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Shallow Nation

July 30th, 2009 at 7:47 pm

Obama Beer Summit Video, Photos: White House Beer Summit Video, Photos

Here are Obama Beer Summit video and photos of the White House Beer Summit on July 30, 2009 with Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr, Cambridge Police Sgt. James Crowley, the President and Vice President Biden. The highly anticipated meeting took place at a picnic table near the White House Rose Garden and was the request of Obama who has sought to help diffuse the incendiary discussion that has ensued after the Henry Louis Gates arrest in Cambridge Mass, extensively reported worldwide.

While Obama himself state publicly, “This is not a beer summit,” nonetheless the phrase has stuck to characterize the much publicized meeting. He went on to say, “It’s a clever term, but this is not a summit, guys.” He also noted that he was “fascinated with the fascination about this evening” and that it was three people “having a drink at the end of the day,” and having a chance to “listen to each other.” USA Today goes on to quote the President as saying that the events had become “so hyped and so symbolic.” and he wanted to try to reduce “anger and hyperbole,” and promote “self-reflection.”

Source: Obama: This is not a ‘beer summit,’ just a talk

**Updated with Sgt. James Crowley press conference video and Henry Louis Gates Jr editorial after the beer summit after the jump, along with more Beer Summit video and photos.

The Henry Louis Gates arrest controversy has continued, as the Boston Herald has reported extensively (see: Police tapes fail to put end to saga )

As Lynne Sweet reports, Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Cambridge police Stg. Crowley both brought their families with them to the White House and all of them toured the East Wing prior to the ‘Obama Beer Summit’ The beers of choice were, as follows:

Obama: Bud Light
Biden: Bucklers
Gates: Sam Adams Light
Crowley: Blue Moon

Source: Biden joins Obama, Gates, Crowley for beer at the White House.

Earlier, The Wall Street Journal reported on the controversy of the beer choices (as none were by domestic breweries). See: White House ‘Beer Summit’ Becomes Something of a Brouhaha

Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr wrote about the beer summit: ‘An Accident of Time and Place’

Cambridge Sgt. James Crowley press conference video below.