A reporter covering the Palin event went to talk to Obama supporters who were asked to leave. Joe was near a second group of protestors who got tossed. And he got some push back for investigating as well. Here is the story from the reporters at the Palin Rally from the News-Record:
After the rally wound down, he went to find some Obama folks and see if he could talk to who got put out. That’s when at least one guy from the crowd decided he needed to interject his opinion into the conversation. As Joe tells it:
I sidled up to one of the Obama supporters and asked why they were there, what they were trying to accomplish. As he was telling me a large, bearded man in full McCain-Palin campaign regalia got in his face to yell at him.
“Hey, hey, ” I said. “I’m trying to interview him. Just a minute, okay? ”
The man began to say something about how of course I was interviewing the Obama people when suddenly, from behind us, the sound of a pro-Obama rap song came blaring out of the windows of a dorm building. We all turned our heads to see Obama signs in the windows.
This was met with curses, screams and chants of “U.S.A” by McCain-Palin folks who crowded under the windows trying to drown it out and yell at the person playing the stereo.
It was a moment of levity in an otherwise very tense situation and so I let out a gentle chuckle and shook my head. “Oh, you think that ‘s funny?! ” the large bearded man said. His face was turning red. “Yeah, that ‘s real funny…” he said.
And then he kicked the back of leg, buckling my right knee and sending me sprawling onto the ground.
We’re big boys and girls who put ourselves out there and part of the job is tacking flak from both sides. Certainly I have heard complaints from Democrats about “the media” and have been accused of being too conservative. But I have never had the sense that a Democrat was going to get physical in that kind of way. Even though McCain and Palin have taken a kinder gentler tone in their speeches, there was still a real undercurrent of anger at the rallies I covered this week.
I don’t think we are going to see an end to this violence anytime soon. John McCain and Sarah Palin have stirred this up and it has taken on a life of its own now. A truly sad way to try to win an election.
For the whole story here is the Link to News-Record.
TheZoo 
That reporter sounds like a right dumbass…
“This was met with curses, screams and chants of “U.S.A” by McCain-Palin folks who crowded under the windows trying to drown it out and yell at the person playing the stereo.
It was a moment of levity in an otherwise very tense situation and so I let out a gentle chuckle and shook my head. “Oh, you think that ’s funny?! ” the large bearded man said. His face was turning red. “Yeah, that ’s real funny…” he said.”
I wasn’t even there, but even from the reporters own account it is obviously a time to keep your mouth shut. I can’t see how he thought there may be some levity there.
Thats the kind of dumbness that makes one lose sympathy with journalists.
Some of us don’t believe there is ever an excuse for physical violence. Especially not the “dumbness” of the victim.
Shayne, I am not suggesting it is excusable, simply a dumb move by the reporter to even put himself in the postion in the first place. I think the action of the thug speak for themselves and need no comment.
I just do not think the reporter deserves much sympathy for inflaming a situation.
Hey omgdidisaythat, you’re a fan of “keeping your mouth shut?” You better hope I never come across you with your cowardly mouth open (or that gutless redneck who kicked the reporter), or you’ll suffer worse than this reporter. You dig? You spew that kind of nonsense, and you’ll reap what you sow.
“Inflaming a situation”….you’re an utter moron.
dogsoldier99,
you are the one threatening violence, that puts you in the same class as the ‘redneck’ no ?
I am not spewing any kind of nonsense at all. but you are threatening and insulting.
OMG, he may have been oblivious to the tenor of the crowd, but to blame the victim of an assault, a reporter, doing his job, is a bit much.
dogsoldier99,
Cut the threats of violence, or your comments will be moderated.
Thanks.
I remember well the 60’s….Having been in the thick of thing’s then and seeing the return of hate and non tolerance is saddening to me…I’m was then and am now vocal to the point of using swear word’s at dumbasses but I would never threaten or harm another…Not in action’s or word’s…Knowing from experiance the painful result’s of a hater I have never hated…
We are all under attack by this administration and many different group’s, maybe it’s time to remember the past, work hard to not repeat it and most of all guard and protect the Peaceful….This end’s my Friday sermon, I send it out with Blessings
For some reason, I can’t access the link F.R. provided, so I did a little digging and lo and behold, what did I discover…
Trig Makes an Appearance
Warning: If Gov. Palin was upset about the lack of airbrushing on the Time magazine cover, I can only assume that she’ll not have nice things to say about shots 17-20 or 25 and 26.
Is that all it takes then, OMG? Let them whip up anger and let’s all be quiet and not disturb them or they might hit us? No thank you. You may suffer from battered women syndrome, but we do not. I will never not say what I want because some group wants me to not express my opinion/words and are not above using violence to silence me. Quit blaming the victim. Next will laughing get us killed? Wake up already, troll, and see what your party has created.
To all,
I was most certainly not blaming the victim, or suggesting he deserved it, or saying that violence was justified or ok, clearly it was not.
In fact that is so clear to me, that I did not even mention it. Maybe I should have.
I do not in anyway condone the thug who attacked this reporter. He should be arrested and tried for assult.
I will try to expain my lack of sympathy for the reporter in a somewhat more clear manner.
I basic , and I do mean basic understanding of crowd psychology, teaches us that crowds can very easily behave in irrational ways, this is true of rocks concerts, sporting events and polictical rallys to name but a few.
Particularly as this was a political rally; which by it’s nature is adverserial, the feelings of the crowd will always be higher. When violence errupts at such an event a ‘pack’ mentality often overtakes those at the event, leading to tragic consequences.
I am not attempting to make any judgement on the rally itself, or the democratic supporters who lived near by. I was not there and do not know.
What I do know is that the reporter must have been very confident or quite dumb to not realise once he was being confronted by “, bearded man in full McCain-Palin campaign ” who seems to be pretty worked up and aggressive already, and two groups already winding each other up, (music/chanting) that attempting to bring levity to the situation seems to put it kindly, ill advised.
The reporter then goes on to make the point that he has never experinced such a thing at a democratic rally, which may be true, but by no means indicates that such a thing could not just as easily happen, passions run high on both sides.
Bluedahlia, I do not consider my opinion to battered women syndrome, more, common sense, that there is a time for stating your opinions and a time for keeping quiet.
As an example, you may think, that the youth of today swear too much, (I dont know what you think its just an example) If you saw a group of youths walking home one evening clearly the worse for drinking, appearing a bit aggressive, and of course swearing alot. Would you go and speak to them about thier swearing at that moment, I hope you would not. It is not that your opinion is not important or that you are bowing down to pressure, it is simply not the right moment to say something, will not resolve any issues and only create new ones.
I am not of any party, so my party has by consequence created nothing. If I was able to vote in this election, I would not. I consider both parties moraly bankrupt and would not give them further credence by giving them my vote.
I would like to say one more thing.
I am more than happy that you choose to comment on what I write, I enjoy a debate. Please do not insult me out of your own ignorance of who I am or what I believe, I do not do that to you. Simply read what I write, not what you imagine to be between the lines. I will do the same to you, and we can debate in the spirit that I understand this blog was created in.
Thank you Zooey for your moderation.
regards
Having volunteered an done crowd control at an Obama rally I can tell you that this mob mentality is not necessarily normal at a political rally. The Obama rally was the calmest most polite bunch of people I’ve seen. And Obama makes a point of telling volunteers that he doesn’s approve of badmouthing opponents or others who believe differently or arguing with them.
This lynch mob mentality, in all fairness, is something that wasn’t started by McCain but by Palin. Unfortunately, McCain believes it has enhanced Palin’s popularity and so no he practices it himself. He is a sad little man who had rid himself of what integrity he had left.
I trust that this reporter has been in the midst of many crowds and knows to expect better than most of us do. I suspect that if this behavior wasn’t shocking the reporter wouldn’t have commented on it.
I concur with you Shayne,
It does not have to be aggressive or possess a mob mentality, but it was clearly somthing evident at the Republican rally.
I have been to political rallies that are very civilised and indeed freindly affairs, no matter if you support the party or not. I have also been to others where a word out of line could easily mean a very good beating or even your life.
I had the distinct impression that the reporter was a little anti-republican, certainly not pro-republican, of course this impression may well be off the mark.
neoke17
For some reason, I can’t access the link F.R. provided.
Use the top News – Record link at the beginning of the article. I checked that one twice and it works. I’m sorry it didn’t work for you.
omgdidisaythat
The spark was the music coming out of the windows and yelling Obama. That was at the end of the rally.
That was the catalyst, IMHO, the fact that the reporter was amused by it, was more than this wing-nut could take. He obviously has anger-management issues. What is sad is that there were no police around to arrest him and make him ponder what he did. These crazies belong behind bars were they can’t hurt anyone who differs with their opinions.
That is just my take on the situation. These are people who have no tolerance.. Which I believe we need more of. No two people are ever going to completely agree on everything. Another problem has been, the loss of respect for others.
freedomrebel,
I agree with you completely.
I am sure this story is as accurate as the story about people yelling, “Kill him” at the McCain rally, which was later proven false and was linked to one reporter who lied, but oddly enough never corrected their story.
Yep….uh-huh….just like someone yelled “kill him” at a McCain-Palin rally. No one else heard the person “yell” it. Not the Secret Service, not the police. Don’t make stuff up.
Would that be the police who were there yelling “Barack HUSSEIN Obama” while in uniform or the Secret Service who are keeping the press away from people attending McCain/Palin rallies?
I am sure this story is as accurate as the story about people yelling, “Kill him” at the McCain rally, which was later proven false and was linked to one reporter who lied, but oddly enough never corrected their story.
Yep….uh-huh….just like someone yelled “kill him” at a McCain-Palin rally. No one else heard the person “yell” it. Not the Secret Service, not the police. Don’t make stuff up.
You are referring to one story which later proved false. Nevertheless, there are videos on which cries of things like “terrorist” can be heard. I clearly remember seeing John McCain react to calls of “terrorist” at the mention of Obama’s name. He ignored it and moved on, and then later claimed that he never heard things like that at his rallies.
He also claims that things like that are said at Obama’s rallies, but I have yet to hear any examples cited, nor seen any videos of Obama supporters calling McCain a “terrorist”. If either of you could provide a link to such a video, I would appreciate seeing it. (And booing is not the same thing.)
You see, I’m a liberal, and I’m interested in the truth.
Ms. Joanne,
“Hussein” IS Obama’s middle name. Uttering his middle name is perfectly legitimate.
The same people who are irked by the use of Obama’s middle name (because clearly Saddam was a terrible man) were also against the removal of the Iraqi dictator of the same name.
That’s interesting, tsfiles.
I’ve found that people who read something sinister into someone’s middle name are usually warmongers and dumber than a bag of hair.
Thanks for stopping by the Zoo.
tsfiles,
Since it appears you may not understand our view on the subject of using Sen Obama’s middle name. Please allow me to explain.
What concerns us is the reason his middle name is being used. It is intended to stoke irrational and unwarranted fear in the minds of McCain supporters. It is a fact that the Bush Administration attempted to link Saddam to al Qaeda throughs lies and a forged letter. By deliberately using his middle name, they are trying to make people think of Obama and Saddam and then of Saddam and the (false) link to al Qaeda. Then they bring up the name of a former terrorist, now a college professor and respected member of the community, and lie about a “close relationship” between the two, when the truth is quite different.
Through a “guilt-by-association” approach, they are trying to make people think that Obama himself is a terrorist. This is a lie, and I’m sure a smart person like yourself knows that. But not everyone is as smart, and some of them actually believe that not only is Obama a terrorist, but that he’s Arab and, this is a right-wing lie, a Muslim (again, because they have managed to link all Muslims with all Islamic terrorism, this induces more fear.)
They use his middle name to perpetuate a lie.
“Through a ‘guilt-by-association’ approach, they are trying to make people think that Obama himself is a terrorist.”
I follow politics very closely and I have not heard or read of any conservative suggesting that “Obama himself is a terrorist.” We don’t have to invent anything against Obama. As it is, he has more skeletons in his closet than a strip of haunted houses.
“they bring up the name of a former terrorist, now a college professor and respected member of the community, and lie about a “close relationship” between the two, when the truth is quite different.”
You’re very uninformed. Bill Ayers committed terrorist acts and still holds the beliefs that led him to bomb innocents. What he does now or how others feel about him now does not cancel his criminal acts.
Obama remains close to Ayers, began his career with the support of Ayers, worked with Ayers throughout the 1990s.
If Obama was a Republican with connections to a terrorist, the media would have derailed his campaign in 2007. And people like you would be critical of Obama too.
“because they have managed to link all Muslims with all Islamic terrorism”
Besides Muslims, who else works in the name of Islamic terrorism? Not Catholics, Jews, Hindus, Seiks, Buddhists, or Wiccans.
“A straw man argument is an informal fallacy based on misrepresentation of an opponent’s position. […] While a straw man argument may work as a rhetorical technique—and succeed in persuading people—it carries little or no real evidential weight, since the opponent’s actual argument has not been refuted.”
Shayne I have never attended a political rally so I do not know what they are like. But as far as the ones you have worked at the Obama rallies, were there protesters there trying to get in and make a bunch of racket? I don’t know but I guess at some point it has happened but I can’t say I recall seeing any on any of the news outlets. While there seems to be Obama supporters trying to make racket at McCains rallies quite often and disrupt their right to assemble and speak. May make for a more tense situation? The violence is completely uncalled for and I agree with omgdidisaythat.
I also think however these loons that try to cause a disturbance (from either camp) is uncalled for as well and disrupts the democratic process. They have the right to speak their mind but not when their speaking it over someone elses. Don’t the voters have the right to hear both points of view and make decision based on that. If I were at one of these rallies trying to listen and people were playing loud music trying to disrupt it I would be upset and I can see tensions rising.
I think the whole situation is unfortunate myself. It looks bad for the republicans when someone that volunteers for them does something like this. And just think if there were undecided voters there. Did either side do anything here to win them over? I would have been turned off by both.
JMO
Hey Wayne I agree with what you said to tsfiles except for one thing. And I do mean this with the utmost respect. I think were the left is losing the Ayers argument (and they are losing it) is not with guilt by association defense because by fact you are right about that.
It is saying things like a former terrorist, now a college professor and respected member of the community.
That just doesn’t sit well with me and many others. At what point in your opinion is a terrorist able to become a respected member of a community. And at what point is he a former terrorist? Could Bin Laden say well I’m don’t think this terrorist bit is for me anymore, I think I will just do some work here with the people on the local level. Is that okay? I guess what I am saying is that Ayers hasn’t changed his views, he has done the opposite of appologize for his actions (I won’t go into it all). But instead of people playing the guilt by association approach they also defend this guy. It makes the left look like their saying, No Obama isn’t associated with him, but so what if he was. It allows the right to go after Ayers while the left takes up for him (basically). I’ll be honest, I don’t know if Obama was friends with him or not (I hope not) but if he wasn’t wouldn’t you agree that it would be better to play only to that fact and then just let Ayers have to answer for himself?
Lastly Wayne in your responses to Mac and ncarnes I invite you to go back and review the 08 Republican National Convention and I think that should put a lid on the topic if you are a liberal and interested in the truth.
First time coming across this blog – loving the debate here! It’s nice to see a civilized forum in which people are discussing ideas, and asking for charges to be supported.
Personally, I think this entire issue has been sensationalized to the point where it may be creating even more of the problem. By continuing to give press and credence to such statements and events, the divisions between people in the country is increased. Don’t get me wrong, the reporter in the above story has every right to report this story, and people should be outraged by such actions. But unfortunately, the spin placed on all of these events by both sides seems to do little more than to stoke anger within their base.
Democrats are beginning to be angered as much as appalled at the actions of a few fringe elements at McCain/Palin rallies (a group of even 100 out of 10,000 cannot be classified as the majority of supporters by any estimation). And Republicans are spinning it to say that these things are being blown out of proportion, and used as partisan attacks, stoking their base towards more hatred of the “liberal media”, creating more anger, and further increasing the overall problem.
Unfortunately, the further into the land of truthiness and partisan politics both sides get, the more events like this we are likely to see from both sides. For those who don’t think the Democratic side does it, there are videos of Obama supporters protesting outside of McCain rallies calling McCain a murderer. This, too, is a sensationalized opinion that is likely to stoke anger from the other side. While the feeling of the people using such statements is certainly not invalid, and they may even feel that they can back up their point with facts, to go to an opposing rally in a country that is already so heavily divided greatly increases the chance for tempers to flare, and destroys chances of any respectful discourse. It certainly does not lend support to the reactions that have been seen, such as the one above, but it does seem to greatly increase the chances of such responses. It’s truly a sad and disheartening thing to see for those of us who still believe in thoughtful discourse and debate of differing ideals and opinions.
Well said intelligentbydesign. If only everyone could get past their own partisan views to see things honestly like that. The media is both liberal (cnn,msnbc) and conservative (Fox). But people watch the ones that tells it the way they want to hear it and declare it as fact. Very little fact is reported now, instead they each take something that may have actually been said and spin it to make it look like they want it to. Actually the greater crime in the media may be what doesn’t get reported.
This election is more intense than others and emotions are running high. I fear it will only grow worse as the Nov. 4th grows closer. I just hope that whoever becomes President that America rallies behind him and brings a litle pride back to our great democracy. I always hate it when it starts getting ugly like this one is. I am an Independant and have voted both ways but I have to say of all the things that turn me off in this election the two that bother me the most are the flaming comments by the GOP about Obama and his associations and the protesting at the other ones rallies. When did Free Speech become I have the right to talk over you and disrupt your Free Speech? It is totally classless! And is digging up every single bad person Obama may have bumped into or talked to the best that can be done to win the election for the GOP? I know some people really do feel strongly about it. But find something more central to the issues. Even if Obama was buddies with Bin Laden himself it wouldn’t matter! Our government setup wouldn’t allow him to do anything radical to harm the country he would be impeached. Those two things that both sides are doing I find totally classless and only serve to drive me farther away from siding with them. Where’s ole Ross Perot? If we had him in this election maybe the two sides could focus on him enough to make things a little more bearable LOL!
I’m absolutely shocked that some adults can not attend a simple rally to elect a President without resorting to violence. What is wrong with people? It would be different if it was just one or two people behaving in this way – but it hasn;t been one or two people. It has been throngs of people. It is as if they are carrying anger from hundreds of years ago and still haven’t found an evolved way to express themselves. I feel sorry for this country if people that act out in this manner are seen as people that support our country. Yelling ‘country first’ has nothing to do with putting your country first. It has something to do with filling your country with mayhem and violence. John McCain and his spokesperson Sarah Palin should reap everything they are sowing. If their words and actions are for the better good of this country, then all well and good. But I doubt it. I hope they don’t hurt their knees when they fall down from the weight of their consequences.
prohvac Says:
Lastly Wayne in your responses to Mac and ncarnes I invite you to go back and review the 08 Republican National Convention and I think that should put a lid on the topic if you are a liberal and interested in the truth.
intelligentbydesign Says:
For those who don’t think the Democratic side does it, there are videos of Obama supporters protesting outside of McCain rallies calling McCain a murderer.
prohvac,
If you’ll go back to what I said, I said that McCain claims that the same kind of things being shouted at Obama rallies, not the Republican National Convention which, I think we can all agree, was not an Obama rally, and not outside McCain’s rallies. McCain specifically said that these things were being said at Obama rallies.
intelligentbydesign,
I’ll say the same thing I did before:
If either of you could provide a link to such a video, I would appreciate seeing it. (And booing is not the same thing.)
Also, and this is a very important distinction, are the people allegedly shouting these things at Obama rallies actually inside the rally, allowed by the Secret Service to get through? There are videos of McCain and/or Palin rallies where the horrible things are being shouted within earshot of the candidate and do not get repudiated, and the Secret Service let those people in. Are the same things being shouted at Obama rallies without being repudiated? If so, can any of you provide a video? Otherwise, I will find it hard to believe that what McCain says about the same kinds of things being shouted at Obama rallies is true.
I guess when you base an entire campaign on fear and anger, you can expect things to become angry… based on fear.
What a shame that a reporter cannot even fairly and fully cover a McCain/Palin rally anymore without truly fearing for his/her safety.
How sad.
Isn’t it telling that so many people can’t admit that there are people on the same side as them who are stupid, violent thugs, and so accuse the journalist of lying? Sad, really.
Wayne I see whzat you are saying but I think you are missing the point in order to try and make yours. It is all wrong and classless. Are you saying the people that protested and shouted at the RNC weren’t Obama supporters? Has Obama yet come out and denounced their actions? I do not see a difference as to whether which rally it was at.
I do not scour the internet looking for videos in order to make a point. I have seen this one however that goes against what you are saying about McCain hearing these things and not responding to it.
Not really interested in arguing this point especially since I get the impression you are going to defend Obama regardless. If I have read something into your words that aren’t there I appologize. You are entitled to your view and I mine.
By and large, the people protesting at the RNC were anti- war protesters, not there because they were or are specifically supporting Obama.
There are still many people in this country who are very opposed to the continued occupation of Iraq and that Americans are dying for a war we never should have gotten into and continues solely so we can get them to sign away their oil rights.
You can’t simply say these were Obama supporters. That is disingenuous.
Yes, MsJoanne. I’m sure there were just as many Hillary Clinton supporters protesting the war in Iraq as there were Obama supporters.
My point, prohvac, was that McCain has said that the same kind of hateful things are being said at Obama/Biden rallies that are being said at McCain/Palin rallies. I am asking for evidence that what McCain said about Obama/Biden rallies is true. Do you have any?
Protest and dissent ARE the American way, and I’m less concerned with manners than I am the state of this country.
Zooey –
Agreed, protests and dissent are the American way – but so are manners. Part of the reason situations like this exist now may be due to a basic lack of manners and respect for peaceful debate between opposing ideologies. It is one that is being forgotten by both sides. Granted, the Republican side may have generated more egregious offenses, but the whole thing is part and parcel with a general lack of respect and manners that has somehow come about. It’s gotta be stopped, and for that to happen, we’ve all gotta find a renewed sense of decency that starts with being concerned for manners.