11.11%	Yes
88.88%	No

Comment: NO president should get involved pubically in something like this! He is jst making things worse and really he and Gates are probably laughing at that poor dumb white man for believing them. from brewton al by ida

Comment: consider the source from pensacola\fla by roland

Comment: Definitely not! If this should set a norm, then the president would be holding about a 1,000 "beer meetings" a year. He opened his mouth before thinking what he was saying and is now trying to ease himself out of the corner he put himself into. He needs "pocket tele-prompter. from Loxle by Robert

Comment: No, no, no, no from Crestview/FL by Fred

Comment: The President had no business commenting on the arrest of Mr. Gates. If a white President had made that comment about a black police officer there would be a lot of flax about it all over the country! That white President would be classified as a Racist! from Pensacola, FL by June

Comment: Same thing happens on ever street in every state. A law officer goes out to do his job & every brother in ears shot got to get involved. from Pensacola/Fl. by Mark

Comment: Anything for the media and the tabloids. Next : black professor has white officers child and Obama is now a godfather. This is National Enquirer B.S. Perhaps Bush should have had Saddam Hussain over for a beer. The President needs to mind his own business and focus on the United States not two bickering idiots. Thats their problem not the Presidnet of the United States.Beer is not a solution. I want my President doing his not not playing nanny to misfits. from Pensacola,FL by Flower

Comment: I don't believe the President should be involved in this. It seems to be drawing more attention to it. I believe a mistake was made in making this such a prominent news story, whether it was a racially biased arrest I don't know. I think it was more a concerned neighbor watching out for another that got out of hand. At least I hope in this day and age that there is no longer racial profiling done by law inforcement personnel. from G.B., FL by L.

Comment: No, it will start a racial war. from Baker, Fl by James

Comment: i don't believe the president should be involved in this...!!! if this type of situation keeps on happening the officers of our country will have their hand tied in fighting crime. from gulf breeze, fl. by dave

Comment: Absolutely NOT!! The President has no business in affairs like this. If Obama wasn't a racist he would not have butted in. He should be 'above' things like this. I believe he uses it for his own glory and media coverage. from Pensacola, FL by JRoAnne

Comment: No. I believe that the Havard Professor was prejuidiced against Police. I think Gates reacted bitterly, strongly and hatefully. If I were his neighbor..I'd let his house burn, be robbed, vandalized what ever. Shame on Gates, who tried to use his friendship with Obama. Gates made Obama look unprofessional. from Mobile, AL by Trisha

Comment: I think that this is an excellent chance to not only defuse the situation, but provide a chance for both sides to learn from each other. Only from knowledge can we gain understanding. Only from understanding can we gain acceptance and hopefully friendship. This can only be a positive experience for both. from Pensacola, Fl by Eric

Comment: he needs to tend to what he was voted to do not stir up racial problems

Comment: He's already ruining the national economy. he should not voice an opinion on a local matter! from pensacola/fl by timothy

Comment: I do not think the president should be involved. I also do not think he should have commented on the issue without knowledge of the circumstances. The president was out of line. from gulf breeze, fl. by michael

Comment: The President should stay more focused on national matters, instead of dealing with something the NAACP or local law enforcement could handle. from Milton, FL by Dolores

Comment: Who cares? Anyone and I mean anyone that mouths off at the police in that situation is liable to go to jail. Isn't there any real news to worry about out there? You know corrupt government,loan shark credit card companies and banks,stuff like that. from miltom / fl by dale

Comment: Obama has been so careful not to show any racial bias up until this incident. He made a very unfortunate misstep by getting involved in this one. from Pace/Fl by Barbara

Comment: I think the President has enough on his plate, without trying to perpetuate "racism". The entire incident could have been avoided if that idiot professor had simply explained that he was the resident of the home, instead of show his butt to the uniformed police officer. Why do people with educations NOT understand that police officers most likely do wear name tags, and if not, certainly are identified by patches indicating the city or county that they are employed by. My experience has led me to believe that once 'ASKED' for identity, a uniformed officer will provide his name freely. Demanding of an already underpaid civil servant is nor ever will accomplish anything. Ethnicity has nothing to do with it. from Mary Esther, FL. by Tom

Comment: I think our President acted stupidly commenting as he did on national TV for all the world to see. from Pensacola, FL by Rose

Comment: The "President" "acted stupidly" for getting involved with a local police department's business. And..He is blaming that situation on drawing attention away from his drive to overhaul health care. That is all he is worried about! from Cantonment by Ray

Comment: after he made comment...yes! he does need to follow through and help out. from p'cola fl by h

Comment: I believe that the President doesn't need to get involved with matters like this. There are at least to me more important issues he needs to pay all of is attention too. Not waisting Tax payers money doing something like this. from Mary Esther, FL by Alan

Comment: President Obama's involvement was unnecessary. The incident was a local issue until he opened his mouth "stupidly". from Mary Esther, FL by Roger

Comment: Why should he be? This is more evidence that this man (Obama) is a racist. He can't solve every problem and he needs to focus, focus, focus, on the real, desperate needs of our country and it's citizens now.

Comment: The President's actions were not presidential! A "beer bust" at the White House to discuss the issue was demeaning. from Cantonment, FL by James

Comment: I think if the professor was not black the president would'nt have got involved. from milton fla. by ron

Comment: no, he needs to use his time reading the health plan and the stimulis bill since he appears to be unaware of thier content. from beulah,fl by odis

Comment: That is a waste of time, I believe in communication, but we are in a time where so many homes are out of work. If they want to have a beer, It should have been between the professor and the officer. from pensacola fla. by pamela

Comment: Ridiculous waste of tax payers money and time. from Pensacola FL by D

Comment: Gates, a known racist, is a friend of Obama's. Obama showed his true colors - he is a racist & dumb enough to open his mouth without thinking - nothong new here!!n from Pensacola, FL by Bill

Comment: I would like you to show my comment on the air to see what the people have to say: My comment is I would like to know just how much of the tax payers money was spent for these guys to fly, motel, car and beer. Let's find out the answer WEAR TV!!! from Pensacola, FL by Robert

Comment: I believe that he had every right to be involved, under the circumstances. He was asked about the situation at a news conference; therefore, he was brought into the situation as opposed to simply giving his opinion without being prompted. Also, he is our first African American president and I believe he feels like it is his place to try and bring about racial harmony. from FL by Brandi

Comment: The President made it worse by getting involved in a non-presidential matter. The President showed that he himself will support black friends without even knowing the entire situation. Isn't that racist? I resent that he thinks he needs to teach the country something about racism, when he has much to learn himself. from Pensacola by Mary

Comment: The president was totally wrong in his actions and his words. The police officer was correct in his actions; the lady calling in the 911 call was trying to be a good samaritan; and the professor was totally in the wrong. The professor with his distinguished education could have diffused the situation immediately by presenting his license when requested by the officer. The officer did not know the professor from Adam and therefore had every right to ask for poistive identification. I personnally would not have made the trip to the White House. from Pensacola by Mary

Comment: He has a right to his opinion just like any other citizen. I don't think he gives up that right just cause he is Prez... from Pensacola Fl by Iva

Comment: President Obama has lowered himslef to that of a racial leader. If this was not a planted question in his meeting with the reporter, I doubt if it would have ever came up. His comment of "stupidly" is definately un presidential. It's divisive from Cantonment Fl. by Donald

Comment: An attempt to intimidate the policeman and make him apolige from Pensacola, FL by Charles

Comment: Although the President didn't need to be involved,I think it shows that if we can sit down and discuss our differences, most any problem can be resolved from Pensacola by Gwyn

Comment: Oh PPLLEEAAAASSSSEEEE, there are consumers out there fighting illegal collection practices and mortgage fraud and being forced out of their homes because of the corporate mess that the government is aiding in, yet, a school yard bully session is in the spotlight. The government and media need to focus on the consumers and trying to help them, not 2 grown men. These kinds of arrests are made daily and only a very few are known. from Navarre by TC

Comment: the meeting seems to have been a sucess. the policeman and professor will meet again jn cambridge. from pensacola fl. by dee

Comment: Absolutely not. this was a local matter and the President of the United States should not have commented at all. To make matters worse he commented without knowing the facts. If there is racial profiling, it is from the President. This whole situation is pretty scary considering. from Navarre by Bill

Comment: All this is a local problem,if the president din.t say what he said,this would have went away,and the beer summit,wouldn,t have to happen,he just trying to cover, his butt from pensacola,fl by jay

Comment: That is crazy to use the White House for drinking to resolve any problem. I think the President is acting, and did act Stupidly ! from Pensacola by Melissa

Comment: This was only a racial matter after the racist professor made it that way.If the police had not responded to the 911 call ,the professor more than likely would have called the police racist for not responding to the call because everyone knows that the black community does not get the police protection that the white community gets. from ft.walton beach by mike

Comment: Never before heard of a President getting involved in local affairs...come on Barack,get on with the Presidency from Pensacola, Fl by James

Comment: Is he going to do this everytime there is a problem between black and white? Of course not. So why make this special? from Pensacola/ FL by C

Comment: Just goes to show, you can't take the black out of them no matter how high on the totem pole. from Pensacola,FL by Leonard

Comment: The President has no business interjecting himself into this matter. His involvement caused that police officer to be castigated simply for doing his job. If Professor Gates had simply done what Officer Crowley asked, none of this would have happened, and this country wouldn't be forced to listen to what kind of beer the men like to drink. The whole incident is ridiculous. from Meridian, MS by Robert

Comment: It is stupid to use the White House for any beer party's. From the comments our President made about the Police, I know who the raciest is. It seems there is no end to stupidty. from Milton by Henry

Comment: Pres. Obama should be the one to apologize to the police officer and the American public for responding without having the Facts in Evidence, a prime violation of his law teachings. I do not think anyone really believes that he was just standing up for a homie against a whitey! I don't and I voted for him as a white republican. from Pensacola by John

Comment: since the president made comment about this incident...then he should be involved to settle the dispute...but i think he should have had a "bushwacker summit"...then all three would have come out alright....or ended up in jail....hahahaha from p'cola fl by h

Comment: No, it wasn't his business as is a lot of other things. He's a controller and a meddler. He's sees himself as a ruler (in his own imagination, ha). from Pensacola, FL by d