Obama again steps outside the lines

[ChasC5]

If you’re going to Talk the Talk, you will need to Walk the Walk!

Sooner or later, “everyone” who is convicted of a crime, but is not sentenced to life in prison, will eventually return to society after they have served their time to society. Always has been, always will be. It;s the Law of the land. I as a Dog Lover and Dog Owner was appalled, and I denounced his actions and demanded that Vick be tried and convicted for the Crimes he committed towards animals. I insisted that his celebrity status and money have zero barring on the facts of his crimes..



On Vick, Obama again steps outside the lines
On Vick, Obama again steps outside the lines


By Perry Bacon Jr.
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, December 28, 2010

HONOLULU - President Obama doesn't seem to shy away from the divisive social and cultural topics that Americans are debating in their living rooms, gyms and workplaces.

He has spoken out about the responsibility of fathers to raise their children, has condemned the arrest of a prominent black Harvard professor who said he was the victim of racial profiling, was heard chastising Kanye West for the rapper's rude behavior at the MTV Video Music Awards and recently said his views on gay marriage were "evolving" from his previous opposition.
On Monday, the buzz was about how the president had weighed in on the redemption of Michael Vick. Obama phoned the owner of the Philadelphia Eagles to praise the team for giving a second chance to the quarterback, who is again a National Football League star 19 months after leaving prison for his role in a horrific dog fighting ring that killed pit bulls by electrocution, hanging and drowning.

The president has not spoken publicly about the call, though aides acknowledged that it took place. But Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie told Peter King of Sports Illustrated and NBC Sports that during their conversation Obama was passionate about Vick's comeback.

"He said, 'So many people who serve time never get a fair second chance,' " said Lurie, who did not indicate when the call occurred. "He said, 'It's never a level playing field for prisoners when they get out of jail.' And he was happy that we did something on such a national stage that showed our faith in giving someone a second chance after such a major downfall.''
Bill Burton, a White House spokesman, said Obama "of course condemns the crimes that Michael Vick was convicted of, but, as he's said previously, he does think that individuals who have paid for their crimes should have an opportunity to contribute to society again."

Burton added that Obama called Lurie in part to discuss plans for the use of alternative energy at Lincoln Financial Field, where the Eagles play.
Vick, whom endorsers shunned after the dog fighting controversy, is now the pitchman for a Nissan dealer in Woodbury, N.J., outside Philadelphia. But the general manager of the dealership acknowledged in an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer that he had taken some criticism for embracing the quarterback.

Fans in Philadelphia and elsewhere have generally stopped bringing anti-Vick signs to games as they did last year, but Vick's emergence as one of the league's top players - and a most-valuable-player candidate - has revived debate about whether he should be so enthusiastically embraced less than two years after he left prison.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said Obama's call was appropriate, noting that Vick himself has given speeches across the country apologizing for his crimes.

"Obama's a sports guy, Vick's a sports guy, and comebacks and redemption can happen," said Ingrid E. Newkirk, the group's co-founder and president. "We all want a president who can lift us up and move us forwards when ugly things happen, but that cannot let us forget and remain watchful to avoid future abuses."

At the same time, Newkirk said, the embrace of Vick by the president carries risks, as many people remain revolted by his crimes. Vick pleaded guilty in 2007 to the dog fighting charges and served a 19-month sentence that ended in May 2009. According to court documents, he financed a series of pit-bull fights in which bets were placed. At least six dogs that did not perform well were drowned or hanged.

Soon after his sentence ended, the Eagles signed him.
Newkirk strongly criticized the quarterback's recent remark that he would eventually like to have a pet in his home.

"You don't forget," she said. "In the same way, you would hope a pedophile would get a chance at what he does [in his career], but you wouldn't want him to get another child in his home," she said.

Obama is not the first president to be curious about what Americans are thinking and talking about. President Bill Clinton also urged American fathers to do better, while President George W. Bush condemned the widespread use of steroids in baseball.

Obama's supporters welcome his interest in matters beyond the customary arenas of policy and politics.

"He's not only leader of the government but also a role model and a moral voice for the country," said Neera Tanden, a former Obama adviser who is now chief operating officer for the Center for American Progress, a liberal Washington think tank. "And that is why he's discussed the role of parents as their children's first teachers, chastised absent fathers, as well as commented on issues that raise ethical concerns in the culture, outside of politics."

[Exotix]

On December 11, 2007 apologetic Vick gets 23-month sentence on dogfighting charges ...

http://www.sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3148549




RICHMOND, Va. -- Michael Vick was sentenced to prison Monday for running a dogfighting operation and will stay there longer than two co-defendants, up to 23 months, because he lied about his involvement when he was supposed to be coming clean to the judge who would decide his fate.


The disgraced NFL star received a harsher sentence than the others in the federal conspiracy case because of "less than truthful" statements about killing pit bulls.

Vick said he accepted responsibility for his actions, but U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson said he wasn't so sure.

"I'm not convinced you've fully accepted responsibility," Hudson told Vick, who arrived in court wearing the black-and-white striped prison uniform he was issued when he voluntarily surrendered Nov. 19 to begin serving his sentence early.

Despite the early surrender, a public apology and participation in an animal sensitivity training course, Vick was denied an "acceptance of responsibility" credit that would have reduced his sentence. Federal prosecutors opposed awarding Vick the credit.



Dogs that did not perform up to expectations were killed by electrocution, hanging, drowning and other violent means by the dogfighting ring.

Hudson said evidence, including statements by the co-defendants, showed Vick was more directly involved than he admitted. Hudson also mentioned that Vick had been deceptive on a polygraph test. Though that evidence was not admissible in court, the results were discussed.






Convicted for Dogfighting in 2007 ? ... are you kidding ?




"Who in their right minds would send 360 tons of cash into a war zone?"

February 6, 2007

Waste in War: Where Did All the Iraq Reconstruction Money Go? - ABC News

[mrvette]

On a scale of problems, where does this one fall??

[ChasC5]

Originally Posted by mrvette

On a scale of problems, where does this one fall??

From what I read, it looks like he simply called to congratulate the team, and not to identify a problem. He probably watched a little Football on his Vacation. But I have to confess, I’m guilty of that same crime.

[ChasC5]

So when POTUS makes a phone call; that means its problem?

Every hear of Sports Fans?

[ChasC5]

Originally Posted by TxAg

Very generalized statement Chas. Care to get more specific?




No one ever said he wasn't entailed to his opinion.



However, in the grand scheme of things, would you agree/disagree there are more pressing issues for him to comment on or address?

Burton added that Obama called Lurie in part to discuss plans for the use of alternative energy at Lincoln Financial Field, where the Eagles play.

Reading is fundamental ...

[ChasC5]

Originally Posted by TxAg

"However, in the grand scheme of things, would you agree/disagree there are more pressing issues for him to comment on or address?"

Not on Vacation, if he’s like me, he’s talking Football (College and Professional) … is there really any other Sport going now?

It's not like he has his own Ranch.

[ChasC5]

Originally Posted by TxAg

The PotUS is never fully on vacation, ever like you or I.

Heck even when I'm "on vacation" my durn Blackberry is going of with people needing answers to questions.

If a lowly person like myself is needed for answers, I'm sure the PotUS is even more so.



Which has nothing to do with it. The veiled Bush jab is childish.

Not everyone can do more than one thing at a time.

[ChasC5]

Originally Posted by TxAg

The PotUS is never fully on vacation, ever like you or I.

Heck even when I'm "on vacation" my durn Blackberry is going of with people needing answers to questions.

If a lowly person like myself is needed for answers, I'm sure the PotUS is even more so.



Which has nothing to do with it. The veiled Bush jab is childish.

When I'm on Vacation, I can rest assure that people I delegate to can actually do the job.

Well at least he can watch a Football Game without choking on pretzels’ and girly Beer.

[Exotix]

Was it taken out of context ?


Tucker Carlson: Michael Vick should have been executed | ProFootballTalk


In the two days since Peter King first reported on Football Night in America that President Obama had applauded the Eagles for giving Michael Vick a second chance, the story has moved from the sports world into cable news — where there have been some harsh comments for Vick and for Obama.

On Monday there was a fierce debate on Fox News Channel about the matter, but that was nothing compared to what Tucker Carlson said on Tuesday about Vick.



“I’m a Christian, I’ve made mistakes myself, I believe fervently in second chances,” Carlson said. “But Michael Vick killed dogs, and he did in a heartless and cruel way.

And I think, personally, he should’ve been executed for that.

He wasn’t, but the idea that the President of the United States would be getting behind someone who murdered dogs?”



If Carlson supports the death penalty for involvement in dog fighting, his version of Christianity is more of the Old Testament than New Testament variety.
For its part the White House says that the purpose of Obama’s call to Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie was to discuss the use of alternative energy at Lincoln Financial Field, and that when the subject of Vick came up, Obama said that he condemns Vick’s crimes but believes convicted criminals should have a chance to contribute to society when they are released from prison.


*Onward christian reich-wing wrakkos*

YouTube - Fox News' Tucker Carlson thinks Michael Vick should be executed

[mrvette]

Originally Posted by TxAg

Yes and no.

Multitasking FTW!

My wife is expert at baby sitting multi clients at the same time.....

[Peter Pan]

The real reason Vick got his second chance is he has talent few on the planet have, now the kid who robs a 7-11 when he/she gets out has a hell of a time with a second chance, seems the POTUS can fix this, he has after all kept unemployment under 8% and healthcare premiums from rising faster than the non inflation the Govt has reported the last 2 years. I have no problem with his second chance, the little comparision is something I know about, I hired a felon for a second chance and paid the individual the same as I do any that are starting out with no experience. This person failed within a month doing something very wrong in my office and was back in jail. I did my experiment and will not again