I would have refused President Obama’s invitation to have a beer at the White House.

Why?

Because I don’t want to be a pawn in Obama’s publicity stunt.  Let’s be clear: this is an opportunity for Obama to save face.  Regardless whether you think Crowley acted “stupidly,” or whether Gates acted irrationally, most people in the media and general public agree that the President of the United States has no business commenting on a small, local, and largely immaterial police arrest.  Yet he did, and it backfired, and now Obama feels the need to break bread with both sides in this dispute and massage egos in order to rehabilitate his own image.  I would rather let Obama make a fool of himself on his own and keep it from rubbing off on me.

Because Obama clearly has more important things to do.  This country is falling deeper into a recession.  Jobs are evaporating.  North Korea is firing missiles.  Iran is building a nuclear weapon.  We still have those two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  The dollar continues to lose value.  Deficit spending is out of control.  We still don’t have a plan for finding alternative sources of energy.  And Obama has the time to have a beer at the White House with two private citizens?  Is he not as worried as we are about where the country is heading? 

Because I don’t want to be a distraction.  The President and the country have a lot on their plate.  I have no problem going on my merry way and allowing Obama the opportunity to do his job.  I also would rather not be part of the 24-hour news cycle for an extra couple of days.  I don’t mind my 15 minutes of fame, but 10-15 days of it is a little too much.

Because I am not going to apologize to Professor Gates.  The esteemed professor expects that I am going to apologize to him at the White House.  I will never apologize for doing my job.  Nor will I allow some insulated Harvard professor lecture me about how to perform it.   

Finally, because I don’t think Obama truly likes beer.  He is an elitist who has lived a charmed life and had everything spoon-fed to him.  I am a blue-collar, hard-working police officer.  I have worked for everything I’ve earned.  If I want a beer, I’ll go buy one.  Moreover, if I want to drink beer with someone, I’ll go throw a few back with my buddies in Cambridge, not some “hope and change” Messiah who thinks he can change the world simply by showing up.  People like Obama and his Ivy League circle of friends drink triple mocha lattes and wine, not beer.  Why should I help Obama pretend that he’s one of us when he’s not?

Thanks, but no thanks, Mr. President.