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“My Choice of words didn’t illuminate, but rather contributed to more media frenzy, that was unfortunate.” “There are some who say as the President, I shouldn’t have stepped into this at all, because this is a local issue, I have to tell you, that part I have to disagree with. The fact that this has become such a big issue, I think is indicative that race is still a troubling aspect of our society.” –- U.S. President Barack Obama

On July 22nd, President Barack Obama said “police acted stupidly” when arresting Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates. That comment has started controversy on the president’s role in this race sensitive issue. President Obama addressed the media Friday that he “could have calibrated those words differently” in his earlier remarks.

Our research shows that media have different views on Obama’s involvement in the Gates incident. MSNBC’s chief White House correspondent says the White House learned a good lesson from the incident.

“When the president weighs in, on a news story that’s captured the imagination of some, it’s going to get even greater headline…but I think this was an abject lesson on sort of, this is what happens when the president comments on a stories that are kind of out of his normal sphere.”

But Gates’ attorney applauds the president’s involvement in the issue and offers a different interpretation of Obama’s choice of words.

“If you look at the word stupid used by President Obama, he’s used it to criticize himself over and over again over the last couple of year, so for him, it’s a term of art, but when you have a national audience, and you involve yourself in a debate like this, it can create the kind of controversy it did.” (FOX News)

However, New York Daily Columnist Michael Goodwin disagrees. He says Obama shouldn’t have got involved in the first place.

“He b/m  vv    egins by saying that Gates is his friend, and then adds I don’t know all the facts, well I think any of us speaking in public at that point would say ‘time out, that’s all I’m gonna say.’ If you’re the president of the United State, you should be bells going off in the room that’s saying stop right there, Mr. President.” (FOX News)

But Georgetown University Professor Michael Eric Dyson gives credit to Obama’s media address on Friday, and says it shows that he’s a good leader.

“That is an indication I think a profound leadership, of a depth and integrity, at least the willingness to acknowledge that I’m gonna ask the American people to do some stuff, I gotta be willing to say I was wrong myself.” (CBS News)

The Wall Street Journal has a different perspective and suggests that the incident challenges Obama’s broader agenda.

"The incident highlighted social divisions that Mr. Obama hoped had been eased by his election as the nation's first African-American president. The emotions triggered by his comments on the Gates arrest suggest that the issue of race continues to hang over his presidency."

So do you think Obama’s involvement in the Gates incident was reasonable? How do you think this affects his image as the President of United States?