McCain has security detail remove 61 year old librarian holding a sign from public property

motivez · 07-08-2008, 08:17 AM

DENVER, Colo.-On orders from Senator John McCain's security detail, Denver police escorted a 61-year-old woman away who was waiting in line to attend a so-called town hall meeting with McCain that was billed as "open to the public".

Carol Kreck, who works as a librarian in Denver, held a homemade sign reading "McCain = Bush." On orders from McCain's security detail, police cited her for trespassing and escorted her to the sidewalk. She was told if she returned she would be arrested.

"And all I did was carry a sign that said McCain = Bush," Kreck said. "And for everyone who voted for Bush, I don't see why it's offensive to say McCain = Bush."

This episode by McCain's Secret Service appears to be a rerun of McCain's 2005 town hall in Denver with President Bush in which the Secret Service had three Denver citizens removed from an "open" event where McCain was campaigning with Pres. Bush for his plan to privatize social security.

http://www.progressnowaction.org/pag...y/post/al/Cqyh

Video:

YouTube Video

Really sad, and also disturbing that they would go so far as to tell someone on public property that they weren't allowed to hold a sign and exercise their first amendment rights..

Obviously this wont hold up in court, personally I think they should have to pay some kind of restitution for forcing her to waste her time showing up in court with a copy of the constitution. The police officers should be officially reprimanded and given remedial training if they don't know it's not illegal to hold up a sign on public property.

When I went to watch Hillary speak at Guilford College, one of the people who looked like part of the security detail came over to the rail and told a girl wearing an Obama shirt that she had to leave, and several guys who were with her that were wearing Obama pins that they had to remove them or leave..

They started to cause a scene talking about their right to be there since it was billed as open to the public, and how they were there to listen to what she had to say, and some guy who looked more like he managed the campaign staff came over and calmed things down and told the security guy to let it go, and the event went off without a hitch

I can understand not wanting your event disrupted. In the case of the event at Guilford College, the campaign had rented the gym (private property) from the school (a private college) so while I disagree with what they tried to do, I can understand it more than trying to remove a lady for holding a sign outside of an event on public property.. and in the end, they did the right thing and let them stay at the Hillary event, unlike here.. and so many Bush events.

Ardentfrost · 07-08-2008, 08:25 AM

Her court date is my birthday!

Anyhow, this is completely ludicrous. If they want to restrict who can attend, they need to hold their little campaign meetings on private property. McCain wants to be president, but sics his staffers on people exercising their rights. How does that even remotely look good on him?

motivez · 07-08-2008, 08:26 AM

It just reinforces the idea that he represents Bush's third term, because Bush has a history of keeping people who disagree with him out of his events

Ardentfrost · 07-08-2008, 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by motivez

It just reinforces the idea that he represents Bush's third term, because Bush has a history of keeping people who disagree with him out of his events

And out of his staff. It's no wonder he'll go down in history as one of the worst presidents of all time when he doesn't keep any dissenting opinion around.

Stylerod · 07-08-2008, 10:11 AM

Travesty! Democrats have never done this sort of thing. Ever. They also never made sure to take out muslim looking people so they didn't show up in photos or build huge fence walls to keep protesters from their conventions. Nope, never happened.

motivez · 07-08-2008, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

Travesty! Democrats have never done this sort of thing. Ever. They also never made sure to take out muslim looking people so they didn't show up in photos or build huge fence walls to keep protesters from their conventions. Nope, never happened.

Every time, without fail, the Republican response to a story about something they do that's wrong is "Well, other people have done it, that means it's justified!" even though no one is saying Democrats are perfect or shouldn't be criticized when they do bad things..

I anticipated this response, which is why I put the story about the Clinton event at Guilford College in the original post.

This story is about something McCain did, feel free to make a thread on what you're talking about. Oh wait, there was already one which was discussed and which Obama personally contacted and apologized to the women who were wronged and said that wasn't how he wanted his campaign run and it wouldn't happen again.

Chances of McCain personally calling and apologizing to this lady? Anyone?

I also like how you're so dismissive over someone's first amendment rights being violated. "Travesty" you say with sarcasm, like it's perfectly acceptable since it was someone holding up a sign with different political beliefs than you, all the while taking a jab at the Democrats for doing the same thing, insinuating it's wrong.

Doesn't being so self contradictory in one post ever get confusing?

Stylerod · 07-08-2008, 10:46 AM

Hey, you guys do it. Hell, in our Obama is weeding out Mulsims thread you democrats blamed it all on republicans!

Talk about shifting blame!!!

kinggovernor · 07-08-2008, 10:48 AM

look at the couple on the right with a bush/mccain sign, something tells me there is more to the story. There is no way this woman was the first person to show up to a McCain event with a sign that said "McCain=Bush"

motivez · 07-08-2008, 10:48 AM

I and others said in that thread that by allowing them to stay, Republican groups would use the photograph to rally their bigoted base against him further with more claims that he's a secret muslim.. and that's true. They're doing it now, more photographic evidence to support their twisted cause wouldn't do Obama any favors.

It doesn't excuse what he did, and I never said it was an acceptable decision, and it certainly isn't a campaign policy to do that, as evidenced by Obama's call to apologize for the situation

7960 · 07-08-2008, 10:49 AM

title says "mccain has security detail remove" but the first line of the story says "On orders from Senator John McCain's security detail......"

so, was mccain involved in the decision to remove her?

motivez · 07-08-2008, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by kinggovernor

look at the couple on the right with a bush/mccain sign, something tells me there is more to the story. There is no way this woman was the first person to show up to a McCain event with a sign that said "McCain=Bush"

What would that even matter? Should no longer allowed to organize protests to exercise free speech on public property?

She wasn't even IN the event, she was outside!

motivez · 07-08-2008, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by 7960

title says "mccain has security detail remove" but the first line of the story says "On orders from Senator John McCain's security detail......"

so, was mccain involved in the decision to remove her?

McCain is responsible for the decisions of his campaign staff, and that includes his security detail.

When Obama's campaign removed those people in Islamic garb, he personally called to apologize and rectify the situation. It's his responsibility.

7960 · 07-08-2008, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by motivez

McCain is responsible for the decisions of his campaign staff,...........

Yeah yeah yeah, the first rule of leadership is everything is your fault. But did he KNOW? The title says he had her removed, the story says his security detail had her removed. Did he do it or did someone else?

motivez · 07-08-2008, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by 7960

Yeah yeah yeah, the first rule of leadership is everything is your fault. But did he KNOW? The title says he had her removed, the story says his security detail had her removed. Did he do it or did someone else?

It's not like there's no history of similar incidents happening at Republican events, including ones McCain has attended, like in Denver with Bush when he was touting his Social Security plan

It's more likely than not this is a decision ripped from the Bush playbook.

Whether McCain calls and apologizes to this lady as Obama did will tell us whether or not he agrees with the action to limit free speech in public places

kinggovernor · 07-08-2008, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by motivez

What would that even matter? Should no longer allowed to organize protests to exercise free speech on public property?

She wasn't even IN the event, she was outside!

Obviously she wasn't the only protester there, they are plenty in the video. I just believe there is more to the story.

Perhaps this is why McCain has put off SS protection for as long as he could.

motivez · 07-08-2008, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by kinggovernor

Obviously she wasn't the only protester there, they are plenty in the video. I just believe there is more to the story.

Perhaps this is why McCain has put off SS protection for as long as he could.

What more could there be to the story that would justify removing someone holding up a sign from public property in your mind? I can't think of anything off hand that doesn't involve aliens from the planet nepton

motivez · 07-08-2008, 11:04 AM

Here's a link to the Denver Post story from awhile back citing it as an official policy for Bush events:

Activists' expulsion cited as Bush rule - The Denver Post

kinggovernor · 07-08-2008, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by motivez

What more could there be to the story that would justify removing someone holding up a sign from public property in your mind? I can't think of anything off hand that doesn't involve aliens from the planet nepton

maybe she was doing more than just holding the sign, I don't know I wasn't there.

I do see a guy in a Pea Cartoon Costume, which Bush and McCain in the same pod. So if he was there and not asked to leave that tells me that this woman was probably doing something else than just holding up the sign.

Stylerod · 07-08-2008, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by motivez

I and others said in that thread that by allowing them to stay, Republican groups would use the photograph to rally their bigoted base against him further with more claims that he's a secret muslim.. and that's true.

See, you are still doing it!