# Rocker Ted Nugent threatens to assassinate President Obama **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 17, 2012, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocker-ted-nugent-threatens-to-assassinate-president-obama/619089 "2012-04-17T22:36:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocker-ted-nugent-threatens-to-assassinate-president-obama/619089/121 "2012-04-18T17:52:36Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > So you are irritated, and you own a gun. > > You must be threatening to assassinate someone, but I can’t figure out who. For the last time, nobody cares that you’re a lesbian. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocker-ted-nugent-threatens-to-assassinate-president-obama/619089/122 "2012-04-18T17:59:59Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Oh, he meant it as a friendly jest, obviously; [he’s a non violent guy](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/18/ted-nugent-_n_1434830.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009). (It’s always fun to see a tough talking coward backtrack.) Yes, in fact when he called Obama a “piece of shit” he was using a regional term of endearment, as without manure there would be no agriculture and we would not thrive. When he told him to “suck on his machine gun” he was extending a friendly invitation to try one of his homemade milkshakes. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocker-ted-nugent-threatens-to-assassinate-president-obama/619089/123 "2012-04-18T18:00:40Z")
> [@Bill\_Door](#): > > In point of fact, President Obama has signed at least two pieces of legislation in regard to gun regulations. One allowed people with carry permits to carry inside federal parks, and one allowed people with permits to carry on Amtrak trains. And I for one thank him for that. The shootout on board the last Amtrak train I rode was by far the high point of the trip. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocker-ted-nugent-threatens-to-assassinate-president-obama/619089/124 "2012-04-18T18:26:15Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > That was actually funny, **Shodan**. You know that just encourages me, don’t you? Regards, Shodan ---
**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:** [April 18, 2012, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocker-ted-nugent-threatens-to-assassinate-president-obama/619089/125 "2012-04-18T18:28:56Z")
The monkey won’t dance if you don’t put a nickle in his cup once in a while. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocker-ted-nugent-threatens-to-assassinate-president-obama/619089/126 "2012-04-18T18:33:41Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Where is there an implied threat in what he said? > > By your definition, we should have been investigating Alec Baldwin when he said that he was going to leave the country if George Bush got re-elected. That was very clearly a threat to kill GWB and boogie off into the sunset. Nugent did say he expected to be going to jail. That does imply he’s planning on committing a serious crime. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocker-ted-nugent-threatens-to-assassinate-president-obama/619089/127 "2012-04-18T18:38:04Z")
> [@Bill\_Door](#): > > In point of fact, President Obama has signed at least two pieces of legislation in regard to gun regulations. One allowed people with carry permits to carry inside federal parks, and one allowed people with permits to carry on Amtrak trains. It’s called lulling your enemies into a false sense of security. He faked birth announcements 50 years ago, when he was 2 days old, trust me, this dude knows how to play the long con. ---
**Author:** ![Nuveena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a587f6/32.png) [@Nuveena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nuveena)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocker-ted-nugent-threatens-to-assassinate-president-obama/619089/128 "2012-04-18T18:38:41Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Hint: it’s what mob extortionists rely on when they say “nice house… be a real shame if something happened to it” instead of “nice house… if you don’t pay me I’m going to come back and commit arson!” We interrupt this thread to bring you one of my favorite stories on the Dope. > [@Things that are funny to absolutely no one on this planet besides you](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-funny-to-absolutely-no-one-on-this-planet-besides-you/343242/36): > > “That’s a really nice shirt . . . it’d be a shame if something happened to it.” > > (Long, slow beat while my husband, who just got home in his nice shirt and is about to _cook something,_ processes what I just said, and comes up with:) > > “Are you threatening my shirt?” ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocker-ted-nugent-threatens-to-assassinate-president-obama/619089/129 "2012-04-18T18:59:02Z")
That’s funny! I hope someone can explain it to Clothy… ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocker-ted-nugent-threatens-to-assassinate-president-obama/619089/130 "2012-04-18T19:13:05Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I appreciate the sentiments from you and **silenus** as NRA members. > > The sad thing is that Nugent taints all of the NRA with his idiotic and sad posturing. He is a caricature of a “gun nut” that seems to like bluster and braggadocio rather than reason - guns really do seem to be a penis substitute for this idiot. He’s a figure that the rest of us can (and do) point and laugh at. > > The NRA membership votes for the board. Nugent was elected to sit on the board. This means that by definition he is representative of the views of the membership of the NRA. The membership voted him in. The membership approves of him. > > It’s great that the two of you have disowned Nugent. Sadly though, the NRA as a whole does not share your disgust of this fool. The organization is tainted by it’s approval of him, and their elevation of him to a position of leadership. I’m not disputing anything you said, but I’d like to clarify how the directors are elected. Firstly, only Life Members can vote. Last time I paid attention to membership figures, the NRA had 3.5 million members. Only a smallish fraction are Life Members, as it costs $500, though they are known to occasionally lower the price to $300. The board is large; usually they have in excess of 70 people. Any one director has little influence and the board, as a whole, does less to steer the organization than do Wayne LaPierre and Chris Cox. Election ballots are sent out as a part of a Life Member’s NRA magazine. Each ballot is has a lot of candidates on it and very brief biographical sketch of each. Typically, most of them are people of whom you have never heard unless they are activists from your home state, and often not even then. I suspect Nugent and Robert K. Brown (of Soldier of Fortune publishing fame) secure spots on the board mainly because they are recognizable names in a sea of “nobodies” on the ballot. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocker-ted-nugent-threatens-to-assassinate-president-obama/619089/131 "2012-04-18T19:28:15Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Nugent did say he expected to be going to jail. That does imply he’s planning on committing a serious crime. Maybe not a _serious_ crime. Maybe he plans on finally getting tying one on and ending up in the drunk tank. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocker-ted-nugent-threatens-to-assassinate-president-obama/619089/132 "2012-04-18T19:40:40Z")
Given Nugent’s prior statements, it would not be out of character for him to release something like: “I wish to apologize for the ambiguity in my previous statement. I want to clarify that I was indeed talking about putting a bullet through Obama’s head if he gets re-elected. AMERICA, FUCK YEAH!” ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocker-ted-nugent-threatens-to-assassinate-president-obama/619089/133 "2012-04-18T19:49:02Z")
I think, as a long-time hunting advocate, Nugent should be compelled to eat whatever he shoots. I realize this puts Michelle Obama at risk, but it is a matter of principle. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocker-ted-nugent-threatens-to-assassinate-president-obama/619089/134 "2012-04-18T19:50:47Z")
> [@Oldeb](#): > > So they’re paranoid _and_ racist, but somehow that’s better than when they were just being thought of as paranoid. Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you. I don’t see how what uncle Ted said could be construed as a threat to the president. The older generation just seems to get all worked up over ultra-liberal agenda, it’s mostly fear of things that in all likelihood wouldn’t happen. There are many in that crowd that seem to enjoy misrepresenting things and stirring up fear. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocker-ted-nugent-threatens-to-assassinate-president-obama/619089/135 "2012-04-18T19:58:05Z")
Bah, everyone persists in assuming that some threat of assassination was made. Maybe all Nugent meant was that he was going to show up at a Presidential press conference and throw a shoe at Obama, like that Iraqi guy and GWB. D’ja ever think of that? Huh? Huh? ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocker-ted-nugent-threatens-to-assassinate-president-obama/619089/136 "2012-04-18T20:07:25Z")
> [@Oldeb](#): > > So they’re paranoid _and_ racist, but somehow that’s better than when they were just being thought of as paranoid. Ain’t sayin’ it’s better or worse, just tryin’ to give you guys at least a slightly better understanding of why there’s been a run on the gun shops lately. I keep trying to tell you guys that there’s a large and growing segment of the white middle and working classes who have little trust in the mainstream news, less in the federal government, and don’t believe either of the major political parties care much about them. Yeah, there’s a lot of paranoia and conspiracy theory there, but their fear and anger isn’t utterly baseless. Dismissing them with a sneer or a snarl and refusing to concede any validity to their grievances is a poor way to deal with them. And you guys have worn out the R word. Give it a rest. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocker-ted-nugent-threatens-to-assassinate-president-obama/619089/137 "2012-04-18T20:24:57Z")
When they stop being it, we’ll stop saying it. ---
**Author:** ![Oldeb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ea666f/32.png) [@Oldeb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oldeb)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocker-ted-nugent-threatens-to-assassinate-president-obama/619089/138 "2012-04-18T20:34:17Z")
> [@LonesomePolecat](#): > > Yeah, there’s a lot of paranoia and conspiracy theory there, but their fear and anger isn’t utterly baseless. Dismissing them with a sneer or a snarl and refusing to concede any validity to their grievances is a poor way to deal with them. And you guys have worn out the R word. Give it a rest. Please, please, tell me what it’s based on, if not ignorance and paranoia. What restrictions have been placed on gun ownership recently? Who has been attacking white, middle class Americans? What government agency is oppressing them? And I’m so sorry having your relatives bigotry pointed out to you offends you. They’re called racists _because they are racist_. It’s not a smear campaign, it’s exactly what they are. Why do they think there might be violence following this presidential election when it has never happened before in the history of the USA? They’ve already lived through the 2000 election cycle, which is quite possibly the closest presidential election that will ever occur. The only thing that’s changed is _gasp_ the US now has a black incumbent for the first time in it’s history. So unless they stock up on guns and bullets every four years, you’re just going to have to deal with the fact that your family includes a number of paranoid racists. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocker-ted-nugent-threatens-to-assassinate-president-obama/619089/139 "2012-04-18T21:11:34Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > It’s called lulling your enemies into a false sense of security. He faked birth announcements 50 years ago, when he was 2 days old, trust me, this dude knows how to play the long con. There are a lot of funny posts in this thread, but yours takes the cake. Bravo! ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocker-ted-nugent-threatens-to-assassinate-president-obama/619089/140 "2012-04-18T21:17:54Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > C’mon dude. It’s clear that at least one reasonable interpretation of what Nugent said is that he’d be dead or in jail because of assassinating Obama. Obviously, that’s how the Secret Service saw it. Why is that obvious? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocker-ted-nugent-threatens-to-assassinate-president-obama/619089.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocker-ted-nugent-threatens-to-assassinate-president-obama/619089.md?page=8)