Theodore Roosevelt had "speak softly and carry a big stick". For Harry Truman it was "the buck stops here". John F. Kennedy urged us to "Ask what you can do for your country". Will Barack Obama be remembered for the iconic phrase "Let's have a beer"?

Continued...

Whether you believe the Gates/Crowley Affair is an important chapter in the story of race relations in America or a media-fueled tempest in a teacup, it's clear that it has offered us real insight into our current president's ideals. Weighing in on a local issue during a national press conference after admitting he didn't know the facts of the case showed real hubris. Declaring, without proof, that a law enforcement officer had acted stupidly and stating that anger is an appropriate first response to an officer doing his sworn duty showed something much worse.

There are many people, including Mr. Obama and Mr. Gates, claiming this is a "teaching moment" in America. It might be, but exactly what lesson is being taught?

According to White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, "Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates and police Sergeant James Crowley will probably join President Barack Obama for a beer within the next several days." (source) Setting aside the obvious waste of a world leader's time for such an event, the beer summit" will undoubtedly be nothing more than a photo op with no resolution of the matter at hand.

Certainly we will not see the "teaching moment" of a black man who belligerently and falsely accused a white officer of racism apologize to that officer. And we will not hear the president admit he erroneously judged the actions of that officer before getting all the facts. No, chances are the "teaching moment" we'll see will be Sergeant Crowley being publicly humiliated again as he sips his beer and the president says it's time to move on.