Extending the auspices of NBC News to provide some damage control
help to President Obama's damage control-inspired meeting at the White
House with Henry Louis Gates and the police sergeant who arrested him
- so Obama can repair the mess he made in taking sides and insulting
the police - Brian Williams on Tuesday night didn't mention any gaffe
by Obama and instead innocuously described how the arrest led to "a
national discussion on race." Noting the get-together for a beer will
occur on Thursday, Williams relayed:
Professor Gates reported to be a Red Stripe [1] man, Crowley is said to be partial to Blue Moon [2] and the White House isn't talking about the President's brand of choice. That might constitute, you see, a White House endorsement.
Or maybe the President prefers wine over beer and is just agreeing
to beer in a political effort to re-connect with blue-collar voters he
offended, an effort NBC is advancing with such a cutesy take.
The item from Williams on the Tuesday, July 28 NBC Nightly News:
That meeting at the White House between President Obama, Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, and Cambridge, Mass. police sergeant James Crowley set for this Thursday - two weeks after their confrontation between Crowley and Gates that led to an arrest and such a national discussion on race. Well the three men are meeting, as you may know, for a beer. And regarding preferences, Professor Gates reported to be a Red Stripe man, Crowley is said to be partial to Blue Moon and the White House isn't talking about the President's brand of choice. That might constitute, you see, a White House endorsement.
- Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center