Threats yelled at Obama at rallies: Are the on the same level as remarks from a columnist?

[TestudoAubreii]

I just wanted to get everyone's take one this. I think it is kind of, oh...I don't know...out of touch, to think that a columnist's opinion is on the same level as threats such as "kill him" or "terrorist." Anyhow, this is what Keith Olbermann's had to say about it:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#27188417

morrisonicus

[Mithie]

This type of behavior only goes to highlight one key point of western democracy - Don't vote for the guy with the lynch mob behind him.

[Vladimir Lenin]

I just wanted to get everyone's take one this. I think it is kind of, oh...I don't know...out of touch, to think that a columnist's opinion is on the same level as threats such as "kill him" or "terrorist." Anyhow, this is what Kieth Olbermann's had to say about it:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#27188417

morrisonicus

God I hate Keith Olbermann.

But anyway I don't see how shouting terrorist or anything else at him is bad. (Except the threats.)

[JP226]

Who cares what Olberman has to say.

[TestudoAubreii]

All right, scratch what Olbermann has to say. What about what McCain says? Is it on the same level? Should he be demanded repudiation?

morrisonicus

[danzig]

All right, scratch what Olbermann has to say. What about what McCain says? Is it on the same level? Should he be demanded repudiation?

But he did say the comments were out of line...hell the man stopped a person who was talking to him at a town hall meeting from going on a mini rant. Sorry but if either Obama or Mccain addressed EVERY moronic statement made by reporters they would be spending 24/7 doing it.

[TestudoAubreii]

But he did say the comments were out of line...hell the man stopped a person who was talking to him at a town hall meeting from going on a mini rant. Sorry but if either Obama or Mccain addressed EVERY moronic statement made by reporters they would be spending 24/7 doing it.

That's true, but he did not say anything right away. I mean the day he heard that first comment, he should have said something to those people that day. Waiting for a week, after more rants and shouts, makes it look like his is repudiating because it is a good move politically.

And actually what a columnist has to say holds more weight then random moron in a crowd does because they reach a far bigger audience.

Reporters and columnists may have more pull than some nut yelling threats and insults in the air, and that's just it, the columnist is making a political statement based on his opinion and the others is threatening, with all intents and purposes, someone safety.

morrisonicus

[danzig]

Reporters and columnists may have more pull than some nut yelling threats and insults in the air, and that's just it, the columnist is making a political statement and the others is threatening, with all intents and purposes, someone safety.

And likely hood of it being a credible, real threat is like zero. Look we've gone thru 8 years of pretty much anything and everything that can be said about a person negatively has been said about Bush. It comes with the job unfortunately. I just dont see a big deal about some random idiot yelling something in a crowd.

[Dayman]

Who cares what Olberman has to say.

Who cares who's saying it?

[Oswald von Wolkenstein]

Who cares what Olberman has to say.

Me. I love Kieth Olberman. Find one thing he says that is factually incorrect -- his margin is about 1% -- Factcheck.org had Limbaugh as high as 70% incorrect and O'Reily at about 40% -- so say what you will about Olberman, but he's not lying like his counterparts on the right.

I hope we have a national holiday devoted to Kieth Olberman, who bravely fought for truth and justice during the Dark Ages of America. There's a term for you: the Dark Ages of America - 2000-200?

TRUE AMERICAN HERO: KIETH OLBERMAN

TELLING TRUTH TO POWER AND IDIOTS

[Vladimir Lenin]

TELLING TRUTH TO POWER

It's people like you that end up making the term, "Truth to Power" totally meaningless.

[Oswald von Wolkenstein]

It's people like you that end up making the term, "Truth to Power" totally meaningless.

How so -- in this case? With Olberman specifically.

[Vladimir Lenin]

How so -- in this case? With Olberman specifically.

Olbermann is not being raided by swat teams, he's not under house arrest, he's not being oppressed.

Tiananmen Square Protest is truth to power.

Alexsander Solzhenitsyn is truth to power.

Olbermann ing on the T.V is not truth to power.

[danzig]

Me. I love Kieth Olberman. Find one thing he says that is factually incorrect -- his margin is about 1% -- Factcheck.org had Limbaugh as high as 70% incorrect and O'Reily at about 40% -- so say what you will about Olberman, but he's not lying like his counterparts on the right.

It isnt about being factually right...its about how he uses those facts to paint a bigger (and more biased) picture. OReilly does the same exact thing.

Sounds like a Democratic O`Reilly neither of them shud be one the air.

Pretty much.

[touchmaster]

Me. I love Kieth Olberman. Find one thing he says that is factually incorrect -- his margin is about 1% -- Factcheck.org had Limbaugh as high as 70% incorrect and O'Reily at about 40% -- so say what you will about Olberman, but he's not lying like his counterparts on the right.

I hope we have a national holiday devoted to Kieth Olberman, who bravely fought for truth and justice during the Dark Ages of America. There's a term for you: the Dark Ages of America - 2000-200?

TRUE AMERICAN HERO: KIETH OLBERMAN

TELLING TRUTH TO POWER AND IDIOTS

lol, I should of known that, coming from a democrat.

[danzig]

Olbermann is always so funny when he attempts be morally outraged...about as funny as OReilly. Yes someone shouting terrorist in crowd is a threat TO THE ENTIRE NATION and its all John Mccain's fault. Maybe Keith should look for a job in standup...hell he is funnier then Daily Show! And actually what a columnist has to say holds more weight then random moron in a crowd does because they reach a far bigger audience.

[Sher Khan]

Olbermann is always so funny when he attempts be morally outraged...about as funny as OReilly. Yes someone shouting terrorist in crowd is a threat TO THE ENTIRE NATION and its all John Mccain's fault. Maybe Keith should look for a job in standup...hell he is funnier then Daily Show! And actually what a columnist has to say holds more weight then random moron in a crowd does because they reach a far bigger audience.

Dodging the point here.

Representative Lewis made a comment on demogoguery from the McCain-Palin campaign where they whip up crowds with distasteful populist pandering and untruthful fear-mongering. The very same game caused several deaths during the Civil Rights movement.

Obama has no obligation to answer the rhetoric of another congressman.


McCain and Palin, however, hear calls for death right from their audience. Audiences their campaign brought in and whipped up.


Just because you don't like Olbermann shouting doesn't make him any less right.

[danzig]

Dodging the point here.

Nope I addressed it and addressed it even more further down...the fact is there is no "point" here. A campaign isnt to blame for what morons who support them say. Whether its Rev Wright, whether its some congressman or some random yahoo in a crowd.

Just because you don't like Olbermann shouting doesn't make him any less right.

No it doesnt but he is wrong regardless of my dislike for him.

[Mithie]

All right, scratch what Olbermann has to say. What about what McCain says? Is it on the same level? Should he be demanded repudiation?

No.

All's fair in love and democratic elections. Freedom of speech and all that.

Besides which, this kind of behavior is self-destructive, and is probably the reason behind Obama's recent lead in the polls.

[Sher Khan]

The difference, here, is that neither Wright nor Lewis were instigated by Democratic campaign workers with unprofessional demogoguery.