# Democrat thuggery, Boston style. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 13, 2010, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrat-thuggery-boston-style/524797 "2010-01-13T17:23:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrat-thuggery-boston-style/524797/1 "2010-01-13T17:23:01Z")
Evidently, a Weekly Standard reporter was pushed to the ground by someone affiliated with the Martha Coakley campaign. Here is an article with video: [http://bostonherald.com.nyud.net/news/politics/view.bg?articleid=1225332](http://bostonherald.com.nyud.net/news/politics/view.bg?articleid=1225332) You can’t see the actual push, but you can see the thug, Michael Meehan, continue to attempt to impede the reporter. The AP confirms that the person who did the initial pushing was Meehan. Assuming thing are as they appear, what should happen to Meehan? Should nothing happen, like nothing happened to [this other democrat thug?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-34E-yJxz4) I think he should immediately be arrested and prosecuted as severely as the law permits. You? Just came across [this.](http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/section/breakingnews) He tripped, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrat-thuggery-boston-style/524797/2 "2010-01-13T17:27:24Z")
Your link doesn’t work. In any case, why does this have anything to do with Coakley, whoever she may be? The “thug” gets assault and/or battery charges; the campaign goes on. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrat-thuggery-boston-style/524797/3 "2010-01-13T17:29:38Z")
Oh, go on then - I’ll dip my oar in here. I’m all for journalistic freedom and that, but just what did these “reporters” expect to get from these encounters? Perhaps if they behaved more like civilised human beings, and not star-crazed groupies or the human equivalent of rabid hyenas, they might get treated with a bit more respect? ps. link worked for me. ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrat-thuggery-boston-style/524797/4 "2010-01-13T17:31:47Z")
Well, that tears it. Due to the actions of this obscure campaign worker for some local candidate I never heard of, I shall never again vote for a Democrat. From now on I shall only support Republicans, no matter how inane, ill-conceived or downright evil their policies are. Thank you, kind sir, for bringing this earth-shattering story to my attention. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrat-thuggery-boston-style/524797/5 "2010-01-13T17:36:19Z")
I’m sure some Republican somewhere is raping a young boy in the face. What does any of it have to do with anything at all? Is this all the Republicans have? Histrionic non sequiturs? ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrat-thuggery-boston-style/524797/6 "2010-01-13T17:36:34Z")
For those who haven’t heard of Coakley - she’s the Democratic candidate for Ted Kennedy’s vacant Senate seat in MA. She expected to coast easily into office, but the Republican candidate, Scott Brown, is really giving her a run for her money. And if he wins, the Dems lose that precious 60 vote filibuster proof majority they’ve got. It’s a huge deal right now in MA, and there’s a slim, but real chance that the Senate becomes a very different place next Wednesday. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrat-thuggery-boston-style/524797/7 "2010-01-13T17:36:42Z")
> [@NicePete](#): > > Well, that tears it. Due to the actions of this obscure campaign worker for some local candidate I never heard of, I shall never again vote for a Democrat. From now on I shall only support Republicans, no matter how inane, ill-conceived or downright evil their policies are. Is that response really necessary? I mean, really? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrat-thuggery-boston-style/524797/8 "2010-01-13T17:39:10Z")
**magellan01** , based on your thread title I have trouble believing you want to have a debate here. Moved to the BBQ Pit. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrat-thuggery-boston-style/524797/9 "2010-01-13T17:44:23Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > Is that response really necessary? I mean, really? That response was more reasoned than the OP, and entirely appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrat-thuggery-boston-style/524797/10 "2010-01-13T17:47:46Z")
I, too, deplore what happened-yet another example of white-on-white violence. I blame leniency in their upbringing, and their uncultured music. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrat-thuggery-boston-style/524797/11 "2010-01-13T17:48:26Z")
Oh, we’re in the pit? Magellan is a blindly partisan shitball who is too stupid to think for himself. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrat-thuggery-boston-style/524797/12 "2010-01-13T17:49:32Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I, too, deplore what happened-yet another example of white-on-white violence. > I blame leniency in their upbringing, and their uncultured music. You know, fuck it, as long as they just kill each other I say we let 'em go at it. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrat-thuggery-boston-style/524797/13 "2010-01-13T17:49:42Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > That response was more reasoned than the OP, and entirely appropriate. It wasn’t, though. Look, whatever the motivation of the OP, it’s appropriate to debate Meehan’s actions and talk about manipulation of the press independent of whether the Democrats or the Republicans are the better party. ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrat-thuggery-boston-style/524797/14 "2010-01-13T17:50:28Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > Is that response really necessary? I mean, really? It does kind of go without saying, doesn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrat-thuggery-boston-style/524797/15 "2010-01-13T17:55:01Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > It wasn’t, though. Look, whatever the motivation of the OP, it’s appropriate to debate Meehan’s actions and talk about manipulation of the press independent of whether the Democrats or the Republicans are the better party. I concur. That said, I’m not sure there’s much to debate or discuss here beyond my response. A campaign worker did something stupid. Well, whoops - fire him and charge him. This does not reflect on the campaign itself. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrat-thuggery-boston-style/524797/16 "2010-01-13T17:58:58Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > You can’t see the actual push, but you can see the thug, Michael Meehan, continue to attempt to impede the reporter. > > I think he should immediately be arrested and prosecuted as severely as the law permits. What you can actually see is a man walking backwards, waving his arms in the air, falling a railing. What you actually see is Mr Meehan asking the reporter is he is OK after the incident. Such skulduggery should indeed be severely punished :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrat-thuggery-boston-style/524797/17 "2010-01-13T18:00:45Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > It wasn’t, though. Look, whatever the motivation of the OP, it’s appropriate to debate Meehan’s actions and talk about manipulation of the press independent of whether the Democrats or the Republicans are the better party. The OP specifically linked the thuggery to the political affiliation of the so-called thug. Any response that recognizes that is certainly appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrat-thuggery-boston-style/524797/18 "2010-01-13T18:02:01Z")
There’s no logical reason to blame this on Coakley, but that goes without saying, I think. > [@ivan\_astikov](#): > > I’m all for journalistic freedom and that Oh, I know this is gonna be good… > [@](#): > > but just what did these “reporters” expect to get from these encounters? Perhaps if they behaved more like civilised human beings, and not star-crazed groupies or the human equivalent of rabid hyenas, they might get treated with a bit more respect? If the reporter was bothering Coakley at her home, you would probably still be wrong but you’d at least have a point. Coakley’s a candidate for the U.S. Senate and she’s out in public, taking questions from the media. The guy did nothing unusual or wrong. He asked her a question she didn’t want to answer and one of her people decided to go Tammany Hall on the guy. Taking a few steps in someone’s direction when they walk away is not being a rabid hyena. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrat-thuggery-boston-style/524797/19 "2010-01-13T18:05:37Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I concur. That said, I’m not sure there’s much to debate or discuss here beyond my response. A campaign worker did something stupid. Well, whoops - fire him and charge him. This does not reflect on the campaign itself. Well, you can debate whether or not he did anything wrong in getting in the reporter’s way. You can turn it into a debate on how a campaign should deal with media that’s hostile to them. You could debate whether or not this sort of minor violence in political campaigns is treated less harshly. You could discuss whether or not the fact that Boston is dominated by Democrats biases official response. I don’t know. The debate could go all sorts of different ways. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrat-thuggery-boston-style/524797/20 "2010-01-13T18:05:53Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > You know, fuck it, as long as they just kill each other I say we let 'em go at it. Nonsense. With proper guidance and education, _any_ white person can become a productive member of society. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrat-thuggery-boston-style/524797.md?page=2)