ALERT| Obama Says He Regrets His Language on Gates Arrest

President Obama said Friday that he "could have calibrated"
his words more carefully in the racially-charged controversy
over the arrest of a Harvard professor, making a surprise
appearance at the daily White House briefing to try and cool
the tensions surrounding the case.

Mr. Obama said he had talked to the arresting officer and
hoped the case could become "a teachable moment" to be used
to improve relations between minorities and police officers.