Paul Broun condemns town hall question, ‘Who’s going to shoot Obama?’
U.S. Rep. Paul Broun, R-Athens, just issued a sharp condemnation of a constituent who, at a town hall meeting this week, raised the prospect of violence against President Barack Obama.
A spokesman for Broun also confirmed that his office contacted the Secret Service to report incident.
Broun’s relatively quick reaction is an indication of a changed climate since last month’s shooting of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona. The incident happened on Tuesday night, but didn’t get widespread play until Thursday.
A Broun staffer, as reported by the Athens Banner-Herald, almost immediately called the question “inappropriate.” Broun himself weighed in once it became clear that — this morning — the incident was developing national legs.
From Broun:
“Tuesday night at a town hall meeting in Oglethorpe County, Georgia an elderly man asked the abhorrent question, “Who’s going to shoot Obama?” I was stunned by the question and chose not to dignify it with a response; therefore, at that moment I moved on to the next person with a question.
After the event, my office took action with the appropriate authorities. I deeply regret that this incident happened at all. Furthermore, I condemn all statements—made in sincerity or jest—that threaten or suggest the use of violence against the President of the United States or any other public official. Such rhetoric cannot and will not be tolerated.”
The Washington Post has dipped in with this:
According to Ed Donovan, a Secret Service spokesman, the situation has been looked into.
“We’re aware of the incident and the appropriate steps were taken,” Donovan told me. “At this point it’s a closed matter.”
A law enforcement source confirmed that the Secret Service interviewed the constituent and determined that he or she was an “elderly person” who now regrets making a bad joke.
Here’s the original post on the incident, first recounted by Blake Aued of the Athens Banner-Herald. The remark, Aued wrote, got a big laugh from the crowd.
Aued also captured what he said was Broun’s immediate response:
“The thing is, I know there’s a lot of frustration with this president. We’re going to have an election next year. Hopefully, we’ll elect somebody that’s going to be a conservative, limited-government president that will take a smaller, who will sign a bill to repeal and replace Obamacare.”
Broun spokesman Austin Carson disputes that. “[Broun] made no response to the original question except to say, ‘Next question,’” Carson said. The words above that Aued reported, the spokesman said, was Broun’s answer to the next question. Which was also apparently critical of the president.
Clearly, many people will question whether Broun’s response was swift or strong enough. Among them are Senate Minority Leader Robert Brown, D-Macon:
“Congressman Broun showed no leadership, no tact, and no courage. No elected official should tacitly agree that shooting the president is an acceptable act. He should apologize for his stunning lack of moral courage to the citizens of Georgia, and to the president himself.”
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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202 comments Add your comment
Cracker
February 25th, 2011
5:03 pm
whats the big deal?
Just Why Does It Matter
February 25th, 2011
5:04 pm
Why does it matter anyway….nothing the government has done or not done as every hurt me. I work I pay my require taxes…I take vacation with my family every year…I save….I think people sometime blame the government for messing up there lives when the man in the mirror does it. I read these post and like some of these people need to talk to a professional…..Grow up and Take Care of Your Busines…the government does not run my life I do.
Thank You.
Jay
February 25th, 2011
5:07 pm
Way to go Rep. Broun(shirt).
Marr
February 25th, 2011
5:07 pm
Who cares??
MrAttitude
February 25th, 2011
5:07 pm
Condemned what?? The response from Broun was softer than milk toast. If Broun was as upstanding as he is portrayed, he would have condemned the statement ON THE SPOT, NOT THROUGH A STATEMENT!! This is what America has come to expect from these outstanding right wing republicans. And let’s not forget that Broun basically gives births to the statements with outlandish comments of his own.
james
February 25th, 2011
5:14 pm
have all the red states turned into”dixiecrats”.sounds like it?
Motocross Survivor
February 25th, 2011
5:19 pm
Vick Supporter wrote:
“White people at their finest! No surprise at all!”
Another black person who couldn’t care less about cruelty to animals. Black people at their finest! No surprise at all!
td
February 25th, 2011
5:30 pm
Oh my God at the total B***S*** righteous indignation I have read from you libs today. This is no more or no less than I have heard from the left for years about GWB. This is part of the political rhetoric that has been going on in this country since the beginning. Just because our current President is black does not change a thing about how 10 to 50% of the nation would rather see him dead. Big freaking deal, get over yourselves.
Martin Williams
February 25th, 2011
5:37 pm
Is this the same idiot that was twitting during the State of the union address by the president? NOT surprise a bit. It will come back and bite him truly hard some day.
td
February 25th, 2011
5:41 pm
The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Thomas Jefferson
I guess you libs would think if this was said today that Jefferson should have resigned from office and sent directly to jail?
catlady
February 25th, 2011
5:41 pm
Why is the fact that the person is elderly important? If s/he is not mentally competent, how did s/he get to the meeting? Sorry, that does not get a pass.
We put in prison for life teenagers who commit murder or rape. How does being elderly get you off the hook?
MzMoore
February 25th, 2011
5:46 pm
Excuse me Brock, but what does this issue have to do with black folks supporting Michael Vick? So in your mind,the fact that President Obama is black makes it acceptable for a person to ask a U.S Member of Congres when is someone going to shoot the President of the United States.
td
February 25th, 2011
5:48 pm
What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?-Thomas Jefferson
Is this not what this guy was doing? Should he not have the right to say it?
Suzie
February 25th, 2011
5:58 pm
It doesn’t matter what Obama tries to do for our county, there are still ignorant people who are against everthing the man does. People fail to realize that this man is God sent. If it was up to man, he wouldn’t be President. God has a way of working through people. Stop all this hatred people.!
Cammie
February 25th, 2011
6:03 pm
Suzie, you are so correct. Let now weapon formed against “President Obama” shall prosper. God is in control, at all times. The election campaign lies, fears and smears didn’t work in 08 and now the Republicans/Conservatives have stepped their game up and now they are resorting to use death threats as jokes against the President to win the next election.
Suzie
February 25th, 2011
6:09 pm
To Brock,
This conversation is not about Mike Vick. It’s about ignorant rednecks making inappropriate comments about the President. If you’re so unhappy about YOUR Commander in Chief, then move to another country!!!!!!
Ramguy
February 25th, 2011
6:36 pm
I got a robo call from Broun when he was running for re-election….he said that he was going to work on banning porn….lol…that’s thing about these repubs…they are repulsed by sex, ashamed of it, sickened by it and bad at it.
james otto
February 25th, 2011
6:39 pm
I dont see a problem here. The guy didnt make a threat, he simply asked a question. We have far more important problems and issues that need to be addressed at the local and federal level than worrying about some old guy that might be a little off his rocker. GET A GRIP
Ramguy
February 25th, 2011
6:40 pm
@td The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Thomas Jefferson
I guess you libs would think if this was said today that Jefferson should have resigned from office and sent directly to jail?
What color is the sky in your world?
Tracy
February 25th, 2011
6:42 pm
I think he handled it the proper way.
He didn’t give the guy more attention at the moment, just quickly moved on and ignored him. Then afterwards condemns his questions and tells the SS what he said.
Also, my neighbor was act the meeting and no, he did NOT laugh at the question. That is a 100% lie.
what a fine state of denial we live in
February 25th, 2011
6:42 pm
George W Bush Did it not occur to you that the President has been sweeping up the mess that Bush made for the past eight years?? That the mess that the Wall Street crowd hatched had to be dealt with by someone?? Did it never occur to you Republicans that you can only play the deficit game for so long before someone has to try and sweep up behind the clowns that have led us down this road? Both Reagan and Bush played the deficit game for far too long and then the lying Republicans tried to hang the deficits on the Democrats that followed them. Same old same old. Get the country in a mess and then blame the Dem President who tries to get us out of it.
what a fine state of denial we live in
February 25th, 2011
6:43 pm
Tracy he did not condemn the question nor the questioner at the meeting. He only condemned it when he felt the heat from the national press almost 3 days later. Imagine that!!!
james otto
February 25th, 2011
6:44 pm
Suzie
Im really surprised your able to use a keyboard to type the horsespit you talk from all the tree sap on your hands.
what a fine state of denial we live in
February 25th, 2011
6:46 pm
Suzie The President is a black man Suzie. Many here in the south WILL NEVER accept him because of that!!!
RedNeck rite here
February 25th, 2011
6:47 pm
Aint nutting wrong wit wat dat man did. Obama is black you no and dis is the dey republcan party. yall ack like its wrong to git Obama or de mans wife. he aint got no burth certifcate idder.
Ramguy
February 25th, 2011
6:48 pm
George W Bush Did it not occur to you that the President has been sweeping up the mess that Bush made for the past eight years?? That the mess that the Wall Street crowd hatched had to be dealt with by someone?? Did it never occur to you Republicans that you can only play the deficit game for so long before someone has to try and sweep up behind the clowns that have led us down this road? Both Reagan and Bush played the deficit game for far too long and then the lying Republicans tried to hang the deficits on the Democrats that followed them. Same old same old. Get the country in a mess and then blame the Dem President who tries to get us out of it.
lol…that’s what’s call an inconvenient truth! Have you noticed the rightwingers outrage at the price of gas now? When the shrub was in office we got posts about how much coke, OJ and gatorade costs by the gallon…lol
RedNeck rite here
February 25th, 2011
6:49 pm
as a repubcan I think we should put all de colureds in one state. dey dont need be working wit white people.
RGB
February 25th, 2011
6:50 pm
Catlady: We put in prison for life teenagers who commit murder or rape. How does being elderly get you off the hook?
Um, perhaps it was because the individual didn’t, um, kill anybody.
Please do not vote in the next election. Please.
“Denial”: Obama’s budget deficits quadruple Bush’s highest budget deficit. That’s FOUR TIMES the worst Bush ever did. And Democrats ran Congress when that happened.
Do you not understand the concept that if “President Number One” does something considered bad–that when “President Number Two” does the same thing (except 4X worse)–that’s much worse?
Please do not vote in the next election. Please.
what a fine state of denial we live in
February 25th, 2011
6:51 pm
td I am so impressed that you have remembered one quote from TJ. I will assure you that he did not mean that Americans should run around talking about or trying to assasinate the President of the US. Now do yourself a favor and go read more about what this man said and what he meant!
RedNeck rite here
February 25th, 2011
6:51 pm
boat repubcan!! boat Mccain/palin!
Paul James
February 25th, 2011
6:52 pm
Another embarrassment for the state of Ga. Is Broun related to state rep. Bobby franklin???
RedNeck rite here
February 25th, 2011
6:53 pm
hass anybody seen Obama burth certifcate?
what a fine state of denial we live in
February 25th, 2011
6:53 pm
RGB You are either a liar or an idiot. Republicans were in charge of Congress for 6 of the 8 years that Bush was President. GO and read up a little before you continue to show your ignorance!!!
vernon
February 25th, 2011
6:53 pm
James
I’m surprised at how many people do not know how to use the words your and you’re correctly.
what a fine state of denial we live in
February 25th, 2011
6:54 pm
RedNeck rite here I’m sure your mom must be so proud of how you turned out!!!
Paul James
February 25th, 2011
6:54 pm
Another embarrassment for the state of Ga. Is Paul Broun related to state rep. Bobby Franklin??
Alabama Communist
February 25th, 2011
6:57 pm
More Breaking News on meeting!!!!!!! 10 Tea party republican people who attended the meeting were shocked to find out that Broun had voted against the Patriot Act and declaring them as enemies of Obama!
what a fine state of denial we live in
February 25th, 2011
6:58 pm
RGB come on pal- go and eread up about Bush’ 8 years and then come on back and take your foot out of your mouth!!! And you want to tell somebody- anybody not to vote???? Give me a break you walking moron.
RedNeck rite here
February 25th, 2011
7:06 pm
I dont tink neegros shuld be taking bout white people round here. Dis is white man country and all neggars should go bak to afraca. Obama dont eban hab a burth certifcate so dare, now what.
RedNeck rite here
February 25th, 2011
7:07 pm
boat repubcan!! boat Mccain/palin! hes white and Obama aint.
what a fine state of denial we live in
February 25th, 2011
7:09 pm
RedNeck rite here Can you say racist idiot???
td
February 25th, 2011
7:14 pm
what a fine state of denial we live in
February 25th, 2011
6:51 pm
td I am so impressed that you have remembered one quote from TJ. I will assure you that he did not mean that Americans should run around talking about or trying to assasinate the President of the US. Now do yourself a favor and go read more about what this man said and what he meant!
I guess you missed the second quote I posted from Jefferson? Since you seems so unaware of history and believe what you liberial teachers have said; let us try a few more 1st person quotes (real research) has to say.
Most bad government has grown out of too much government.-Thomas Jefferson
Were we directed from Washington when to sow and when to reap, we should soon want bread.-Thomas Jefferson
Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms [of government] those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.-Thomas Jefferson
Dirty Dawg
February 25th, 2011
7:17 pm
The ‘people’ of the 10th District are the ones that voted this Bat Sh*t Crazy loon into office in the first place…you don’t think they’re likely to, all of a sudden, become smart, do you?
No Broun is simply a member of the lunatic, white boy Congressional posse that has established themselves as the most idiotic, the most imbecilic, the absolute poster boys for the worst in Congressmen…Broun, Price, Kingston, Westmorland and Gingrey…they seem to delight in taking turns being held up to ridicule across the Nation…and they’re all from Georgia…makes you proud, don’t it?
td
February 25th, 2011
7:18 pm
what a fine state of denial we live in:
The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first.-Thomas Jefferson
Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have … The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases.
I am pretty sure I know were Jefferson stood and it is not a liberal/progressive/communist. I am pretty sure he would be a member of the Tea party today and Karl Marx would be a member of the progressive caucus.
what a fine state of denial we live in
February 25th, 2011
7:19 pm
You Republicans would certainly know tyranny well since that is how you govern. When Bush breaks the law with illegal wars and giving big business everything they want then you are as happy as pigs in a sty. But when a dem President has to clean the mess that you and your brown shirts have caused then you are all of a sudden all concerned about the future of the US. Lies and hypocrisy are all that you pukes know.
trujoy
February 25th, 2011
7:20 pm
It do not mean a thing about this man being elderly, he made the remark and this Mr. Broun should have stop him in his tracks, just the way Mr. McCain did to that lade at one of his meeting. But no’oooo, Mr Broun just laugh along with all the other redneck pepperheads. With this just days after the first lady Michelle visited this sorry State, how can those people in Athens GA, and the University of Georgia family be mum about this person that is supposely their district leader in Washington…Oh..I forgot this is the red state of Georgia..which is a lie, with all of in my circle and educated are BLUE in Georgia.
what a fine state of denial we live in
February 25th, 2011
7:22 pm
td If you had any sense you would know that government is not the problem- it is bad government that is the problem. You Republicans should understand that very well since that is what you delivered to this country for the past 8 years. Look at the money that we have poured into that illegal war in Iraq that your “mission accomplished” jerk led us into,
what a fine state of denial we live in
February 25th, 2011
7:24 pm
Broun only yelled foul when the national press began to light a fire up his butt about his cowardice in not taking this racist down a notch or two on Tuesday night.
td
February 25th, 2011
7:27 pm
what a fine state of denial we live in
Just a few more quotes for you ince you have such a hard time reading “real history (first person accounts):
An unlimited power to tax involves, necessarily, a power to destroy; because there is a limit beyond which no institution and no property can bear taxation.
John Marshall, McCullough v. Maryland, 1819
Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom of Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be, on any pretence, raised in the United States.
Noah Webster, An Examination into the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution, 1787
I guess Webster was a Tea partier too?
Far from being rivals or enemies, religion and law are twin sisters, friends, and mutual assistants. Indeed, these two sciences run into each other. The divine law, as discovered by reason and the moral sense, forms an essential part of both.
James Wilson
Another religious right nut?
This is Mrs. Norman Maine
February 25th, 2011
7:32 pm
Paul Broun, like the constituents who put him in office, is a creepy amoral coward. He only decided to condemn the man AFTER the story got national play. Apparently in his part of the word, talk of killing the President is so natural and par for the course, that he didn’t recognize how off the wall the question was until after other people pointed it out to him. THEN he got concerned, the jerk.