Obama: Baltimore violence is 'distraction' from police issues

WASHINGTON — President Obama condemned the violence in Baltimore Tuesday, saying it distracts from legitimate questions about police conduct in communities of color.

"There's no excuse for the kind of violence that we saw yesterday — it is counter-productive," Obama said during a joint news conference with Japanese prime minister at the White House.

In a long and at times emotional statement, Obama said that rioters are only gutting their own neighborhoods. "When individuals get crowbars and start prying open doors to loot, they're not protesting," he said. "They're not making a statement — they're stealing."

While decrying a number of problems afflicting urban American, from police violence to poverty, Obama reserved his most venomous comments for those who torched and looted property during a night of violence Monday.

They were "a handful of criminals and thugs" who "need to be treated as criminals," he said at one point.

The nation's first African-American president also expressed condolences to the family of Freddie Gray, who died while in Baltimore police custody. Obama said police conduct in urban areas remains an issue that must be addressed.

"What I'd say is this has been a slow-rolling crisis," Obama said. "This has been going on for a long time."

Police officers, community members, and all Americans need to do some "soul searching" about equal opportunity, poverty, single parenting, drugs, and other problems in parts of the nation, Obama said. Too many people expect to "send the police to do the dirty work of containing the problems," he said.

Throughout his 14-minute answer to a question about Baltimore, a frustrated Obama sought to balance his support of the police with criticism for the actions of some individuals -- a rhetorical approach he also took to urban communities in general.

Americans shouldn't just pay attention "when a CVS burns and we don't just pay attention when a young man gets shot or has his spine snapped," Obama said, the latter comment a reference to Gray.

The president noted that he appointed a task force to make recommendations in the wake of police killings in Missouri and New York, but local officials have to help. "I can't federalize every police force in the country and force them to re-train," he said. "But what I can do is to start working with them."

Obama also paid tribute to Baltimore police officers who were injured during Monday's riots, and noted that most of the demonstrations that followed Gray's death have been peaceful.

Taking a poke at the media coverage, Obama said that "one burning building will be looped on television over and over and over again, and the thousands of demonstrators who did it the right way, I think, have been lost in the discussion."

As Obama spoke, some television networks showed Obama on a split-screen next to scenes of more protests in Baltimore.

During a long statement, Obama made what he described his six points: Condolences to the Gray family, support for the injured police officers, condemnation of the violence in Baltimore, the legitimate concerns of the community about police tactics, the national problem of police-community relations, and the need for all Americans to help seek a solution.

The president at one point apologized to his guest, Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, for the length of his response to a question about Baltimore. He said, "that was a really long answer, but I felt pretty strongly about it."

Obama and Abe held a joint news conference after meeting in the Oval Office, with trade a major topic.

American and Japanese negotiators try to put the finishing touches on their section of a massive trade agreement involving the United States and a dozen Pacific Rim nations.

Among the sticking points that remain: American tariffs on Japanese pickup trucks, and Japanese barriers to U.S. farming products.

"There are many Japanese cars in America," Obama said at one point. "I want to see more American cars in Japan, as well."

Abe also endorsed at least the idea of a trade agreement known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership, saying "it is prosperity that brings peace."

Some Democrats, such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, say free trade agreements wind up shipping U.S. jobs to other countries that have lower wage and environmental standards.

Obama said it's important for the U.S. to nail down the Trans-Pacific Partnership because, otherwise, China will be in a position to write trade rules for Asia. At the same time, he said China — which has numerous arguments with its neighbors over maritime rights and border disputes — should not be threatened by the TPP.

"We welcome China's peaceful rise," Obama said.

Earlier in the day, Abe arrived at the White House for a traditional trumpets-and-flourishes ceremony on featuring military bands and a rainbow of flags. Abe, standing at attention alongside Obama, received a 19-gun salute as the band played the national anthem of Japan, and hundreds of guests on the lawn stood at attention.

The day will end with a state dinner at the White House. Japan native Masaharu Morimoto — a star on "Iron Chef" -- will help prepare the meal featuring an American version of Japanese Wagyu beef. Diners will have the option of silverware or chop sticks.

After dinner, Abe and some 300 guests will be entertained by cast members from the film of the musical "Jersey Boys."