That angry heckler was directly in front of the President for over 30 seconds unchecked.

[Divine Discontent]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cP-FTX5tVg

First off, President Obama behaved like a Christian for all to see during this nasty screaming assault by this extremist religious nut, and it was the fake supporter who behaved like a devil. I want that known by those who do not agree with us on here, but who read DU and will be attracted to this story. Jesus Christ was not reflected in that man screaming angrily and pointing his finger at Barack Obama. The president reflected the gentle spirit of a Godly man, not that extremist nut.

Barack smiled, as the guy started screaming in anger, nodding his head and saying "I agree", but about 10 seconds in, it turns scary when the guy, while rocking back and forth, yells that the President is the antichrist. Barack looks over and raises his hands, as if to say, seriously, how long is it going to take to get some help here?

Barack wisely kept his eye on the short bald-headed white man (unnamed to this point) and his actions nearly the entire 38 seconds. What I have a concern with is that this religious extremist was so close to the President for so long, and the Secret Service protection was nowhere to be seen for over a half minute. This is a wake up call to them because those nuts are out there in the millions. We're not even in 2012, and I have been concerned that this past year things have gotten so acrimonious in D.C., and 1 in 6 people in poverty, that we're going to see unstable people lashing out at our president at events. The teanuts would love to have one of their idiots run from their front row vantage point to try and hurt BO. That sickens me, because no matter how angry and disgusted I was with W, I wasn't hoping someone would hurt him.

I am posting because I am shocked it took well over 30 seconds for the protection to actually work its way through the crowd... That seems unbelievable. He deserves better protection than that displayed. He shouldn't have to keep smiling and watching this loon closely to see if he was going to try to come at him, just a few feet away.

http://www.zazzle.com/republicans_2012_keeping_millions_out_of_work_bumper_sticker-128002960205017719
http://www.cafepress.com/barackobama12

[victoryparty]

1. inexcusable

Security lapses like these are inexcusable. We have to be thankful that the man did not rush the stage, or worse.

[Autumn]

2. 30 seconds is too fucking long.

Someone should have been very aware of that creep and should have been glued to his side.There is no excuse for this. K/R

[Hoosier Daddy]

5. Five seconds is too fucking long!

Warren Commission: Oswald got off 3 shots in 5 seconds. Inexcusable, as stated above.

[Divine Discontent]

16. agreed - 5 sec after he yelled "antichrist" he should have been grabbed. I like how PO was thinking

on his feet and watching the guy, and even was trying to make sure SS could check his coat, but then found out it wasn't that nut's. This was painful to watch, as the seconds went on, and it became 10, then 20 then 30, then nearly 40 seconds, I thought, is the president going to have to walk off because no one is there for him? He had to say something to them after this debacle. It makes me wonder about what someone said below about it being a 'message'. Hey, I don't discount the possibility of anything. I don't agree with many things the WH has done, but I support him any day over the RW SOB's and he's our president. He has taken a noticeable shift to the left and become more supportive of the people, and I say good job to that. I just want him to be protected while he does it, and as you said, 5 seconds after the guy goes cuckoo is too long for them to be there on him.

[brooklynite]

3. I'm thinking the Secret Service was closer than you think...

The President was on stage. The heckler had been thoroughly screened coming into the building, and was down in a crowd that would make it hard to impossible to get up on the stage, upon which I'm certain there were protective agents out of camera range.

[Divine Discontent]

14. I'd say that is not the case, because this was an embarrassment for them, as the president is seen

looking off to the left raising his hands asking for something to be done, and finally, after another half minute you see SS wading through the front line to get the guy. That's really poor protection.

[ClassWarrior]

24. Then I'd say you don't know what you're talking about.

I've been to these kinds of events, and the SS is always there ready to spring into action. But SS agents aren't ushers.

NGU.

[nichomachus]

4. Just a little message from the Powers that Be

"Behave or else, Mr. President. We can let them get to you."

[Mimosa]

8. You might be right.

Scary.

[gordianot]

9. Much like uninvited guests at White House receptions. "A message". nt

[gordianot]

10. duplicate

[needledriver]

6. I thought this was going to be

a thread about how under the previous administration the heckler would have been:

1. Herded into a "Free Speech Zone" and never allowed anywhere near the President.

2. Butt-stroked to the ground within seconds of opening his mouth (foot on head optional).

3. Neither a plumber nor named Joe.

[alsame]

7. And the religious zealots are the most dangerous, they think

they're acting on orders from Jesus.

[mucifer]

11. They probably have to go thru metal detectors to be in the audience

and they can't have half of the audience be secret service.

[Mimosa]

12. True.

I've been to rallies and campaign events. Went through metal detectors, purses inspected, and nobody's allowed to carry in anything like signs or umbrellas, even outdoors.

[Divine Discontent]

13. where is it that anyone is asking for half the audience to be SS? One person at the front

protecting the world's most powerful politician would suffice. There is no protection for him, and the guys have to wade through the front line on the left, to come get the extremist.

[Empowerer]

22. Why do you think there was no protection?

Just because you didn't see an agent in the head on camera shot does not mean that none were there. They were all over the place.

The President was not in any danger and he was very well protected.

[JoeyT]

26. If I had to guess,

I'd say the protection in front of the President was sitting right where they were to make sure the nutjob couldn't take off running towards him, or to make sure the loud guy wasn't a diversion for another attack by another person in the crowd. The guys wading in from the front line on the left to drag him out were probably the guys designated to do just that. That's just how I'd do it if I were them. I have no idea if that's how it's done.

I could be completely wrong about that. I have no idea who was or wasn't SS in that crowd and neither does anyone else on here. I do know they tend not to screw around and they're pretty good about having a bunch of people spread through the crowd.

Edited to add: You're right that it is kind of scary. However, he doesn't look like he thinks he's in any danger, and (I guess?) he knows who and where the Secret Service agents are in that crowd.

[Kennah]

15. Heckler shouting about Jesus interrupts Obama fundraiser, taken out

I rather like the Post's headline.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/heckler-shouting-about-jesus-interrupts-obama-fundraiser-taken-out/2011/09/26/gIQAzxUS0K_story.html

All were definitely screened before they got in there, and if there had been anything resembling furtive movement, the Secret Service woulda been on the guy like stink on shit.

[Divine Discontent]

17. "shouting about Jesus Christ" ha... yes, that is funny! It took them nearly 30 seconds after Obama

raises his hands asking why it's taking so long to get help, for them to get over to him in the video. That's too long.

[Empowerer]

23. I doubt that had anything to do with his security

He was probably wondering how the hosts and his advance team let this guy slip through and when they were going to make him shut up.

That's not a Secret Service function - Secret Service does not shut people up or keep them from yelling at the President, which is their constitutional right, as long as they do not pose any physical threat to him, which this guy did not do. This was a political lapse on his staff's part, not a security lapse.

[ellisonz]

18. That's My President!

:fistbump:

[lynne]

19. The heckler didn't even have time to throw one shoe, -

- much less two, so it appears to me that protection and response time has actually improved under Obama.

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Empowerer]

21. The President was never in any danger

Secret Service was fully on top of this.

They weren't in the camera shot but trust me - as soon as the guy started yelling, the agents were on him like white on rice - and also in perfect position to shield and evacuate the President if necessary - the President was not in any danger.

They know what they're doing.

[Cigar11]

27. Agreeed ....

Everyone was checked before entering, so the only think he could have thrown, other than the Bill Shit from his mouth would have been his shoes.

[donheld]

25. You have to say Obama was a class act as always.