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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Obama regrets 'stupid' comments | Obama regrets 'stupid' comments |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| US President Barack Obama has told reporters he should not have described the arrest of a black Harvard professor as "stupid". | US President Barack Obama has told reporters he should not have described the arrest of a black Harvard professor as "stupid". |
| Mr Obama has faced criticism for wading into the controversy during a televised news conference on Wednesday. | Mr Obama has faced criticism for wading into the controversy during a televised news conference on Wednesday. |
| Professor Gates was apprehended at his own home after a witness saw him apparently trying to force his way in. | Professor Gates was apprehended at his own home after a witness saw him apparently trying to force his way in. |
| He was held for disorderly conduct after allegedly accusing the arresting officer, Sgt James Crowley, of racism. | He was held for disorderly conduct after allegedly accusing the arresting officer, Sgt James Crowley, of racism. |
| Making a surprise appearance at the daily White House press briefing, Mr Obama said he should have chosen his words more carefully at his Wednesday news conference. | Making a surprise appearance at the daily White House press briefing, Mr Obama said he should have chosen his words more carefully at his Wednesday news conference. |
| "Because this has been ratcheting up and I obviously helped to contribute ratcheting it up, I wanted to make clear in my choice of words I think I unfortunately gave an impression that I was maligning the Cambridge Police Department or Sgt Crowley specifically," Mr Obama said. | "Because this has been ratcheting up and I obviously helped to contribute ratcheting it up, I wanted to make clear in my choice of words I think I unfortunately gave an impression that I was maligning the Cambridge Police Department or Sgt Crowley specifically," Mr Obama said. |
| "I could have calibrated those words differently," he added. | "I could have calibrated those words differently," he added. |
| Mr Obama also revealed that he had spoken to Sgt Crowley on the telephone, and described him as an "outstanding" officer. |