# Why aren't people more spun up about the assassination attempt on Obama? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 18, 2011, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-people-more-spun-up-about-the-assassination-attempt-on-obama/603301 "2011-11-18T01:14:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-people-more-spun-up-about-the-assassination-attempt-on-obama/603301/21 "2011-11-18T02:34:37Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Isn’t someone shooting at the White House still kind of a big deal? yes and no. when a President is outside the building the security protocol is different than when he is inside which is different when he is 3000 miles away. ---
**Author:** ![thelabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@thelabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelabdude)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-people-more-spun-up-about-the-assassination-attempt-on-obama/603301/22 "2011-11-18T03:02:18Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > The guy appears to be a lone nut, and Obama wasn’t at the White House at the time. The guy didn’t actually take a shot at the President, he took a shot at the White House. Other such incidents, where there is low risk of injury, are usually minor new stories. I almost think the thread could have ended here. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-people-more-spun-up-about-the-assassination-attempt-on-obama/603301/23 "2011-11-18T03:24:09Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Of course, it suits some agendas to say the police are investigating a possible connection between the Occupy movement and an attempted assassination. Of course, it would suit other agendas to say there was NO connection (if there were, in fact, some connection). Undoubtedly, if there were even the most tenuous connection to the TEA Party, it’d be front-page news. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-people-more-spun-up-about-the-assassination-attempt-on-obama/603301/24 "2011-11-18T14:57:34Z")
Can we please talk some more about Herman Cain now?! ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-people-more-spun-up-about-the-assassination-attempt-on-obama/603301/25 "2011-11-18T15:17:46Z")
There’s no political hook for either side to use, hence little attention. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-people-more-spun-up-about-the-assassination-attempt-on-obama/603301/26 "2011-11-18T15:22:44Z")
Pretty much what others have said. This crackpot scheme is nearly as bad as those wannabe Nazis whose “plan” to assassinate Obama consisted of driving around wearing tophats and shooting indiscriminately from the window. Yeah, I don’t call that an “assassination attempt” so much as I do “fucking idiots wasting people’s time.” ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-people-more-spun-up-about-the-assassination-attempt-on-obama/603301/27 "2011-11-18T15:29:55Z")
Whether or not the President is in residence is irrelevant to the shooter’s state of mind. He will be prosecuted under the attempted assassination charge, and will end up in some dungeon for 40 years or so, just like the last nut that did this. ---
**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:** [November 18, 2011, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-people-more-spun-up-about-the-assassination-attempt-on-obama/603301/28 "2011-11-18T15:31:47Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Whether or not the President is in residence is irrelevant to the shooter’s state of mind. He will be prosecuted under the attempted assassination charge, and will end up in some dungeon for 40 years or so, just like the last nut that did this. But it seemed like such a good idea at the time! :smack: ---
**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:** [November 18, 2011, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-people-more-spun-up-about-the-assassination-attempt-on-obama/603301/29 "2011-11-18T16:28:29Z")
> [@CitizenPained](#): > > Because it wasn’t a real assassination attempt? > > I heard he was with the OWS movement. Shouldn’t THAT be getting more press time? I heard he was with the Tea Party. Maybe that’s why it is being suppressed. ---
**Author:** ![AngelSoft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angelsoft/32/440_2.png) [@AngelSoft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelSoft)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-people-more-spun-up-about-the-assassination-attempt-on-obama/603301/30 "2011-11-18T16:41:03Z")
All I know is that most members of my family think it’s ridiculous that he’s getting charged with an assassination attempt against the president when Obama wasn’t even there. When I pointed out that he probably didn’t know he was, my father went off about how it was all over the news that Obama was out and about, traveling. And again, I was like, well not everyone would know that and even if Obama WASN’T there, if they man did what he did thinking he was, the intent is still the same and he should still get the assassination attempt charge. I need to read more up on this though because I honestly can’t believe my parents would be defending this guy. There must be more to the story that they know and I don’t. :\ ---
**Author:** ![thelabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@thelabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelabdude)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-people-more-spun-up-about-the-assassination-attempt-on-obama/603301/31 "2011-11-18T17:51:57Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > Of course, it would suit other agendas to say there was NO connection (if there were, in fact, some connection). > > Undoubtedly, if there were even the most tenuous connection to the TEA Party, it’d be front-page news. Your aren’t saying the MSN has a liberal bias are you? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-people-more-spun-up-about-the-assassination-attempt-on-obama/603301/32 "2011-11-18T17:53:59Z")
> [@AngelSoft](#): > > All I know is that most members of my family think it’s ridiculous that he’s getting charged with an assassination attempt against the president when Obama wasn’t even there. Free question: So if he had somehow succeeded and murdered someone else who was in the White House, like a cabinet member or elected poiltician or staffer, that wouldn’t matter? ---
**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:** [November 18, 2011, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-people-more-spun-up-about-the-assassination-attempt-on-obama/603301/33 "2011-11-18T18:00:48Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Free question: So if he had somehow succeeded and murdered someone else who was in the White House, like a cabinet member or elected poiltician or staffer, that wouldn’t matter? Assassination of a staffer is not a separate federal felony like assassinating the President. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-people-more-spun-up-about-the-assassination-attempt-on-obama/603301/34 "2011-11-19T00:49:45Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Assassination of a staffer is not a separate federal felony like assassinating the President. [18 U.S.C. 1751](http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/usc.cgi?ACTION=RETRIEVE&FILE=$$xa$$busc18.wais&start=2853705&SIZE=6900&TYPE=TEXT): > [@](#): > > Sec. 1751. Presidential and Presidential staff assassination, kidnapping, and assault; penalties > > (a) Whoever kills (1) any individual who is the President of the United States, the President-elect, the Vice President, or, if there is no Vice President, the officer next in the order of succession to the Office of the President of the United States, the Vice President-elect, or any person who is acting as President under the Constitution and laws of the United States, or (2) any person appointed under section 105(a)(2)(A) of title 3 employed in the Executive Office of the President or appointed under section 106(a)(1)(A) of title 3 employed in the Office of the Vice President, shall be punished as provided by sections 1111 and 1112 of this title. There’s also a [provision](http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/usc.cgi?ACTION=RETRIEVE&FILE=$$xa$$busc18.wais&start=677348&SIZE=7702&TYPE=TEXT) for assassinating, kidnapping, or assaulting a Member of Congress, Cabinet member, or Supreme Court Justice. Also, sections [1111](http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/usc.cgi?ACTION=RETRIEVE&FILE=$$xa$$busc18.wais&start=2196470&SIZE=5317&TYPE=TEXT) and [1112](http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/usc.cgi?ACTION=RETRIEVE&FILE=$$xa$$busc18.wais&start=2201793&SIZE=2915&TYPE=TEXT) are just the provisions for the punishment of murder and manslaughter under Federal jurisdiction. It’s not like, if you kill the _President of the United States_, they have you hanged, drawn and quartered or anything like that. In fact, it appears that if you killed the POTUS in “a sudden quarrel or heat of passion”, you could in theory get off with a mere Federal manslaughter conviction and a 10 year prison sentence. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-people-more-spun-up-about-the-assassination-attempt-on-obama/603301/35 "2011-11-19T00:52:46Z")
Also, the guy is apparently [a total whackjob](http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/18/us/white-house-shooting-profile/index.html?hpt=hp_c1). ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-people-more-spun-up-about-the-assassination-attempt-on-obama/603301/36 "2011-11-19T01:03:21Z")
Because he’s not a Tea Partier. Remember how Loughner and Breivik got played up? ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-people-more-spun-up-about-the-assassination-attempt-on-obama/603301/37 "2011-11-19T01:19:35Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > Also, the guy is apparently [a total whackjob](http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/18/us/white-house-shooting-profile/index.html?hpt=hp_c1). Oh great, the second coming of Jesus begs the almighty Oprah for recognition on his knees. I really want to barf now. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-people-more-spun-up-about-the-assassination-attempt-on-obama/603301/38 "2011-11-19T01:23:40Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Because he’s not a Tea Partier. Remember how Loughner and Breivik got played up? You really cannot seriously be comparing a guy who shoots at the White House and doesn’t cause much damage to someone who shot and killed unarmed people at a grocery store and a youth retreat, respectively, can you? You should be able to spot the obvious differences. And Loughner was not affiliated with the Tea Party, and Brievik isn’t even American, which means he can’t be affiliated with the Tea Party. Try again. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-people-more-spun-up-about-the-assassination-attempt-on-obama/603301/39 "2011-11-19T01:36:02Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > You really cannot seriously be comparing a guy who shoots at the White House and doesn’t cause much damage to someone who shot and killed unarmed people at a grocery store and a youth retreat, respectively, can you? You should be able to spot the obvious differences. No certainly not. But at the least there’d be a Pit thread and a few remarks about how Limbaugh or somebody else influenced it. > [@](#): > > And Loughner was not affiliated with the Tea Party, No but even here people claimed it was politically motivated by bringing inane stuff like how Palin had put crosshairs on Gifford’s congressional seat in an ad. > [@](#): > > and Brievik isn’t even American, which means he can’t be affiliated with the Tea Party. No but again people made much of a point about his political views. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-people-more-spun-up-about-the-assassination-attempt-on-obama/603301/40 "2011-11-19T02:12:49Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > No certainly not. But at the least there’d be a Pit thread and a few remarks about how Limbaugh or somebody else influenced it. > > No but even here people claimed it was politically motivated by bringing inane stuff like how Palin had put crosshairs on Gifford’s congressional seat in an ad. > No but again people made much of a point about his political views. Again, you realize that Loughner actually KILLED people, right? I mean, people actually died, and were injured, and there was blood and stuff, yes? Actual damage to living beings? In this case, a window was cracked. In Loughner’s case, there was much, much worse. And to throw in Breivik is even more laughable. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-people-more-spun-up-about-the-assassination-attempt-on-obama/603301.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-people-more-spun-up-about-the-assassination-attempt-on-obama/603301.md?page=3)