Can a man call a woman pretty?

The president of the Unites States, President Obama, called California attorney general Kamala Harris the "best-looking attorney general". See:

Obama calls Kamala Harris "the best looking attorney general"
Flirter in Chief? Obama calls California official "best-looking attorney general" | Fox News
President Obama bashed for calling Kamala Harris "best-looking attorney general" - NYPOST.com

He is getting a lot of criticism for it. The remark is called sexist. He is also being accused of making a pass for her. I don't think he is making a pass for her. I think he is just giving her a compliment. I appreciate President Obama doing it. I think there is nothing wrong with it.

I feel like saying that Preeti Dwivedi is a pretty young woman but I am afraid she would not appreciate it. Is it wrong to simply state the truth?

What do you think?

Alright, I think I may have an answer for you. The same I mentioned to some of the young guys at the Summit. When you are a public figure (an actor, a leader, a writer, blogger and so on), you have a responsibility. You're idol to many people. People have a different image of you. You become more than a person. You must act more than yourself. You are surrounded by boundaries and you must act within those boundaries. This is how people see you and expect from you.

There is nothing wrong Obama giving compliments to the AG but this act was public. The compliment was personal but people see it as a comment from a President. As a president, Obama has some boundaries and limitations. I know it is wrong but this is how people see it. This is how real world is.

So to answer your question - Can a man call a Woman Pretty? Sure he can. But that is not the question. The question is, can the president of the United States call his co-worker pretty?

As a responsible parent, I must behave within my limits around my kids.