A Straw In The Wind In Favor Of Gates

Interesting - the 911 caller asserts, and the Cambridge Police confirm, that she didn't mention the race of the suspected in-breakers when she made the 911 call.  Gates had made a similar claim to the effect that the caller could not have seen him well enough to ascertain his race in one of his early accounts [Link?  When the morning fog clears...].  The good news - we should see something from the tapes soon  [Some (all?) are out; see UPDATE].  From the Globe:

The woman whose report of a possible house break-in led to the arrest of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. said she never mentioned race during her 911 call and is “personally devastated’’ by media accounts that suggest she placed the call because the men she observed on the porch were black, according to a lawyer acting as her spokeswoman.

...

In an interview last night, Cambridge Police Commissioner Robert C. Haas said it was ac curate that Whalen did not mention race in her 911 call. He acknowledged that a police report of the incident did include a race reference. The report says Whalen observed “what appeared to be two black males with backpacks on the front porch’’ of a Ware Street home on July 16.

That reference is there, said Haas, because the police report is a summary. Its descriptions - like the race of the two men - were collected during the inquiry, not necessarily from the initial 911 call, he said.

...In an interview at police headquarters last night, Haas said “it was very clear that she wasn’t sure’’ what the men’s race was. He also said that when the dispatcher questioned Whalen for more details, she told police she could only guess about the race of the two men. “She speculated . . . that one might be Hispanic.’’

The report is a summary?  Well, then, who, if anyone, mentioned that the men were black?  Here is the police report as hosted at The Smoking Gun.  Per that report, Sgt. Crowley stepped up on the porch, then went back to the sidewalk to speak with the 911 caller.  Sgt. Crowley then returned to the porch and saw Gates through the window in the foyer.

Hmm.  Hard to believe the 911 caller realized the possible intruders were black during the sidewalk conversation.  Let's go back to the Globe for a moment:

Whalen phoned police, Murphy said, because she was aware of recent break-ins in the area.

It would be interesting to see the police reports for those break-ins (as if.)  Were there suspects or witness reports?  If other break-ins were allegedly committed by black men, maybe Crowley was doing a bit of profiling.  Or maybe the dispatcher made that point to him.  Or maybe this was just a self-serving bit of fiction in the report.

As to why we care - Crowley's defenders, and others, have pointed out that he could hardly be accused of racial profiling if he had been told to look for two black intruders.  (Of course, others have said that Gates was not a likely suspect because of his age, which strikes me as hopelessly age-ist; it also overlooks the possibility that Gates was having a nasty dispute with a separated spouse at the same address.) 

The good news is that we will be hearing the tapes soon enough:

Hass said yesterday that he expects some version of the tapes to be released in the next few days.

...

Haas said he wants the city to quickly release transcripts and tapes of the 911 calls and of the officers as they were on the scene at Gates’s house.

“It would help us a lot if the tapes could get released,’’ Haas said, adding that the decision is being made by the city’s lawyers and manager, not his department.

One issue that has slowed down the release, he said, is concern over Whalen’s privacy rights, given that her 911 call would be played by the media nationwide. He said some form of the calls will be released - possibly just transcripts - in the next few days.

But Murphy said her client backs having the 911 tapes released immediately.

“She has no objection,’’ Murphy said.

“The police concern is legitimate because it comes from her initial concern they not release her name. But since that couldn’t be done, her concern about privacy has passed.’’

Transcripts?  We want the raw screaming!

IT'S NOT THIS BLACK AND WHITE:  From Radley Balko of Reason:

In the wake of both Gates and Obama escalating the arrest into a national debate about race, too many conservatives took the instinctively authoritarian tack represented here by Washington Post staff writer Neely Tucker:

One of the common-sense rules of life can be summed up this way: Don't Mess With Cops.

It doesn't matter if you are right, wrong, at home or on the street, or if you are white, black, Hispanic, Jewish, Muslim or whatever. When an armed law enforcement officer tells you to cease and desist, the wise person (a) ceases and (b) desists.

The End.

Perhaps on an individual level, this is sound advice. As a general rule, you ought not provoke someone carrying a gun, whether your criticism is justified or not. As a broader sentiment, however, it shows a dangerous level of deference to the government agents in whom we entrust a massive amount of power. And it comes awfully close to writing a blank check for police misconduct.

If there's a teachable moment to extract from Gates' arrest, it's that arrest powers should be limited to actual crimes. Instead, the emerging lesson seems to be that you should capitulate to police, all the time, right or wrong. That's unfortunate, because there are plenty of instances where you shouldn't.

That's it?  Gates had committed no crime, therefore he was free to heap as much abuse as he wanted on the police?  Couldn't Gates have made his points forcefully but politely, or would that have been "capitulation"?

We don't know what happened, and the tapes may not clear it up.  I don't know how loud Gates was, how much of a crowd was watching, or how many times he was warned to stand down or face arrest (neither do Messrs. Obama or Balko).  But, although I don't know whether Gates crossed the line, I think that there is some amount of bad behavior that could have justified his arrest.

UPDATE:  Breitbart has the tape of the 911 call and the dispatcher tape, which more or less ends at the beginning of the confrontation between Crowley and Gates ("Keep the cars coming... He is not cooperative").

Let's see - no mention of race by the 911 caller; the dispatcher clearly says "Race unknown" to Crowley.

Possibly lost in translation - the 911 caller emphasized that she did not know whether she had seen a break-in attempt or a guy struggling with a jammed door.  The dispatcher left out that nuance and described a possible B&E.

Comments

[Jane]

Wouldn't "racial profiling" mean that they went to the house because there were 2 black men there? Since they went to the house where a break-in was reported and the 2 men happened to be black, what difference does it make.

Ogletree is trying to make lemonade from lemons. His racial profiling tour has hit the skids.

[jimmyk]

OT, Clarice already has a plug from Ann Coulter's site. Congratulations.

[verner]

RELEASE THE TAPES! Then let Crowley go to the WH for a beer.

Yeah Jane, where is mention of Crowbar and breaking and entering? DUH

[DebinNC]

Unlike an audio tape, a transcript of the interaction between Gates and Crowley won't answer the question of whether Gates was or was not tumultuous. I hope the city is not going to embargo the audio and let untruths stand (by either man) because it's politically expedient.

[Extraneus]

Why would a driver be wearing a backpack? Who was the other guy?

[Extraneus]

Today's teachable moment.

[DebinNC]

If the tapes vindicated Skip (and Obama), we'd have already heard them. The delay in releasing them likely is due to Obama wanting to get the WH beer photo op done before the truth comes out.

[Porchlight]

The fact that the other guy has still not been identified seems significant to me, Extraneus.

Crowley should say he'll go to the WH for a beer only if he can play the tape for Obama and Gates (and subsequently the public). It'll never happen, but it'd be much more of a "teachable moment" than Obama and Gates have planned.

Clarice, way to go on your AT article!

[clarice]

Thanks, Porch. I messed up the bold on another thread and am afraid to post more.
YIKES.

[Jane]

Can you imagine if Gates thinks he is going into this beer fest to educate Crowley on racial profiling and Crowley thinks he is going into this for an apology. I assume Crowley isn't that dumb, but is he that tolerant. It would fry me.

[jimmyk]

There's going to be enormous pressure on Crowley to concede something. The fact that he's even going to this beer bash worries me.

[Porchlight]

Me, too, Jane. Did you see that NY Daily News piece about Obama's phone call to Crowley who was in a pub at the time? Crowley said "Call me Jimmy" and Obama said "Call me Barack." After Crowley put the phone down "the crowd erupted in cheers."

Ugh. Apparently the Obama charm offensive (and I do mean offensive) still works.

[verner]

Porch, agreed. who was the mysterious driver? Seems like Gates would want him as a wintess. Or Not.

Where was he during all of this? Had he already left? If not, why? Most drivers I know leave right after they put the bags into the house.(Less than 2-3 minutes at best) They've got other work to do and don't usually hang around.

It seems like if we know Whelan's name, we should know his by now.

[Old Lurker]

Clarice, you are a rock star!

[Jane]

Now I get it. From La Shawn Barber LUN:

Whalen was accused of calling the cops because the men were black, not because they appeared to breaking into a neighbor’s house. The 911 tape refutes that. Unfortunately, the lack of racist behavior on the cops’ or Whalen’s part will not change the minds of people who believe that Gates, who should know better, is some sort of oppressed martyr. Idiotic.

That doesn't seem to help gates, contrary to TM's proposition.

~
I think Crowley should be gracious to both Gates and the President. The lines have already been drawn. If they try and destroy him he's got enough cards in his pocket.

Yeah I want to know the driver too.

[verner]

Ugh. Apparently the Obama charm offensive (and I do mean offensive) still works.

Uh Huh. And don't you wish you had the recording of the "private" conversation between Gates and Obama that preceded his call to Crowley?

How much you want to bet the words "white trash", "stupid" and "racist" came up a time or two?

Trust your instincts Crowley. The so-called President is a fraud and is just using you as his pet poodle.

[Gabriel Sutherland]

In my experience, the tip handoff and a handshake is the good bye to the driver. I've never had a driver hang around unless it was because I had forgotten to tip. Gates says he did tip and the driver left.

The "This Week" ABC News broadcast from yesterday is good viewing on this subject. George Will was puzzled by the fact that they were even discussing this story in response to claims from Arianna Huffington and Donna Brazille that this was a moral moment in American Culture. Huffington brought up Abraham Lincoln as a President who leads on moral character and Will responds by citing the fact that Lincoln's moral character was using the White House on a deeply moral mission - ending slavery.

I cannot locate a transcript, but the videos can view viewed at this link.

[Jane]

Cambridge Police holding a news conference at noon.

[DebinNC]

American Spectator:

"We were looking at House hearings on the matter moving fairly quickly, and that wasn't going to be good for us or for Gates," says a White House source. "We needed this thing to go away and go away fast." ...Early Friday, the White House got wind of Rep. Edolphus Towns' interest in holding hearings into the matter of Gates' arrest, and more broadly looking into the issue of racial profiling by law enforcement. Towns is chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, as well as the senior House Democratic Member of the Congressional Black Caucus. ...Adding to the desire to get the story buried was the media's seeming refusal to let the story drop.

[GMax]

Crowley voted for Obama. Its not amazing to me that he thought having a beer with the President was a good enough trade for being trashed by him. Whether or not he gets a lecture from Gates and/or Obama and how he ultimately takes that, remains to be seen.

Lets speculate on the beer invovled. I say PBR for Crowley, malt liquor for Obama and white wine spritzer for the cupcake.

[Jane]

WOW Wendy Murphy coming out on the side of Crowley.

[Extraneus]

Is it possible that the driver was already gone before two men with backpacks jimmied their way into the house? In other words, could it be that there were two passengers in the driver's car?

[WestWright]

Crowley voted for Obama, if he did so, IMO Crowley is as big a fool as Gates. Jeez the white guilt must be a real stench in the NorthEast, how do reasonable people stand it?

[Porchlight]

Adding to the desire to get the story buried was the media's seeming refusal to let the story drop.

That naughty media! Not letting things drop as instructed!

[verner]

Wooo. Crazy wendy is on Fox, and she just said that Gates was saying things like "you're going to believe a white woman over a black man."

But Wendy confirms that the woman NEVER mentioned race.

Release the TAPES. Obama needa a teachable moment.

[Thomas Collins]

Charm offensive or not, Obama has lost some of pallor moderates who won't come back to Barack. Unless Barack plans on a landslide in 2012 (virtually impossible) or substantial ACORN ballot stuffing (possible, but unlikely), he can't afford to lose many of pallor moderates.

My suspicion is that there is going to be a Bradley effect here (let's call it a Gates effect in this context). There will be of pallor moderates who are afraid of being considered racist, but are bitter about the race hustling involved in this matter. They might say undecided or even Obama when asked by a pollster about 2012 POTUS preferences, but they will be voting GOP. Reagan Democrats? There will be a big swing to the GOP from Reagan Democrats over this (not just this issue, but I think that this issue is disgusting to more folks than will express their disgust to a pollster).

[clarice]

My fingers are raw from writing Ogletree and Gates mash notes encouraging them to never give up this fight and never to stop talking about it.
And you guys?

[DebinNC]

So Wendy's client told her she was too far back from the house to tell the races of the two men, but she was able to hear Gates say... "you're going to believe a white woman over a black man." What does that tell us about Gates' claim that severe bronchitis prevented him from raising his voice?

[centralcal]

wow - I could hardly believe that was crazy Wendy! Hair, makeup, demeanor, and comments were quite reserved. Not her usual wild eyed screechy self at all. Which, really is to her client's benefit that she not be the Wendy I usually hit the mute button for.

[Crystal Mangum]

"WOW Wendy Murphy coming out on the side of Crowley."

Be still, my genitalia

[armadillo]

Yes, there were other break-ins as well as other recent claims of crime-related racism at Harvard. Two months ago, a black student was murdered during a drug deal at a Harvard dorm only a few blocks from Gates' home. Maybe locals are on edge for a reason.

But never fear, there's always a racism component. Like a take-off* from The Committments, we get this:

A Harvard University senior barred from graduating next month because of her alleged connection to a drug-related shooting on campus says she's being singled out because of her race. **** The Brooklyn native says she was singled out "because I'm black and I'm poor."

*("So say it once, say it loud: I'm black and I'm proud.")

[Porchlight]

And also how did Gates know that the caller was female and white?

I am beginning to smell a set-up here.

[Strawman Cometh]

You can take the girl outta the 'hood...

[Jane]

I hope these guys aren't about to announce a joint program on ending racism paid for by the stimulus package. That sounds like the way the presidebt would buy his way out of this.

[fdcol63]

You know the saying "DWB" - "Driving While Black"?

Now there's another:

"PWW" - "Policing While White".

Which means that you're compelled to "give a Brutha a break" even if he's guilty of something for which you'd normally arrest a white person just to avoid charges of "racism" from black elitist race-mongers and all the hyper-criticism that follows.

[RichatUF]

Porchlight-

I am beginning to smell a set-up here.

???

[clarice]

The report, TM quoted from says Crowley went out and spoke to the witness before returning to speak to Gates which is robably how Gates knew she was the person who reported the break in.

No set up.

[Porchlight]

Rich,

It's just weird. Weird that the other guy disappeared and has not been identified, weird that Gates would be yelling about the "white woman" who had called 911 on him (presumably Crowley would not have told him the caller's sex and race, if Crowley even knew), weird that a crowbar was available to get the door open, weird that Gates immediately afterwards started talking about making a racial profiling documentary, and weird that Gates' buddy Obama made a definitive statement about the case and about racial profiling in general on international television within days after the arrest.

[Porchlight]

Aha, fair enough, clarice, thanks. I still think it's all very strange, though.

[Jane]

Clarence Thomas just tweeted that a "major announcement" was coming at 1:30.

Sheesh I wonder if it is another retirement.

[Gabriel Sutherland]

I wonder if Gates is broke or just seeding his next PBS investment.

[jimmyk]

Crowley voted for Obama

Are you sure? I distinctly remember Crowley saying on the video interview that was linked somewhere (I can't find it right now), where, in response to a question about Obama's press conference comments, he said "I didn't vote for him."

[Jane]

I still think it's all very strange, though.

That's because it is all being crafted as we speak. Think of Mr. Presidebt with Play Doh...

[Danube of Thought]

The pro-Gates spin would be that Crowley concluded that he was a burglar because he is black.

Way to go, Claice--first thing I read this morning.

[Jane]

Are you guys watching?

[jimmyk]

Just found the video. Crowley says he did not vote for Obama ("I didn't vote for him.") It's at 2:00 in the LUNed video.

[clarice]

Thanks,DoT..

Jane--I'm reading the live thread at DR.

[Jane]

Robert Healy - city manager speaks - doesn't want Cambridge defined by that day, is announcing a group of national organized experts to determine what we can learn from that incident. (Sell outs - Obama gets his way) Lessons to be applied to policies, practices and training programs to the Camb police. (This is bad)

[Jane]

Assessing Race and race and race and race and race for the Cambridge police department -

[clarice]

Terrible for Obama, I think.

The rest of the country is getting really ticked off at this carpola.

[Jane]

I dunno, I think it is exactly what Obama wanted - and I bet he suggested it. It may end up being bad, but it makes Crowley look guilty.

[Jane]

The Mayor:

This is a turning point for the city.

Okay so what happened to all the comments?

[Jane]

They are going to release the tapes.

[verner]

I agree Clarice, I want to reach through the TV and smack that idiot healey. And as for Denise Simmons--oh please. A committee! How about, we support our police when abusive citizens are out of line.

It is soooo obvious that these bozos are covering Obama'a ass with all the multi-culti gobbliegook.

If the police union has any balls, they will call the BS. And they should. This kind of crap is going to get people killed.

[Rob Crawford]

This is the normal game that gets played when an activist screams "racism" at the police. The police are presumed guilty, punished, and then there are a bunch of comfy city jobs created that happen to get filled by the activists' friends.

[verner]

Well, sounds like they will indeed release the tapes. Hee Hee.

And how much are all the stupid committees going to cost?

[clarice]

They'll release the tape of the 9/11 call right after the presser..perhaps this carp is just to assuage Gates' feelings.

I don't know how much danger this all puts the police in--but--if I were a homeowner in Cambridge I'm on notice that the race baiters have scared off neighbors from calling in suspicious break-ins.

[Thomas Collins]

Please, let the major announcement NOT be that Thomas is retiring. The current SCOTUS's record of legislating from the bench will pale in comparison with what will happen if an Obama appointee replaces Thomas, Scalia, Roberts, Alito or Kennedy.

[Porchlight]

Praying for the same thing, TC....

[Jane]

Hey TC - sorry about you CEO

[Jane]

It will be interesting to see exactly how long it takes to get the audio out.

[Porchlight]

Just in case anyone was under the impression that it wasn't dangerous to be a cop:

Okla. man shoots dead 2 officers, hits passerby
Sheriffs tried to serve domestic abuse warrant after suspect’s mother's call

RIP.

[Danube of Thought]

The fact that the caller didn't mention the suspects' race tends to impeach the police report and Crowley's credibility.

The speeches at the presser made me sick.

[MayBee]

The fact that the caller didn't mention the suspects' race tends to impeach the police report and Crowley's credibility.

He got a report of the call, then went and saw the guys in the house were indeed black.
He juxtaposed those two things in his mind.
But does that really make it more plausible that Crowley mistakenly believed Gates was yelling at him about believing a white woman over him?

Don't you expect some discrepancies?

[clarice]

DoT, unless that is what the dispatcher implied to the cop.The 9/11 calls do not go to the guys in the field.

[verner]

Black dispatcher. Unknown on the race. Haha

[Jane]

It's out

[Cecil Turner]

That doesn't seem to help gates, contrary to TM's proposition.

Yeah, I don't see it either. In any event, the "racial profiling" charge was out to lunch from the get-go: Crowley was responding to a 911 call, not stopping someone based on his own judgment. He was obliged to go to the residence in question, and to investigate whomever he found inside, regardless of race. Gates' assertion that racial profiling was involved is farcical on its face.

I from the presser that they're going to release the tapes (though I'm not sure if it's transcripts or the actual audio . . . hopefully the latter). Oughta shed some light on the actual events.

[Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet]

Dispatcher:

Unknown on the race, but one may be "hispanic".

Means there is at least some suspicion perps weren't white.

[clarice]

"Dispatcher to cops: They have suitcases. Unknown on the race...one may be an hispanic male i’m not sure."

[verner]

Waiting on Fox for commercial breaks. I'd like to read the transcript too.

And I'd like to note something, since Obama and Gates have made this a racial issue.

We now find that not only is the mayor (Crowley's boss) African-American, but also the dispatcher who was listening to all of this.

And the 911 call sounds very calm and measured. And she NEVER mentions race--the dispatcher does.

[Danube of Thought]

Does Gates yell?

[Jane]

Boy the caller came across well - the dispatcher not so much. Did he says: "Are they white or hispanic?"

[centralcal]

Are they "white, black or hispanic," appears to be the dispatchers question.

[Smilin' Jack]

Westwright @ 11:19 AM:
"Crowley voted for Obama, if he did so, IMO Crowley is as big a fool as Gates. Jeez the white guilt must be a real stench in the NorthEast, how do reasonable people stand it?"

Yes, it's bad, West. Up here in NY dairy country, the only thing that can overpower the white guilt stench is fresh cow poop. Unfortunately the cows can't poop fast enough to keep up.

[Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet]

I think I heard this:

911 responder: Are they white, black or hispanic?

Caller: What?

Responder: Are they white black or hispanic?

Caller: I think one was hispanic, I didn't see the other one because he was in the house.

[verner]

Jane, maybe it's just me, but the 911 dispatcher sounded like a smart ass. He sounded like he was interrogating the caller instead of getting the story and responding.

He kept making the caller repeat herself.

He's the one that needs a seminar on manners.

[Original MikeS]

From the police report: "Gates told me that the door was un securable due to a previous break in attempt at the residence."

Was there a previous break in attempt at the residence? If so it is still doubtful that it left the door un securable. Gate wouldn't have had to break in that night if that was true.

I'm not a college professor, but if I broke into a house with a crowbar I would expect the police to come. Is this a thought that would never even cross the mind of a college professor?

More confusing to me, is that when the police did come, Gates was surprised, offended, and belligerent.

I'm generally not one to imagine ulterior motives, but in this case I have a theory. I think Gates did realize that the police may come, and he thought about it. He realized that if he behaved reasonably the police would leave once they were assured that Gates belonged in the house. However, Gates was also aware that a racial incident at his own house, might help him sell books and movies about racial profiling.

[memomachine]

Hmmmm

FoxNews just played the 911 audio tape:

1. Caller did not identify "two black men".

2. Caller, at repeat pushing by 911 operator, described one man as "hispanic" but was unsure due to distance. Did -not- describe other man as he (Gates) was inside the house.

3. Caller mentioned suitcases and that these men might live at the house.

4. Asked for police to investigate because two men broke the screen door and were seen pushing in the door to the house.

5. Caller mentioned other recent breakins in that area.

[Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet]

The 911 responder speaking with the reporting caller sounded to me like a white male; the dispatcher speaking with the police going to the scene sounded like a female with black speech patterns.

[centralcal]

Who was the "other" man? Been on vacation and trying to keep up . . . sorry if this question has already been answered numerous times.

[Rob Crawford]

Gates' assertion that racial profiling was involved is farcical on its face.

Yeah, but didn't you see that piece this weekend on how asking for Gates' ID had its origins in an early-1800s fugitive slave law? After all, no whites are ever asked for their IDs!

[Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet]

The dispatcher told the officers: Race unknown but one may be a hispanic male, or words to that effect.

[MayBee]

The caller sounded like the typical person who isn't sure she saw something that needs to be called into 9/11, but doesn't want to risk *not* calling.

[DebinNC]

CC, the second man was a driver hired to get Gates home from the airport. He left before the police arrived....I think.

[Rob Crawford]

Who was the "other" man?

The (limo?) driver who took Gates home from the airport.

[Jane]

VDH is spectacular today - LUN - he also says that Gates is personal friends with the Cambridge Mayor and Governor.

[memomachine]

Hmmm.

The other man?

The guy who drove Gates from the airport. Maybe a cabbie? Limo driver?

In case anybody is considering the idea that perhaps the cops should have taken a cue from the type of limo or car at the house; cops see some wierd stuff.

So you really can't make assumptions.

[Porchlight]

From the police report: "Gates told me that the door was un securable due to a previous break in attempt at the residence."

Was there a previous break in attempt at the residence? If so it is still doubtful that it left the door un securable. Gate wouldn't have had to break in that night if that was true.

Good catch. It sounds like the door was perfectly securable when Gates arrived, hence the need for the break-in as you say. After Gates and friend pried it open with a crowbar, not so much.

That seems pretty close to a lie on Gates' part.

[clarice]

He was described originally as Gates' "driver" and it was said that Gates doesn't drive and regularly engages this man.

Here airports are often crowded and one can't always be sure of finding parking, so we engage a service to take us to and from the airports. I'd assumed that was this situation...a private carrier used for drop offs and pick ups at the airport.

[verner]

Called Gates "gentleman" requested Harvard Police. Whooo. Racist.

And we're going to have a commission over THAT.

Also, if that was Crowley's voice, he sounded calm and cool.

[centralcal]

crap - my local cable provider has lost sound to FNC!!! They were going to play the police transmissions. Rats.

I will rely on you guy's reporting, since that is all I have (sob).

[Jane]

Crowley did sound calm and cool. Unfortunately you can't hear Gates except some muffled sounds around the "unruly" part.

I still and angry about this pretend commission and I want to know who is paying for it.

[centralcal]

Thanks all for answering other man question. Sound finally back on (@%&$!)

[DebinNC]

I want to know who is paying for it

I wonder if it'll come from "stimulus" funds.

[centralcal]

btw - out of desperation I tried CNN and MSNBC and they weren't even reporting on it (at least when I tuned in). Found that interesting.

[Extraneus]

I were a homeowner in Cambridge I'm on notice that the race baiters have scared off neighbors from calling in suspicious break-ins.

Not just Cambridge. This *is* a teachable moment, and it's teaching people far and wide -- both citizens and cops -- to err on the side of letting blacks commit and be victimized by crimes. The alternative, trying to help, could get you burned.

[MayBee]

Sounds to me dangerously like there is no race-based teachable moment here.

[verner]

Jane, if the stupid mayor is indeed a personal friend of HLG, she should have said so in the presser.

She has thrown Crowley to the dogs, and the rest of the Cambridge police with him.

And for what? He didn't properly kiss HLG's 57% white ass?

I honestly hope some gang-banger doesn't break into Gates house, rob him and shoot him. For one, I doubt the neighbors will bother to call 911 when they hear the gunshots. But if they do, the perp can just tell them that he's the owner's nephew, and they will have to turn around and leave thanks to Healey and the Mayor.

[John]

But, although I don't know whether Gates crossed the line, I think that there is some amount of bad behavior that could have justified his arrest.

Unless you can justify this claim under the actual statute, this is fallacious reasoning.