ABC News: Obama's Safety: Fear Grows for President as Hate Groups Thrive on Racial Backlash

[RamboLiberal]

Experts who track hate groups across the U.S. are growing increasingly concerned over violent rhetoric targeted at President Obama, especially as the debate over health care intensifies and a pattern of threats emerges.

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Experts say a sharp growth in so-called militia groups that helped spawn a wave of domestic terrorism in the 1990s – and are now using YouTube, rock music and the Internet to recruit members and spread hate and fear - shouldn't be ignored.

"It's certainly a scary time," said former FBI agent Brad Garrett, now an ABC News consultant. Garrett said the Secret Service "cannot afford to pass on anyone," and he believes "they really do fear that something could happen to (Obama)."

Garrett said statements like one recently made by controversial radio host Rush Limbaugh comparing a logo for the White House plan to a Nazi symbol "legitimizes people who are on the edge to go do something or say something."

While officials told ABC News that the President's daily threat matrix has yet to reflect a sharp increase in threats, White House officials privately admit deep concern and have told the Secret Service to keep security tight, even if Obama objects.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=8324481&page=1

IMHO it's gotten more dangerous & nuts than in the 90's when Clinton was in office & these whackos enabled by the likes of Limpballs reemerged. It also seems like August 2001 when all the lights were blinking red & security people in the government had as Richard Clarke put it "their hair on fire." Except this time it is domestic terrorism.

[uponit7771]

1. Good, call it what it is...

[graywarrior]

2. The media is soooooo responsible for part of this.

[quantass]

3. Responsible for ALL OF THIS! nt

[HopeOverFear]

5. yep

[Lorien]

28. +1 nt

[uponit7771]

9. AMEN!!! I believe they've been stocking racial fires and attitudes for YEARS!!!

[goclark]

12. Media is to blame because they should havee more sense

They keep playing the Scream Clips over and over again.

That is nothing but free air time for the jerks.

They need to have clear thinking representatives (I'm sure they can find one or two to speak for the insane side) present the issue in a rational way and maybe that could help.

They appear to be unable to do that ` they just keep rolling out the same negative crap, repeat of the " Dean Scream" mess!

Didn't I read that the Dean Scream was done intentionally by some Elve turning his mike up too high?

Recall they NEVER focused on the bump in GW's mike during all the debates. : puke:

[loyalkydem]

4. agreed

and if someone takes a shot at him. I can't wait to see what Fox's talking heads and the right wing will say about it. There fueling the hate that is out there.

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. Obama knew this would happen, and everybody thought he was exaggerating.

Keep him safe, because as time goes on, they will begin to come apart at the seams. Eventually, they will see themselves the way most minorities see them.

[noiretextatique]

15. not everyone

i doubt any black person in america is surprised by this.

[The Backlash Cometh]

20. true.

[CakeGrrl]

24. Exactly. I'm not surprised in the least. n/t

[jasi2006]

22. No matter how his first term turns out, I hope Obama thumbs his nose

at the bigots and doesn't run in 2012. I hope he says that he accompliished what he set out to do...get elected as President, work hard for healthcare reform, get us out of Iraq and help the economy get started in the right direction. I hope he says, "I did the best I could with what I had to work with and work against." But I don't need to be President and when people don't want to be helped because of their racism and ignorance there is nothing more I can do. I will continue to work hard for the causes I believe in. But my first responsibility is now to my beautiful wife and lovely daughters. We had a fine family before I became President, I still have a fine family. I wish the nation well. I'm outa here."

The RW crazies would freak out no more Clintons and no Obama to rile up their hate and false fears.
It would hurt a lot of them and send those who haven't already gone over the edge over it. I would laugh my ass off!

[RamboLiberal]

26. No I hope Obama runs again and crushes the ass of the Repuke

nominee. Let the bigots deal with him for 4 more years! Since a lot of them are geezers many of them will die off during the 8 years.

[Lilyeye]

27. I agree with you, but they're plenty of 30 and 40 year old bigots as well.

[Hekate]

29. Are you nuts? The "RW crazies" as you call them would REJOICE & proclaim VICTORY...

This is the most specious argument I've heard in a long, long time. Are you sure you're in the right place? Really?

First and foremost it is the responsibility of law enforcement (FBI, Secret Service, what-have-you) to bust their butts keeping any POTUS safe. And you better hope they do.

Second, there is no way in hell a man or woman with sufficient ambition to run for POTUS who finally makes it to the White House would quit before the job is over. Lose an election, maybe. But quit without running again? Never. The only two exceptions in my lifetime have been Nixon, who resigned in the face of certain impeachment, and LBJ, who was driven from office by massive protests over a losing war.

Third, quitting as you suggest would cause the wingnuts to dance in the streets, and their mouthpieces at FOX to proclaim a mighty victory in driving a president from office.

I can't believe anyone in their right mind would even suggest such a thing, unless their goal is to get the guy out of office regardless.

Hekate

[dennis4868]

7. these idiots....

on TV know what they are doing...say enough crazy things about Obama and someone will eventually take a shot at him....this is what they are hoping for.....they want to get rid of the black man in "their House"

[knitter4democracy]

8. Some of us have been worried about this since during the election.

It's just gotten more scary, especially this summer. The SS needs to be on the ball with this.

[RamboLiberal]

13. I started getting scared for him when they unleashed the crap

last spring playing Rev Wright in a loop then of course when Palin came on board and whipped up the crazies at McCain/Palin rally. And what is really sad is how the damn Republican office holders and those outside of office like Palin, Gingrich, Steele continue to whip up the crazies instead of taking some responsibility and trying to cool the fires.

I'm glad some advertisers are dropping away from crazy ass Beck but not enough. Advertisers ought to be holding Limpballs, Hannity, etc. feet to the fire to stop the rabble-rousing hatred.

If anything happens there's a helluva lot of blood on a helluva lot of hands.

[Mrs. Overall]

10. Good--I'm glad this article is addressing the danger and it mentions Limbaugh by name.

[doc03]

11. I have a bad feeling about this

town-hall in Montana.

[RamboLiberal]

14. I think he'll be ok in Montana

though I wouldn't be surprised if we see some more idiots outside like NH and MD.

[Parker CA]

16. I have a feeling some of the idiots will seep inside due to the format of first-come first-served

ticket dispersal. I don't think anyone will cause any physical violence, but I imagine we'll see some mouth-foamers in full action. They are only going to sound like absolute maroons compared to the dialogue Obama and his supporters will be carrying on.

I wouldn't be surprised to see one of them slip completely over the edge and let some racist bombs slip.

Should be interesting to say the least, and I'm sending good vibes to the SS to keep him totally safe.

[BlueIdaho]

17. GMA reported this today

Not my favorite show but - in the report they played a clips of Limpballs calling Obama a Nazi, militia video from the web, screaming tea baggers, and other racist trash. I Loved seeing Rush being tied to the rest of these lunatics.

Who knows, maybe the MSM has decided they can make some money trash talking these morans.

[BluegrassDem]

18. What's so sad is that Obama is safer overseas than in his own country

n/t

[RamboLiberal]

21. Great point - thought a great point made on Ed Schultz show today

Imagine if Cindy Sheehan had shown up at a Bush Town Hall with a gun strapped to her leg? Imagine what Limpballs, Beck, Hannity, O' Reilly & the rest would've been screaming!

[Cha]

19. Now the "media" has their Real Fear

thing goin' for them. They like to push FEAR anyway so this is built in. Not diluting the Real threat to Pres Obama because he and his family know their history and climate of hate that haters like beck, limpbaugh, etc, etc, etc foment in this country and they decided for him to run for Prez, anyway.

[Phx_Dem]

23. Poor Michelle. She's probably sick with worry. I know I am.

Crazy fucking Republican lunatics.

[Liberation Angel]

25. As long as Cheney is at large so are his assassination squads

free and able to organize murderous brownshirts

Obama should know this and I am pretty sure the secret service does too.

NO MORE JFKs!

No more fascist right wingers killing democracy!

Imprison Cheney and Bush I and II now

or fascism will never die.