Barack Obama swapped jokes with ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel last night, laughing it up at the expense of a few million bucks in taxpayer-funded security. But he also turned to a serious note, speaking about the two police officers shot in Ferguson. He extended brief condolences to the wounded officers and their families before launching into predictable race-baiting. “[W]hat had been happening in Ferguson was oppressive and objectionable and was worthy of protest,” Obama asserted. “But there was no excuse for criminal acts. And whoever fired those shots shouldn’t detract from the issue. They’re criminals; they need to be arrested.” He later added, “[T]here was a whole structure there, according to the Justice Department report, that indicated both racism and just a disregard for what law enforcement’s supposed to do. As I’ve said before … it is not unique, but it’s also not the norm.” Obama isn’t directly responsible for the actions of the criminal who fired on police, but he isn’t helping the situation either. It is not appropriate for the leader of this country to repeatedly tell angry rioters and looters they have perfectly legitimate grievances against racist cops. But that’s why you don’t put a community organizer in the White House.