I’m sure the guys in sunglasses were prepared to jump in as soon as the approved hug started. After their little overseas romp the new media is probably keep a close eye on those guys and looking for anything to hook a story on. I expect this one is nothing but an overreaction.
Freepers = posters on the Free Republic message boards. Batshit crazy, mostly, and rabidly right-wing.
I’m not sure if you watched the video, but the first thing Obama said was “Scott, what’s going on man” and shook his hand. It appeared to be someone he already knew.
When I read the OP I was thinking the SS probably gave them a quick “BTW, the pres is coming in, everyone smile, act nice, touch him and get tazed (bro), produce a weapon or become a threat and get shot etc etc etc” and I was going to say that they should have just pulled them apart and dealt with the risk.
After watching it, it’s clear they knew each other and I’m guessing that long before he was going to be in whatever town that was he arranged to meet Scott who had his background checked, was probably checked/frisked before he got there and may very well have been picked up my SS at his house.
Here’s a youtube video, posted 2 years ago, of a news clip talking about him making it into People Magazine for some of the things he’s done in his home town. He’s not just ‘some random guy’. Most likely, due to his charity work, they’ve met a few times already.
Thanks for the info! Good to know that there’s anus holes in this world who’d rather boycott Scotts business than understand his charity work
http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/09/edsall-the-ryan-sinkhole/
Sheezus! You mean that there are other people in the country whose take on politics is not identical to my own? And they might vote for the other guy? Obviously this cannot stand! And everyone of them should be put out of business!!
There!!!
I’m reading elsewhere that the guy is a Republican.
It’s one thing to boycott him if he donates profits to something objectionable to them, like Planned Parenthood or something. It’s another thing entirely to boycott a small business owner who also runs a politically-neutral charity just because he was nice to the President once.
My dad owns a small business and one thing he told me ever since I was little was that you never tell people about your political leanings. Specifically for that reason. You might casually mention to someone that you like a certain candidate or you’re happy that a specific bill was signed or vetoed and end up losing some customers over it.
We’re in the produce business and I remember finding a bumper sticker that said “Dole for pineapple not for president”. It was years before I was old enough to understand why he wouldn’t let me put it up next to the pineapple display" Of course, looking back, I know understood why that little sticker may have alienated half of our customers.
Yeah, I didn’t see any political signs up for Obama at his business, the guy was just genuinely happy to meet Obama. That alone should not be a reason to try to stop the man from making a living. Here’s the story:
Hey, maybe if the Secret Service had a zero tolerance policy for people touching the president, the Clinton years would have gone a lot smoother.
It reminded me of Howie Mandel being lifted. I think “lifting” is becoming a new social phenomenon.
Looked like public inter-racial gay sex that was broadcast across the world.
Good.
I am in the minority here but I didn’t like it and thought it made Obama look vulnerable. I would have expected the Secret Service to move briskly towards them in case this nut decided to break Obama’s ribs or not let him go.
Obama’s Campaign Loved it…
Thank you.
Though to be honest back at the start one did not use to think of Obama going for the dudebro displays of affection, either. He’s gotten better at it, and that’s good.
And yeah, really, the man was vetted and screened, and had he kept the hold a moment too long or made a wrong move he would surely have found himself on the floor.
If we’re looking for recent Secret Service Fail, we got the agent who left behind a loaded handgun in the Romney plane’s lavatory. THAT was a cockup.
Well, honestly, it’s not really the agents’ job to make sure the president looks good.
If that is not too strong a word.
Have you been lurking on my facebook feed?
I can’t even picture Romney’s reaction to being hugged.
Yes, in his telephone interview with BBC, he said he was a Republican. But he also said he voted for Obama in 2008 and will do so again this year.