# Obama gets 400% more death threats than W did **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 5, 2009, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385 "2009-08-05T03:01:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/101 "2009-08-09T10:07:52Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > It’s almost as if a significant percentage of conservatives are violent, racist lunatics. The _combined_ percentage of conservatives who are _either_ violent, racist, or lunatic is indeed significant because it is huge (maybe a majority?). But to be fair, when you break out the ol’ Venn diagrams, the overlap between any two of the three groups\* is obviously somewhat smaller. However, I’d venture that it is still significant because even 5 or 10 or 20% of a given political ideology is still a lot of folks. The Venn overlap between the _three_ groups is, of course, even smaller. But yikes!!! Still way too big! ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/102 "2009-08-09T10:20:40Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > What sucks is that neither violence nor racism are conservative positions. Defining conservatism by dickheads’ views impedes otherwise fruitful political discourse. Absolutely correct. What this country need is an bat-shit insane Nationalist party (like Austria or any number of other multi-party European nations). That way all the backward, knuckle-dragging, anti-American, anti-intellectual human waste could be siphoned off from the Republicans and we could enjoy legitimate debate and discourse between the two major parties while ignoring the troglodytes. I am a pretty liberal, generally Democrat kind of guy. But I know that a GOP purged of its non-thinking losers would keep the Demos honest and help make this country a stronger one overall. As it is now, we are all forced to let the kids (severely mentally challenged, violent-bully, delinquent kids at that) sit at the adults’ table and we can’t ignore them–even as they sling shit at us, grunt like baboons, and sniff each others’ asses–because they, to an altogether far too significant degree, decide who gets to sit at the adults’ table. Insanity. Democratic, freedom-loving insanity. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/103 "2009-08-09T11:04:57Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Although **Merijeek** ’s point is well taken, maybe we still engage with you because we continue to believe that you’re open to rational discourse. Who’s “we”? ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/104 "2009-08-09T11:07:26Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > Immigrants aren’t Americans? What the fuck is wrong with you?! But sum them immigrints iz sorta colored-like! ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/105 "2009-08-09T11:49:31Z")
Holly shit. I’m lucky to live in a place where the racism rarely rises above “apologetic white people”, (from my experiences). Stories like \*\*jsgoddess \*\*disturb me. Humans can be so ugly. OT: I hear Mr. Obama a lot, like in the article in the OP. I’m not one that likes to apply labels, and if were president would rather be called something other than “Mr. President” or “President MyFootsZZZ”. But you never heard many people saying; “Mr. Bush”. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/106 "2009-08-09T13:04:15Z")
I certainly don’t always agree with **Shodan** , but like the levity the he/she provides. The “No U” arguments can be true. Perhaps I may apply more scrutiny in the way I release my anger, and not resort as much to a hyperbolic; “I piss on your grave” attitude. I don’t like getting political on these boards at all. I lurk in thread dealing with politics. I scroll through some political discussions in GD just LOOKING for the opposition… even if I believe what most of the people are saying. I like hearing the one little voice in the back. It refines my beliefs, and sometimes changes them. None of us can escape being human, and one person’s problem may as well be mine. So if people are crazy and racist… I still see them as ‘human’, not as a Dem or Rep. I just wonder why they can’t do the same. What made them that way? But this is the Pit, so… ---
**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:** [August 10, 2009, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/107 "2009-08-10T14:41:55Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > Absolutely correct. What this country need is an bat-shit insane Nationalist party (like Austria or any number of other multi-party European nations). That way all the backward, knuckle-dragging, anti-American, anti-intellectual human waste could be siphoned off from the Republicans and we could enjoy legitimate debate and discourse between the two major parties while ignoring the troglodytes. We’ve got a bunch of 'em - the American Independent Party, America First Party, Patriot Party, Constitution Party… there are about thirty national paleoconservative parties, all with the same message. > [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > OT: I hear Mr. Obama a lot, like in the article in the OP. I’m not one that likes to apply labels, and if were president would rather be called something other than “Mr. President” or “President MyFootsZZZ”. But you never heard many people saying; “Mr. Bush”. Mr. President is a form of address (and I think it’s weird too), not a form of reference. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/108 "2009-08-10T18:30:39Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > I am a pretty liberal, generally Democrat kind of guy. But I know that a GOP purged of its non-thinking losers would . . . Have no chance of winning anything. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/109 "2009-08-10T18:38:22Z")
> [@Hyperelastic](#): > > They’re not Americans until they’re legally in the country, and they can’t vote until they’re citizens. Those doors were flung open to the Third World in 1965 by a Democrat Congress and President with the result that [Obama won instead of lost](http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/2008/11/11/obama_victory_took_root_in_kennedy_inspired_immigration_act/?page=full). You know the definition of “immigrant”, don’t you? It’s somebody who got here after you did. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2009, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/110 "2009-08-11T00:40:07Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Mr. President is a form of address (and I think it’s weird too), not a form of reference. [George Washington was addressed as “Your Excellency.”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excellency#United_States) I think we should be grateful for “Mr. President.” ---
**Author:** ![Hyperelastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2009, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/111 "2009-08-11T01:01:32Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > But sum them immigrints iz sorta colored-like! You know the definition of a racist, don’t you? It’s someone who’s winning an argument with a liberal. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2009, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/112 "2009-08-11T01:08:43Z")
> [@Hyperelastic](#): > > You know the definition of a racist, don’t you? It’s someone who’s winning an argument with a liberal. So, you’re not a racist after all? Surprise! ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2009, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/113 "2009-08-11T01:10:09Z")
> [@Hyperelastic](#): > > It’s someone who’s winning an argument with a liberal. Oh. So they don’t exist, huh? ---
**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:** [August 11, 2009, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/114 "2009-08-11T01:41:17Z")
> [@Hyperelastic](#): > > You know the definition of a racist, don’t you? It’s someone who’s winning an argument with a liberal. Little known secondary definition: guy who complains about liberalizing immigration restrictions to let the darkies in. ---
**Author:** ![curlygirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/41988e/32.png) [@curlygirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlygirl)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/115 "2009-08-12T17:02:06Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > What sucks is that neither violence nor racism are conservative positions. Defining conservatism by dickheads’ views impedes otherwise fruitful political discourse. > > What really really sucks, is that a subset of conservative leadership (perhaps the most vocal, so it has the highest visibility) panders to these elements. This gets them funding and votes, but it also draws the association tighter and occasionally results in the election of a dickhead. So maybe not violent or racist but definitely lunatics, correct? ---
**Author:** ![adhay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@adhay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhay)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/116 "2009-08-13T16:49:16Z")
I beg to differ. > [@](#): > > Since Mr Obama took office, the rate of threats against the president has increased 400 per cent from the 3,000 a year or so under President George W. Bush, according to Ronald Kessler, author of In the President’s Secret Service. The article also says that Obama receives 30 threats per day. Doing the math: Obama recieves 30X365 = 10,950 threats/yr. Bush received 3,000 tpy The ratio of 10,950/3000 = 3.65 indicates the increase is 265%. Not insignificant and easily explainable aside from Cheney becoming president:D, W had as many “progressive” enemies as Obama has in … looking for a word … the Wall Street/nutjob coalition. Thing about progressives is, that while they clearly see that Bush is deserving of impeachment for war crimes and imagine all kinds of fitting punishments, they are generally a peaceful lot and unlikely to take matters into their own hands. Not only that, they’ve heard that it is against the law to threaten the President and realize they would have a good chance of getting caught. On the other hand, Wall Street stirs up the middle Amercan nutjobs on Fox and before you know it somebody with a grandmother on life support realizes that only he can save the world from Obama. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/117 "2009-08-13T17:33:50Z")
> [@adhay](#): > > I beg to differ. > > The article also says that Obama receives 30 threats per day. > > Doing the math: > > Obama recieves 30X365 = 10,950 threats/yr. > Bush received 3,000 tpy > > The ratio of 10,950/3000 = 3.65 indicates the increase is 265%. [Page 1 called](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11412872&postcount=17) … it wants its argument back. ---
**Author:** ![adhay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@adhay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhay)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385/118 "2009-08-13T17:47:31Z")
**Aquila** , you get an A and **Jack** , thanks for the bust. But my _argument_ as posted was > [@](#): > > W had as many “progressive” enemies as Obama has in … looking for a word … the Wall Street/nutjob coalition. Thing about progressives is, that while they clearly see that Bush is deserving of impeachment for war crimes and imagine all kinds of fitting punishments, they are generally a peaceful lot and unlikely to take matters into their own hands. Not only that, they’ve heard that it is against the law to threaten the President and realize they would have a good chance of getting caught. > > On the other hand, Wall Street stirs up the middle Amercan nutjobs on Fox and before you know it somebody with a grandmother on life support realizes that only he can save the world from Obama. Let me say I had not seen **Aquila’s** post. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-gets-400-more-death-threats-than-w-did/505385.md?page=5)