"Tough cultural issues seem to find President Obama.
But in the case of Michael Vick, the once-disgraced football player who went to jail for running an illegal dog-fighting ring, it was Mr. Obama who reached out.
In a phone call with Jeffrey Lurie, the owner of the Philadelphia Eagles, Mr. Obama expressed gratitude for the team’s willingness to give Mr. Vick a second chance in the National Football League.
“He said, ‘So many people who serve time never get a fair second chance,’” Mr. Lurie told Sports Illustrated’s Peter King. “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.”
The conversation was confirmed on Monday afternoon by the White House, which moved quickly to add, via the spokesman Bill Burton, that the president “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.”
It’s not clear when the call took place, or whether Mr. Obama knew his words would be made public. But it’s interesting that Mr. Obama chose to weigh in – even if he thought he was doing it privately.
As my former colleague, Perry Bacon, noted earlier on Tuesday in The Washington Post, Mr. Obama has not shied away from social issues even when the issues do not make for good politics.
He famously mouthed off about the clash between the Harvard professor and the Cambridge police officer during his first news conference as president. He forcefully weighed in on the controversy over whether to build a cultural center with a mosque near ground zero in New York City.
Both times, his commentary generated political debates that the White House had to spend time dealing with.
In the case of Mr. Vick, Mr. Obama risks once again getting in the middle of a contentious debate that mixes together the treatment of animals with questions of personal redemption. A quick search of the Web suggests that Americans remain divided about Mr. Vick’s second chance at fame and fortune.
Mr. Obama appears less divided. But Mr. Burton said the president also called Mr. Lurie to discuss the use of alternative energy at Lincoln Financial Field, where the team plays.
That part of the conversation has gotten less attention."
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/...l-vick-has-second-chance/?partner=rss&emc=rss
But in the case of Michael Vick, the once-disgraced football player who went to jail for running an illegal dog-fighting ring, it was Mr. Obama who reached out.
In a phone call with Jeffrey Lurie, the owner of the Philadelphia Eagles, Mr. Obama expressed gratitude for the team’s willingness to give Mr. Vick a second chance in the National Football League.
“He said, ‘So many people who serve time never get a fair second chance,’” Mr. Lurie told Sports Illustrated’s Peter King. “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.”
The conversation was confirmed on Monday afternoon by the White House, which moved quickly to add, via the spokesman Bill Burton, that the president “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.”
It’s not clear when the call took place, or whether Mr. Obama knew his words would be made public. But it’s interesting that Mr. Obama chose to weigh in – even if he thought he was doing it privately.
As my former colleague, Perry Bacon, noted earlier on Tuesday in The Washington Post, Mr. Obama has not shied away from social issues even when the issues do not make for good politics.
He famously mouthed off about the clash between the Harvard professor and the Cambridge police officer during his first news conference as president. He forcefully weighed in on the controversy over whether to build a cultural center with a mosque near ground zero in New York City.
Both times, his commentary generated political debates that the White House had to spend time dealing with.
In the case of Mr. Vick, Mr. Obama risks once again getting in the middle of a contentious debate that mixes together the treatment of animals with questions of personal redemption. A quick search of the Web suggests that Americans remain divided about Mr. Vick’s second chance at fame and fortune.
Mr. Obama appears less divided. But Mr. Burton said the president also called Mr. Lurie to discuss the use of alternative energy at Lincoln Financial Field, where the team plays.
That part of the conversation has gotten less attention."
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/...l-vick-has-second-chance/?partner=rss&emc=rss
