President Obama's Beer Date: Is It Just Me....?

...or is the whole come-over-to-the-nation's-house-and-have-a-beer-thing kind of - contrived?

Listen people. Y'all know me. I am the Barack Obama groupie from way back. I loved Barack Obama back when loving Barack Obama wasn't cool, though these days it's hard to remember a time when that was true. And believe me, I do understand the need to keep things politically on an even keel, but I personally believe the whole "BBQ with the fellas" thing is overboard. And unbecoming of his office.

I also find it to be less than what the situation warrants. I think there is an opportunity to here to have a REAL discussion about not only what took place that day at Dr. Gates' house, put to discuss President Obama's (rightful) reaction to it, and the subsequent fire storm. I think what is being lost here is the President's God-given right to offer an opinion about something from the only real place he can offer an opinion from - as a black man.

Weigh in, people. Do you think the whole beer-fest approach is the most effective way to deal with this situation? Should he make Part II of the Philadelphia speech on race? Or go behind closed doors with these two guys, have it out, and then the three of them join hands cum-by-ya-style and make a statement to the media? Personally, I prefer the latter approach.