Reply #6: Good point

[karynnj]

I agree with Beachmom - Kerry was smart to simply decline to comment.

I do think Obama was in the wrong here - not to the degree the RW said, but he did follow up saying that he didn't know the facts and said the cops did something unwarranted. Just as it would have been wrong to assume Gates did something wrong - here, before an audience of millions the President's remarks could be taken to say the cop engaged in racial profiling. (i know that is conflating two sentences, but they were said together. ) Obama's power and status relative to a cop, means that as soon as Obama had an inkling that the story was more complex, he should have called the guy. It's great he did it now - but it looks like he did it because of the outrage of the media and cops.

Kerry and Patrick were in really tough positions. I would actually imagine it was hard for him to see this cop - who didn't vote for Obama, but seemed to not be out to attack Obama (though he did go to talk radio.) It was far worse for Patrick, who is a state official. He likely shouldn't have backed Obama. In both cases, they would have been attacked if they even suggested that Obama was wrong.

As to the ads attacking Kerry as well as Obama - that is just silly, he did absolutely nothing in public.