“Obama conceded his words had been ill-chosen, but he stopped short of a public apology.”~Nancy Benac, AP
(Source: Obama Rushes to Quell Racial Uproar He Helped Fire – ABC News)

Editorial:
Rightly so! Unless Sergeant James Crowley, the arresting officer, apologizes for his overreaction in the incident then President Obama should not be compelled to apologize for saying the officer “acted stupidly” because the same ill-thinking that started this lingers in the form of Crowley’s stubbornness to admit that error. The officer had a judgment call in arresting Professor Gates but let his pride get in the way of what was right. He may not have been technically wrong but he was out of line subjectively. That said, if Crowley can’t own up to his faults, how are we to believe he has really grown or in this case stopped ‘acting stupidly’? Which also speaks volumes about the police unions standing behind Crowley.

However, just because someone ‘acts stupidly’ doesn’t mean that person is stupid. It is merely an intelligent individual having a less than stellar moment. But, it is still right to call them on it, especially in the hopes that everyone learns from that blunder.