The Cop, the Professor and the President of the United States

In an incident now familiar to most Americans, a Harvard professor arrived home from a trip to China to find his door jammed. He and his driver tried to force it open, a neighbor reported a possible break-in and Cambridge Police Sergeant James Crowley showed up at the home. After a verbal confrontation about racial profiling, Henry Louis Gates was arrested outside for disorderly conduct, a charge that was later dismissed. The White House says tonight’s "beer summit" is an effort to start a dialogue on race relations in the United States. It follows President Obama’s comment that a white policeman acted “stupidly” by arresting Gates. Was it a case of “racial profiling?” Was the professor first to raise the issue of race? Did the President make a political blunder? Is it a "teachable moment" or a distraction from healthcare reform and the rest of the White House agenda?