How could he?
Because Bud Light is the most popular beer in the world, and he felt it was a safe pick. Because our president is not a beer drinker and sadly knows nothing of the stuff. Because, because, because, because! Bud Light is also not owned by an American company, so there's an offense there as well.
Officer Crowley, easily the only real blue-collar, average American working-man of the three, picked Blue Moon, and though I admire his selection of a perceived microbrew, this beer is just terrible (and happens to be owned by Coors.) Seriously, Blue Moon tastes like malted ass. My humble opinion on this matter was justified when The Winemaker was visiting a month ago and he mentioned that "some bastard left a sixpack of it in my fridge" where he said it sat for months before he finally poured it down the sink. (Now, I probably wouldn't go that far, but I can understand the sentiment.)
Hotheaded Harvard Professor Gates chose Red Stripe, working man beer of Jamaica. Red Stripe is also not an American beer, but I think I appreciate the choice -though probably not for the same reasons. (It has that bullseye of an ad campaign, "Hooray beer!") Truth be told, Blue Moon is higher rated than Red Stripe by Beer Advocate, but I prefer Red Stripe, if only because it comes in those fun little bottles.
Anyway, I suspect these were all political decisions, though perhaps not Officer Crowley's, who merely suffers from poor taste, rather than a submission to political correctness (the former being the more easily-corrected condition.) Why Obama couldn't pick a bold, flavorful American microbrew is a disappointment, and I am sure there is a tap of a hundred-thousand consultants (all working pro-bono) from which he could have chosen in this area, myself included. But don't be tempted to think that the new "Beer Czar" is not a political position. (It would be. For example: My beer choice for Obama. What? It's a very popular American microbrew!)
It was thoughtless of our president to not pick Anchor Steam's "Liberty Ale" or any of the Samuel Adams brews. Or he could've procured a few bottles of "Equality Ale" from the Capitol City Brewing Company just down the street from the White House. I've never tasted it, but it seems to me this would have been a fine choice. Because when Crowley and Gates sit down at that picnic table on the back lawn, which side is Obama going to sit on?
Summit to be held this afternoon.
~
