Henry Louis Gates Reacts To Obama's Remarks During Gayle King Interview (AUDIO)

Henry Louis "Skip" Gates gave his first reaction to Obama's comments on his arrest during an interview with Gayle King on Sirius/XM radio.

Gates was eating dinner during the press conference when a friend called to inform him that Obama had commented on the arrest:

all of a sudden I thought my blackberry was going to explode... I said oh my goodness what did he say... 'I have to wait for the facts...?'...and he said no he said 'the Cambridge Police were stupid and that you were friends'...I went..my god. And then the emails...it was like a slot machine. I got 500 emails last night.

King said she was surprised at Obama's choice of words, saying the police had acted "stupidly." Gates replied, "I think that the circumstances are so egregious...that...it was the adjective that...logically popped into his head."

Listen to an excerpt of the interview below. The whole interview can be heard here.

GAYLE KING: ...did you happen to be watching the news conference when he said that?

HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR: ...I was having dinner with a friend on the upper east side in a little private Italian restaurant and all of a sudden I thought my blackberry was going to explode. And the first call...it was from Angela...Angela DeLeon...[saying] Barack Obama just mentioned you in his news conference...

I said oh my goodness what did he say... 'I have to wait for the facts...?'...and he said no he said 'the Cambridge Police were stupid and that you were friends'...I went..my god. And then the emails...it was like a slot machine. I got 500 emails last night.

GAYLE KING: I was surprised by his choice of words..that he said the Cambridge Police acted 'stupidly.' I agree with him, but I was surprised that the President of the United States would use that particular phrase.

HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR: I think that the circumstances are so egregious...that...it was the adjective that...logically popped into his head. I haven't listened to a lot of the commentary but the people who want to protect the police and who are afraid of criminals like I'm afraid of criminals...are looking for something that I could have done to justify Sergeant Crowley's actions. There's nothing that I could have done to justify Sergeant Crowley's action.

Comments

[Mendskyz]

The first thing any GOOD leader learns is to not react to one side of a set of events. Every good leader looks at both sides of the equation and then acts if necessary.

Obama automatically took the side of the black man and assumed the police were guilty. All this after first ADMITTING that he didn't have all the facts. This shows Obama's true nature.

You all failed to recognize is that this could have all been avoided had Gates complied with the officer's requests instead of instantly jumping to the conclusion that the officer's only motive was because Gates was black. Had Gates stepped out onto the porch, answered the officer's questions, provided proof that he was the resident it would have all ended there and nothing would have happened. It was only because Gates became so verbally abusive and uncooperative without any provocation on the officer's part that got him arrested.

The only white person in this story that could even be remotely accused of racism is the woman who made the initial call. The question still remains, would she have called the police if what she had seen were two white people? Nobody knows the answer to that question and for you all to speculate makes you just as racist as the people you accuse these people of being.

[Bulbul]

Now, to be fair, Gayle shoud interview Mr. Crowley, to ease this tension. We need to remember that , every single act, is not race related !
I really think Obama is on the right track , how many ex Presidents we know , have acted so quickly to say , he could have used different words when he was asked that question..­..

Racism can come from every skin color and every one is not a racist !

[Ohsherri]

If Obama said "the police acted stupidly".­..

that sound like grounds for them to ask Obama to step out of his house and handcuff him.

[HatingTheGame]

Ah I see. In your "freedom loving America" if a Black man (or is it any man or woman) who questions the police and accuses them of acting stupidly, then that's grounds for being arrested.

Until they go after the uni-bomber loving survivalists, or those in Waco, TX, then that's a violation of rights by the FBI?

I see. Wonder what the difference could be ... hmmm... race?

[Feesister]

Apparently sarcasm isn't recognized anymore

[jozzie]

Such a name-dropper.

[Two Cents]

Having lived in Cambridge, I can bear witness that there are racial tensions are high generally and, in addition, that the Cambridge police have issues specifically. Also, I would hope that the police in any town or city would be trained well enough to diffuse (as opposed to esculate) occurrances such as the one that occurred at Gates' residence. That said, in the portion of the interview proffered Gates unfortunately comes off as rather arrogant -- one can well imagine that he "went off" on the officer. So, "two bads, no rights" as far as I can tell (with limited information).

[Two Cents]

Okay: cop's wrong. Period. (I'm still not a fan of Gates, but that's a separate issue...) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/32142009#32131164 & http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/32142009#32131164

[Two Cents]

. . . and one more (love Maddow's show): http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/32142009#32133926

[GtSmartUSA]

Sgt. Crowley is a racial profiling expert who teaches racial sensitivity to other law enforcement officials. Obama is guilty of profiling by immediately assuming that a white cop was wrong, and the black man was right.... This shows Obama's true racism.... Obama promised transparen­cy... and we can see right through him... What fools we are...

[Two Cents]

There is an incredible amount of racialism in American law enforcement and, unfortunately, being an "expert" on issues regarding race does not immune one from racism or racist action. Indeed, racism at its most insidious is institutionalized and protected under "race blindness.­" On that note, Sgt. Crowley would most likely not have reacted similarly to a aged, white male academic who behaved as did Professor Gates. Regarding Obama, he is hardly a "true racist." For that, go to Palin, the Birthers, and the Obama T-shirt clad Curious George dolls that happily showed up at the Republican rallies during the elections. And do feel free to call yourself a fool; I'll opt out, thank you.

[edwarvir]

Professor Gates has always been cool, but I can't
stand Gayle King. He should have given the interview to Oprah.

[blimie]

Gayle King sounds like she is imitating Oprah when she talks.

[skylights]

"and he said no he said 'the Cambridge Police were stupid and that you were friends'"

No, he never said anything of the sort. He said the police acted stupidly. Big difference. Smart people do stupid things sometimes. Like whoever made this comment--probably a smart person, but a stupid comment.

[DrMajorBob]

Gates was arrested for "contempt of cop". That is, for mouthing off. So much for freedom of speech! The instant the officer knew this was William Gates in his own home, he should have turned the frak around and walked out, no matter WHAT Gates had to say at the time. Staying to control Gates' mouth (like it was a huge threat to public safety) was fascist, authoritative, egotistical policework at a frequent low.

[Pleneras]

On ms. king, using that phrase? it's been used before with no pammy outraged. the republicans are using any criticism to try and convince others that it was MEAN. Poor cops can't figure out that one good cop making a bad decision is not about THEM as a group unless of course they still believe AND PRACTICE the US AND THEM MENTALITY concept.

Meanwhile there are state employees whose paychecks are being hijacked for the summer by Republicans who are refusing to sign the budget, and in doing so hurting millions of people in PA, holding up progress and forcing state employees to run to food banks!

[samaire]

And what about the neighbors calling the police. They dont know he is their neighbor? Dont people introduce themselves anymore or just say hello every now and then. So much for their Neighborhood Watch Program.

[PostModernPatriot]

Yeah, I think this is a key point. With all other elements of the situation being equal, had Gates been a 59 year old WHITE Harvard professor, the lady who called the police would probably have just walked right on by.

The racial profiling happend first on HER part, triggering the whole incident with Officer Crowley.

[Justwonderingy]

i agree with you on that

[jozzie]

And he's so thankful for neighborhood watch and police protection.

[Bluesue]

From what I've read this wasn't a neighbor in the sense we think of neighbors. It was a worker in an office. The neighborhood has houses owned by Harvard and some of them are used as offices. The person who called police was a worker in one of the offices.

It was a good thing for the person to call police but it does make sense that this is why the Professor wasn't recognized.

[Pleneras]

Now they are saying it was a female passerby who called. We like to know why she thought a well dressed man was breaking in and where did her 2nd imaginary black man go?

[toocoldout]

Gayle is cool.

[LaFilleEnRose]

I don't know exactly what went down there but my first reaction was to blame the police, and to think how outrageous the whole thing was. But on reconsideration, I'm thinking, okay, we know the police are really into the power thing and won't take any crap at all. Heck they beat up 75 year old grandmothers -- on camera -- if they get too much lip. But you know, college professors are also notorious for relishing power and authority. Put those two egos in a room in seeming conflict and you have potential dynamite..­.never mind the racial aspect. I'm sure both egos felt more happened to them than really did...even if what did happen wasn't good. I hope they do have a beer with Obama and cool off -- both of them.

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

Well said. Two giant egos; one room. Never a good result. But I think the professor, who is supposed to be educated, overreacted. Yelling, screaming.­.... he was dealing with a cop for god's sake.... usually all ego fueled by adrenaline and little brain.

[Pleneras]

Well when the 2nd and 3rd cop checked the place and there was no one else robbing and it was evident it was his home there was NO NEED to ask the prof to STEP OUT. That's when he got rightfully upset! Stepping out means you can charge him with what you could not when he was inside his home.

No crime, no handcuffs!

[anghiari]

Boy, you really are into stereotypes aren't you....hmm­mmm?

[tlgeiger62]

Well put. I agree wholeheartedly.

[waylon70]

Phisycal response to verbal abuse is a sign of mental incompitance.

[tlgeiger62]

And what role does the ability to spell properly play?

[funkalicious]

Gates proves that he is full of self loathing, immediately he went to the hate place in his heart. It could have gone the other way, he may have reacted in a grateful way, je may have thanked the officer for showing up for an erroneous call an honest misunderstanding. But Gates must hate himself so much that he see's himself as a beaten and oppressed black man in spite of his personal accomplishments and achievements.

Perhaps this self loathing should be the lead in this story of racial profiling. The perception and the racism run so deep as to be the knee jerk reaction of men of color every where who encounter the police.

When I am having my chained pulled by a cop I have no ready excuse like discrimination. Sometimes it would seem easier to fall back on that crutch instead of admitting my temper gets the best of me sometimes.

[Ferrante Photo]

John Burge( Google it )

[Epiphany2b]

Okay, now let me see if I understand this:

When a person feels they have been unjustly accused of something, or backed into a corner, or been treated unfairly, and they react in a self-justifying manner, or in self defense, it is a sign of self-loathing???? Does this only apply to black people? Because in my considerable life experience, one usually suspects a person reacting in such a manner to be stuck on themselves, or at least pretty full of self esteem. If a person hated themselves, wouldn't they think they deserved to be treated badly and not reacted in such a way?

[dimplesmile7]

If a person have common sense then they are going to defend themselves if they are accused of something they did not do. My question is to the neighbor that said there were two black men with backpacks. Who is the second man?