Former agent: Gun-toters creating ‘atmosphere of danger’ for Obama

As many as 12 people openly carrying guns showed up at President Barack Obama’s speech to the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Phoenix, Arizona, on Monday, adding to concerns about the recent trend of private citizens bringing weapons to presidential appearances.

Those people are “creating an atmosphere that could be dangerous to the president,” a former Secret Service agent told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Monday night.

Joseph Petro, author of Standing Next to History, a memoir of life in the Secret Service, told viewers of The Rachel Maddow Show that these types of incidents were not something the Secret Service typically encountered — until now.

And Petro laid some of the blame with the politicians and pundits who have whipped parts of the public into a frenzy over health care reform. “I would argue that the vitriolic political rhetoric we’re hearing from seemingly responsible people is stimulating a lot of these foolish stunts,” Petro said.

Bringing guns to political rallies “could incite or encourage one of those individuals at the fringe doing something dangerous or perhaps violent against the president,” he said. “Maybe the politicians should look at lowering some of the rhetoric to try to create a more positive atmosphere.”

http://rawstory.com/08/news/2009/08/18/guns-atmosphere-danger-obama/

...and I know lots of you out there don't get something this simple ...pathetic.

not healthy for anyone.

:hi:

:hi:

the elephant in the middle of the room needs to be SEEN for what it is.

By everyone.

12 people! What is next, 30 or more? Stretching resources is always bad.

mushrooms that are grown in the dark and fed shit.

Since the resources of the SS are not unlimited, the only way to keep a large number of potentially dangerous people under observation is to confine them to a limited area. There is no way they can adequately protect the president if there are tens, or dozens, of people carrying firearms spread out over a large area. Thus, the only rational response is 'free speech zones', validating Bush's paranoia.

Just another attempt to make Obama 'just like Bush'. If they can force Obama to such measures, than obviously Bush was NOT misguided in doing the same. (Nevermind that Bush did it without any overt threats against him.)

K&R