Beer politics

In the face of one of the biggest reforms to health care in almost a decade, another story is stealing the headlines: a beer picnic.

It all started with Henry Louis Gates Jr., an African-American Harvard professor who was arrested July 16 for trying to break into his own home. The arresting officer was Sgt. James Crowley, a white policeman, who arrested Gates for disorderly conduct and racial harassment.

Following the arrest, President Obama was asked about Gates, a close friend of his, during a health care press conference. Obama’s response was that the officer in the case “acted stupidly” by arresting an elderly black man in his own home. He also said police officers disproportionately target minorities. This response set off a firestorm of criticism across the country, from police unions to white conservatives.

The White House tried to downplay the controversy, but the statement began resonating through the news world. Obama tried calling the police officer and commending him as a public servant, but the controversy didn’t die.

So Obama made the next logical move: sit down and have a beer. Gates, Crowley, Vice President Joe Biden and Obama all sat down Thursday to hash out the controversy at a picnic table in the Rose Garden. In case you are wondering, Obama had a Bud Lite, Crowley a Blue Moon, Biden a Buckler and Gates a Sam Adams Light.  

The goal behind the meeting was to use the informal setting as an example for discussing race relations in a different format. It was intended to show how even the most important and powerful people in our country can sit down and talk like the rest of us.

This might seem odd for the leader of the free world, but should we be surprised? It has happened before – in our home state, in fact.

During the Indiana primary, Obama visited a Veterans of Foreign Wars post in North Liberty, Ind., and enjoyed a Bud with some potential voters, according to the New York Times. Once again, his goal was to be able to relate to the blue-collar workforce. Maybe he should have had a different beer seeing as how he lost the Indiana primary.

So what can we learn from these beer picnics? Politicking involves beer now?

Obama is trying to divulge from the traditional baby-kissing approach to politics. He is trying to bring a personal touch to politics that has been missing since the Reagan years.

Legislation and agreements can only go so far in solving social problems. It takes social interaction between races in a relaxed environment (and a social lubricant) to break down cultural barriers. As our nation’s first black president, Obama is in an unprecedented spot to bridge the racial gap.

Although beer might not always be the answer to our nation’s problems (we certainly don’t want an alcoholic for a president), in this case, beer may just hold the answer, facilitating the exchange of gifts between races. Bottoms up!