Even as of yesterday afternoon, the local news had predicted that Gates would be drinking a Red Stripe (he ended up drinking a Sam Adams Lite). Changing his mind on that was a VERY good move. Can you imagine the political fallout of having the one adversary drinking a beer with RED in its name and the other one drinking a beer with BLUE in its name? (i.e. There'd be speculation that Gates was hinting that he's a closet Republican despite donating to Obama's AND Hilary's 2008 campaigns. Not sure what Crowley's political stripe is.)

Still not sure why Joe Biden sat in on the "summit"... perhaps as a moderator? As some sort of "designated driver" of the discussion, since he was the only one drinking non-alcoholic beer? Lord knows Biden was the one most likely to have said something "stupidly" off-the-cuff and to have re-ignited the conflict!