Image Credit: va.gov.
Not just facing a political contest, Obama also has a security context to worry about; his own
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Barack Obama.
Image Credit: va.gov. |
BBSNews Editorial 2008-03-02 -- While facing the herculean political challenge of running for the highest elected office on the planet, Barack Obama is also coming under increased security risk as his nomination for the Democratic run for president becomes a reality.
Much of the country was outraged when Senator Obama appeared at a campaign stop in Dallas, and it was later learned that people in the front of the line were fully screened for weapons and other threats yet after about an hour an order came down from on high saying to let people through without the rigorous screening.
The Dallas Fort Worth Star-Telegram broke the story when they reported on February 21 that Dallas Deputy Police Chief T.W. Lawrence voiced some concern at the same time noting the friendiness of the crowd, "'Sure,' said Lawrence, when asked if he was concerned by the great number of people who had gotten into the building without being checked. But, he added, the turnout of more than 17,000 people seemed to be a 'friendly crowd.'"
They also reported the next day that the Secret Service was not amused. Their spokesman Eric Zahren said "'It was never a part of the plan at this particular venue to have each and every person in the crowd pass through the Magnetometer' ... He declined to give the reason for checking people for weapons at the front of the lines and letting those farther back go in without inspection."
Thorny issues give rise to even more Barack Obama official security detail woes
While the story about Dallas is unfortunate, and some comedians are noting with a certain disdainful glee this incident given the city's historical signifigance with "lone gunmen", threats of a low level disgruntled world citizenry, who are bugged out over their particular issue or prejudice, also exist.
In response to some of the more sensationalized news items, this one about some words Louis Farrakhan said about Barack Obama which were not an endorsement after all. In the LA Times Blog, a commenter called "Pat" there was very vague while expressing a right-wing born sentiment that has been making the rounds of emails, blogs and the news:
"People don't know what they're letting themselves in for with Osama...I mean Obama."
That comment has since been removed but many other commenters commented on it and their comments are still there.
Sadly it gets progressively worse and even life threatening. In response to an article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution Blog leeringly headlined as "Farrakhan Hearts Obama", someone calling themself "dave" - who wanted to make sure his comment went out so he posted it three times at 9:30 am Feb 25, and 9:33 am and again at 9:35 am. "dave's" comment is reproduced below with all errors intact:
"Obama turns his back towards the American Flag during the pledge of allegience!He might as well set the flag on fire and praise Osama Bin Laden for the great job the did in New York.And you idiots want him as a president.All i can say maybe Farrakhan will be standing directly behind Obama-One shot two kills !"
All three copies of that very ominous comment from "dave" are still there.
The Israel factor and threats to Obama from abroad
The Farrakhan issue is much ado about nothing, the lasting hot-button issue will be about security. And any time an American presidential candidate talks about American security, somehow Israel's security comes into the equation as well, even though Israel's current security situation is entirely of its own making. Occupying another peoples land for decades can generally be thought of as to be hazardous to ones own "security." This would be why many US presidents, even now incredulously George W. Bush, eventually turn to the issue of Israel and the occupation of the Palestinain territories including Gaza.
Many right-wing Israel supporters find that Barack Obama might not be enough "pro-Israel" for their liking. In others words, supportive like George W. Bush and his current policy, Annapolis literally not withstanding, of letting Israel do whatever it wants regardless of how badly this policy affects the world's security in general and American national security specifically.
In an article in Haaretz, the New York Times of Israel, Shmuel Rosner addressed the question "Would Obama be supportive of an Israel governed by Likud?" Some person called "Zvi", purportedly from Toronto, said in an indicative comment:
"Obama is like a trojan horse!he talks like barak obama but if he ever reach the white house he will turn into "hussein" my bet is that he will never reach the white house..there are a lot of americans that hate blacks&muslims they will get rid of him one way or another, with all the tight security he has."
Also there is a response to a Jerusalem Post article where Senator Obama's Israel loyalty is again questioned because he may not be perceived to agree with the Likud party platform and ideals and its compatibility with the future needs of America's and the world's security. According to the article entitled "Obama: Pro-Israel needn't be pro-Likud" Obama said, "I think there is a strain within the pro-Israel community that says unless you adopt an unwavering pro-Likud approach to Israel, then you're anti-Israel, and that can't be the measure of our friendship with Israel."
"Mr. D" - who is supposedly from the USA, says in a comment to the article:
"Obama will say anything to anyone he thinks might help him get elected and impose his commie /socialist agenda on us. He will never succeed. We will never allow this treasous scum i the white house."
Perhaps then, the Secret Service has its hands very full not only with security at various campaign venues such as Dallas but also with chasing down some of these more ominous threats from other quarters, even abroad? Some of them clearly sound life-threatening and it's a sure bet that they are looking into things like this.
Isn't it?
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