of Henry Louis Gates Jr. at Wednesday night's press conference.

"Let me be clear," Gibbs said, according to a pool report. "He was not calling the officer stupid, okay? He was denoting that . . . at a certain point the situation got far out of hand, and I think all sides understand that."

But while Gibbs can claim the president didn't call the officer "stupid," it's undeniable that Mr. Obama said the Cambridge police "acted stupidly." Here's the full quote:

"I think it's fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry. Number two, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home. And number three - what I think we know separate and apart from this incident - is that there is a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately, and that's just a fact."

As the White House is trying to fine tune Mr. Obama's remark about the Gates incident, Sgt. James Crowley, the officer who arrested the Harvard professor, said he was disappointed by the president's characterization.

"I support the president to a point, yes, I think it's disappointing that he waded into what should be a local issue and something that plays out here," Crowley told WEEI. "As he himself said ... he doesn't know all the facts."

There will be more to come as this plays out on national and local stages, and the meaning of "stupid" will be debated as the facts come out from each side. Mr. Obama said he didn't have all the facts. Perhaps he soon will....

Daniel Farber contributed to this report.

[OBAMAFU]

Bamster, you've created a drama:
Mr. Gates and James Crowley's mama
(who was quickly replaced
by your babble on race)...
Who is stupid? Barack H. Obama.

___________________________________
Ray: Remember what they used to call me in the joint?
Benny: What?
Ray: The brain!
Benny: Noo, that was sarcastic!
Small Time Crooks (2000)

___________________________________
200+ more at www.obamafu.com - and growing!

[hercule1122]

The first stupidity was responding to a question which involved class and ego. People are arrested hourly, and usually the president does not get involved and comment on things he knows little about.I thought he finally disentangled himself on Friday from his unfortunate comments on a local matter in Cambridge.
I went through a similar situation two years ago. I returned home from Europe and was so tired I could not remember the code to my security system. The alarm went off full force and by the time I finally got it silenced,the police were knocking on my front door. They checked my passport and driver's ID, and I thanked them for checking on me. I can not imagine throwing a tantrum when they arrived or hurling epithets or slurs at them. Mr. Gates has a very high opinion of himself and between his tantrum and ego, it ballooned out of sanity to inanity. I know only what I have read , and did not need Mr. Bush to defend me when my episode occured!

[truth_police]

Any police official who claims that the Gates situation could not be quelled without an arrest, given the known facts, is either incompetent or is lying through his teeth, and should NOT be on any police force. Typically, they are the ones who arrogantly and unjustifiably refuse to provide their name and badge number when citizens request it.

[weis10]

This sort of comment is so political and umimpressively calculated that I wonder whether or not we are getting of taste of what is to come-not "change"- but a man who exploits the populous' desire for change only to fulfill his own politically routed ambitions for the kind of impotent yet relevant power he drooled for on the margins of influence. What is sad is that this is a man who pulled countless youth voters out of apathy and to the polls only to show them that, in practice, everything remains the same-- sucessfully plunging a temporarily electrified electorate back into dulldrums of inaction. As much as he tries to connect with the younger gen via tech(youtube-blogs)/ town meetings ect I think he may have missed what drives these forums at their most basic level--honesty, openess, and an utter disgust for not only photoshopped pics, but content, and comments!

[surveyone]

I am sorry to say that I voted for Obama. The more he opens his mouth the more I realize he has his own agenda and could care less about this country as a whole. Remarks he made about the Cambridge situation is a perfect example of why there is a racial divide in this country. He took sides without hearing both sides. God help this country.

[ddog88]

I'm not a racist, don't belong to a political party and earn a living as a public servant. When Obama took office i was glad to see Bush go. I hoped that healing could begin, it was time. How could the leader of this country send the message that he just sent. He is the ultimate roll model to millions. According to the President, the Police are stupid. Does anyone else think that this is the wrong message to send to our kids and to the countries inmates?

[tgace]

I'm beginning to see exactly who is acting "stupid" in this whole situation.

Making public comments before knowing all the facts seems pretty damn stupid to me.

[phileo1967]

wait a minute, Is this an English speaking country? If someone act stupid, does that means he is forever stupid? If you grabbed people from their country and forcefully brought them into your own country to enslave them, are you stupid or did you act stupid? If you slap your wife or beat your dog, did you act stupidly of can you simply be called stupid.

Acting stupid I think does not necessarily means that you are forever stupid but perhaps your actions was simply movitated by a thought which you later regreted. It is clear that the officer is now regreting his action but thinks apologizing will cost him his job.

[why_ma_raner]

I agree that Obama was way out of line. The smart thing would have just to say that he is confident that the truth will come out, and that he trusts that the police chief and the governor will ensure that. Then, shut up.

What we want to make sure is that this cop will treat belligerent, hostile, and self-aggrandizing @$$h0les the same, regardless of their skin color.

[wogerwabbit]

Republicans have lost their minds and will grasp at any stupid straw they can in the hopes it will save them from oblivion in 2010. They apparently have no idea how despised they are for screwing our country the past 8 years. You mention republicans today and people chuckle and shake their heads like it's a joke... a very sad joke. Going ballistic over nonsense like this (and let's not forget the tin hat wearing birthers) only makes them look more foolish and out of touch than they already are.

[mjvwsr]

kind of like the daily kos makes the libs look foolish

[lmcpark]

You know I didn't realize this was a partisan issue. We're talking about a comment Obama should have kept to himself. He was just revealing more of himself. It has nothing to do with Republican of Democrat. Get over yourself.