Bill Kristol: Obama an 'Arrogant Man'

On FOX News Sunday yesterday, the panel discussed Obama's comments about the arrest of Henry Louis Gates by the Cambridge police.

Obama declared that the "Cambridge police acted stupidly."


Bill Kristol didn't mince words.

BILL KRISTOL: The President could have called Mara (Liasson) instead of talking to Robert Gibbs and others. And that's a very charming formulation you had, that the president could have said, 'You know that was a stupid thing for me to say.' But he can't say that for some reason. You know, that would be too self-deprecating; and I think he is an arrogant man.

And he feels entitled to pass judgment on Cambridge cops, or on pediatricians who allegedly are referring people to get tonsillectomies. The cops are stupid. The pediatricians, I suppose, are greedy and venal. He feels entitled as president of the United States to stand up there and pass these judgments. One of them backfires politically, and he tries to walk it back.

'Oh, calm down. I'll have them for a beer at the White House.'

He can't say that he said something stupid.

Kristol is right. Obama refuses to admit that he said something stupid. And Obama is an arrogant man.

But in this case, I don't think his refusal to own up to his obvious stupidity is about his arrogance as much as it's about old habits and politics.

The community organizer in him won't allow him to apologize to the Cambridge police and law enforcement across the country. The congregant of Jeremiah Wright would never say that Gates played the race card.

It wouldn't be politically expedient for Obama to acknowledge his shameful remarks and alienate the race-baiters that applaud him for bashing the police.

Talking about having a beer is so much easier, and cowardly.