Will Barack Obama be Assassinated?

[John Simkin]

This article appeared in the Daily Mail a couple of weeks ago:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/arti...in_page_id=1770

British Nobel Prize winner Doris Lessing caused uproar last night by predicting the assassination of Barack Obama if he becomes the first black U.S. president.

The 88-year-old novelist's remarks came as the Democratic candidate toasted the most successful day in his White House campaign.

Mr Obama, the 46-year-old son of a black Kenyan man and a white American, dismissed Mrs Lessing's comments.

Miss Lessing said: "He would probably not last long, a black man in the position of president. They would kill him."

She said it would be better if Mrs Clinton, 60, became America's first woman president with Obama as her running mate.

"Hillary is a very sharp lady. It might be calmer if she wins," she told a Swedish newspaper.

But one Democratic analyst said: "Suggesting Obama is in danger if he wins the election in November is not only divisive, it is insulting to the American people."

Princeton University political science professor-Melissa Harris-Lacewell raised assassination fears last month, saying: "For many black supporters, there is a lot of anxiety that he will be killed. It is on people's minds.

"You can't make a prediction like this - like he has a 50 per cent chance of getting shot.

"But the greater his visibility and the greater his access to people, there is a danger."

Last month, TV host Harry Smith caused an outcry, asking Ted Kennedy, brother of assassinated President John F. Kennedy: "Sometimes agents of change end up being targets. Doesn't it make you at all fearful?"

Black presidential candidate Jesse Jackson received death threats during his campaigns in the Eighties and former Secretary of State Colin Powell ruled out a White House run after his wife feared he would be killed.

[Maggie Hansen]

Or if the Secret Government is unhappy with his performance they can let the presidential security stand down and allow the anti-black and anti- Muslim their best shot.

[Ron Ecker]

I think the danger is greater from the "deep political structure" than from racists. (And I agree that Brzezinski being on board is an indication that Obama is no real agent of change, he's just talking the talk.) What racists might do if anything would depend on what Obama does in office (which again I suspect will be little in the way of change), not the fact that he's black.

A few decades ago things were different, but racially things have improved. As a case in point, I assumed that O.J. Simpson would be dead within a year of his farcical acquittal in "the trial of the century," but it didn't happen. Not a single nut wanted to be the white race's avenger, though O.J. was and remains an easy target on golf courses around the well-armed country. If a black man as notorious as O.J. is safe from racists, so is Obama.

[Jack White]

I think the danger is greater from the "deep political structure" than from racists. (And I agree that Brzezinski being on board is an indication that Obama is no real agent of change, he's just talking the talk.) What racists might do if anything would depend on what Obama does in office (which again I suspect will be little in the way of change), not the fact that he's black.

A few decades ago things were different, but racially things have improved. As a case in point, I assumed that O.J. Simpson would be dead within a year of his farcical acquittal in "the trial of the century," but it didn't happen. Not a single nut wanted to be the white race's avenger, though O.J. was and remains an easy target on golf courses around the well-armed country. If a black man as notorious as O.J. is safe from racists, so is Obama.

OJ is not a good reference. He subjected himself to trial to protect his son Jason.

This is clear to those like me who have studied the evidence.

Jack

[William Kelly]

There are two anitidotes to the threat of assassination - one to lay out a platform to be agreed upon and followed regardless of who is Number One, and to put a person in as VP who would be considered worse to those who would consider elemination.

As a joke, I earlier suggested that Rev. Al Sharpton be nominated as Obama's VP as an insurance policy.

More seriously, Edwards and Ted Kennedy are both serious VP contenders on this count.

Of course actually solving previous political assassinations and convicting and sentencing those responsible would be a detrement.

BK

Edited March 3, 2008 by William Kelly

[John Simkin]

Article on this topic by Don Williams

http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_do...ust_our_gov.htm

A lifetime ago a friend asked, "What do you make of Barack Obama?"

My unrehearsed response: "When I see Obama, I see a dead man walking. Do you honestly believe they’ll ever let him be our president?"

"They who?"

My follow-up answer was clumsy. All I had was speculation. By "they" did I mean the special interests Obama often derides? Elements in the military-industrial complex who are used to dealing death, have billions at stake and who, no doubt, prefer McCain's vision of staying in Iraq for another century to Obama’s get-out-quick approach? Or was I referring to old-time racists, the sort who use the N-word and once made a hobby out of burning crosses and lynching folks? Maybe I meant some deranged fame-thief, one who kills in order to seize the spotlight from his victim, or a paranoiac, whipped to fever pitch by fear-mongers on talk radio who paint Obama as an unpatriotic Muslim?

Could be I’ve seen too many assassinations in my time—John F. Kennedy, Medgar Evers, Martin Luther King, Bobby Kennedy, John Lennon, Benazir Bhutto---or read of too many plots by America’s shadow government (Google "Operation Northwoods"). Whatever’s at work, I’ve always had doubts Obama would be allowed to become our president. I’ve been shy about saying this publicly, because I don’t like putting unproven ideas out there, especially when they could be misread as arguments against Obama’s candidacy. As regular readers know, I’m in his corner.

Still, a sane person must acknowledge that any number of people might want to kill Obama. Personally, it’s our own government that worries me most. I say this fresh from reading an article by Jack Douglas Jr. that ran Feb. 21 in the "Dallas Star-Telegram" under this headline: "Police Concerned About Order to Stop Weapons Screening at Obama Rally." Here’s an excerpt.

"DALLAS—Security details at Barack Obama’s rally Wednesday stopped screening people for weapons at the front gates more than an hour before the Democratic presidential candidate took the stage at Reunion Arena.

"The order to put down the metal detectors and stop checking purses and laptop bags came as a surprise to several Dallas police officers who said they believed it was a lapse in security.

"Dallas Deputy Police Chief T.W. Lawrence, head of the Police Department’s homeland security and special operations divisions, said the order—apparently made by the U.S. Secret Service—was meant to speed up the long lines outside and fill the arena’s vacant seats before Obama came on.

" ‘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.’"

"Seemed to be a ‘friendly crowd.’" Unbelievable. Few crowds appear friendlier than the one in old films of Dealey Plaza on Nov. 22, 1963, at the moment John F. Kennedy’s motorcade made its memorable turn into history.

It’s impossible to say whether there’s more to the Star-Telegram story than meets the eye. Allen L. Roland brings a chilling perspective in his Weblog at Salon.com.

"My one growing concern as the Obama movement continues to gain momentum is that the Military / Industrial complex will do anything in their power to remove threats to their power---and that certainly would include political leaders who do not believe in Bush’s illegal war, occupation and economic rape of Iraq.

"The Secret Service apparently ordered the Dallas police to shut down their weapons screening an hour before a major Obama rally…."

Lionize or despise them, but many in our Secret Service, the CIA, Special Forces and other government entities are trained to cast a cold eye on human life. In my opinion our president and vice-president have amply demonstrated a perverse fascination and/or casual acceptance of those who deal death. Whether it’s blowing up frogs with firecrackers, as Bush reportedly did as a boy, sending deranged criminals to their execution in Texas, as he did as a governor, blowing away animals released from cages on hunting preserves, as Dick Cheney likes to do, dealing death by remote control drones or by ordering shock-and-awe on thousands in Iraq, as both men are complicit in. At the same time they've revealed an aversion to accounting for such killings.

Bearing in mind that cavalier attitude toward death, we all should make it our business to demand that our government provide for the safety of all candidates for president. The recent lapse in Dallas should be investigated. It's important to learn just who in the Secret Service made the decision to call off the weapons screening. Or did that order come from higher up? If so, just how high up? We now know the torture at Abu Ghraib was sanctioned at the highest levels of government. Who ultimately controls the Secret Service?

[Scott Deitche]

As a joke, I earlier suggested that Rev. Al Sharpton be nominated as Obama's VP as an insurance policy.

BK

That would go over REALLY well with many Italian and Jewish-Americans.

Obama assasinated- short answer no. Not gonna happen. As for Obama being assasinated because of racism- insulting to say the least. Does racism against African-Americans exist-absolutely, as it does everywhere else. Does it exist as it has in the past? I would argue- looking at all the black congressmen, mayors, business leaders, entertainment figures, Oprah, etc. in America now- no, it does not.

Politically, Obama's best bet for VP would be Bill Richardson, to shore up the Democratic Latino vote.

Keep in mind that Democrats are voting in the primaries at a 2:1 margin over Republicans. There is a huge groundswell of support for Obama that is rather unprecedented, least of which is because he is half-black. I can see why people would be afraid of what might happen if he became President- whether he would be assasinated, etc.

[Ron Ecker]

I wonder whether such an event isn't being eagerly anticipated around here; it'd give the conspiracy-obsessed something all-new & all-different to "research in a deep political way."

Yes, I for one am hoping that he gets blown away. Great research opportunity, plus we get Hillary, who is having a tough time, poor thing (and whose family or friends of course would have nothing at all to do with such a hit).

9/11 was great too. Looking forward to the next one. Bigger and better!

[Kathleen Collins]

I think the danger is greater from the "deep political structure" than from racists. (And I agree that Brzezinski being on board is an indication that Obama is no real agent of change, he's just talking the talk.) What racists might do if anything would depend on what Obama does in office (which again I suspect will be little in the way of change), not the fact that he's black.

A few decades ago things were different, but racially things have improved. As a case in point, I assumed that O.J. Simpson would be dead within a year of his farcical acquittal in "the trial of the century," but it didn't happen. Not a single nut wanted to be the white race's avenger, though O.J. was and remains an easy target on golf courses around the well-armed country. If a black man as notorious as O.J. is safe from racists, so is Obama.

OJ is not a good reference. He subjected himself to trial to protect his son Jason.

This is clear to those like me who have studied the evidence.

Jack

Sidebar: I have read the book OJ Is Guilty, But Not of Murder. and agree that he is Guilty of being an Accessory after the fact. His older son did it, the chef with his knives. Doctor Henry Lee said the killer would have to be covered in blood. OJ was either called to the scene, or happened by it accidentally.

[John Simkin]

Ron, what I object to is the extraordinarily pathetic aspect of a thread entitled "Will Barack Obama Be Assassinated?" appearing in this public forum -- which is supposedly "a forum for teachers and educators" and which we might hope contains some substantive information about historical & current events subjects. It's not just that such a thread in its very title is obviously an invitation to speculation (about many possibilities & "angles" involved in the murder of a man whose murder has yet to be realized!!); it's that this odd inducement to morbid speculation further marks this forum and anyone associated with it as just about the looniest bunch of drooling maniacs you'd ever NOT want to meet.

Granted, if I were one of the wise and civilized members, I would do as they do where these types of things are concerned: stay out of it and stay far, far away from it.

But unfortunately those members are choosing the same option where the forums themselves are concerned, and then what's left? The worst thing that can happen to these forums and to "the larger community" is not that they would be "attacked by provocateurs," but that sincere, honest and reasonable people who might help would finally give up on it and ignore the whole damn thing.

I suppose this is an attack on me. However, I do think it is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. I watched a BBC news item on the presidential election. The reporter claimed that the possibility of Obama being assassinated is a big issue in the black community. They are aware of what has happened to previous black leaders in the US who appeared to be capable of obtaining political change. Maybe if you were able to show a little bit of empathy, you might well understand their concerns.

[John Simkin]

http://www.townhall.com/Columnists/Suzanne...ential_hustings

Assassination is something none us like to talk about, but it's nevertheless an unhappy part of the history of the presidency. Nearly 10 percent of our 43 presidents have died at the hand of assassins, and attempts were made on a half-dozen others. The prospect of assassination is a legitimate concern for the presidential candidates, their families and the rest of us.

The Secret Service, which guards presidents and presidential candidates, naturally declines to talk about assassination, or any of the details of how it protects anyone. The Internet attracts weird characters, many of them blowhards armed only with a laptop and a neurotic grievance who would have difficulty plotting a successful trip to the bathroom, but threats have to be taken seriously. Lately, reporters accompanying Barack Obama have noticed a growing number of agents in the Obama traveling party, conspicuous for their haircuts, neat dark suits, modest ties and tiny yellow badges worn on the lapels of their suits.

In the UK we do not talk about our political leaders being assassinated as it rarely happens. The last prime minister to be murdered was Spencer Perceval in 1812.

[John Simkin]

Ventura opines: almost certain!

http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/april...ntura_warns.htm

This section is interesting:

Princeton University political science professor-Melissa Harris-Lacewell echoed the same sentiment a month before, saying: "For many black supporters, there is a lot of anxiety that he will be killed. It is on people's minds."

"You can't make a prediction like this - like he has a 50 per cent chance of getting shot."

"But the greater his visibility and the greater his access to people, there is a danger."

Some speculated that Obama had been set up for an assassination attempt during a February 20 rally in Dallas, after it emerged that Secret Service gave the order to stop screening for weapons a full hour before the event began.

[Len Colby]

Ventura opines: almost certain!

http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/april...ntura_warns.htm

I've never had any great affection for Obama [even if he is the lesser of evils!], but today when I heard he was NOT in Memphis for the 40th anniversary of the USA termination of MLK, I stopped what LITTLE postive feeling I had for him. His advisors and his party say it all....corporate Borg - just is the most 'liberal' model...so what! The same old, same old....hurray for an African-American running for President...but NOT a progressive one - not all all! Sorry! He really failed his 'test' today. Playing to the average Sheeple and 'playing politics' to win is not my idea of a 'leader'. A real leader and real role-model does what is correct - NO MATTER what the consequences! We have none like that running for President. They were all killed - or marginalized - people like that exist in America, but the system will not let them get to first base....

?????????????

[J. Raymond Carroll]

Does Senator Obama look like someone who's not fully aware of the potential costs of what he's doing? Does he seem like a man with any illusions about whatever comes his way?

I have not seen any discussion in the media about Obama's medical/health status, but his parents both died young, and he often quotes MLK on "the fierce urgency of now." Obama seems to enjoy perfect health, but he must be conscious that the risk of early death comes with his genetic endowment. JFK lived with a similar knowledge.

In the last years of their lives both Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy had extremely fatalistic attitudes about their probable, eventual murder. That's an "unlucky" way to have to live, but the demeanor is about the most admirable thing I can imagine: they did what they had to do, despite the danger, because their safety and security (and "happy contentment") must've seemed less critical than what they were fighting for. I wonder what it was they were fighting for.

Obama certainly sees himself in the tradition of JFK, MLK & RFK (he made that point again yesterday when he chose to address the King assassination through the words of RFK in Indiana). Of course he also sees himself as fitting into the broader American tradition that goes back to the founding fathers. His economics address at Cooper Union included an excellent discussion of the tension between Hamilton and Jefferson in their vision of government's role in America's economic future.

The founding fathers also knew they faced assassination (execution, as the British would prefer to call it) if their rebellion failed. "Let us all hang together," said Franklin, "or surely we will all hang separately." But they all felt that the risk was worth it.

What were they fighting for? According to Charles Sanders Peirce, America's greatest philosopher, biological evolution has done all it can in bringing us to where we are now, and the further progress of humanity depends on our own conscious efforts. In his current stage, man is a RATIONAL animal ONLY IN EMBRYONIC form, and so the greatest task of visionaries and leaders in all fields, but especially in politics, is to encourage enlightened rational thinking in the conduct of human affairs.

In the 20th century we saw how irrational thinking can be harnessed and manipulated by the power-hungry, with devastating consequences. To me, Obama is an agent of a more enlightened form of thinking than McCain's or Hillary's, (both co-authors of the irrational Iraq invasion) and so I hope Obama wins.

I do think that the vitality of the ongoing inquiry into the JFK-MLK-RFK assassinations is a warning to anyone with power who might contemplate a plot against Obama, and that the very existence of forums such as this is a form of safeguard.

[Myra Bronstein]

Ventura opines: almost certain!

http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/april...ntura_warns.htm

Ron and Jesse Ventura got it exactly right (you're in distinguished company Ron ).

IF Obama is actually a free agent, and not assimilated into the borg collective, he's in clear and present danger. It has nothing to do with his race. The MIC gangsters couldn't care less about color and gender; they only want to insure that a president understands business.

President Kennedy did not "understand business."