Police: Heckler at Kerry speech says he was assaulted

[Nambe]

CINCINNATI (AP)

A heckler briefly interrupted a speech by Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry today in Cincinnati. The man _ 48-year-old Michael Russell of Foster, Kentucky _ told police he was assaulted by two men near him in the crowd before others shouted him down with cries of "Kerry, Kerry."

Cincinnati police said Russell complained that his neck was hurt by a man who put him in a headlock. The scuffle occurred after Russell started to yell about Kerry's allegation of war atrocities after returning from Navy service in Vietnam. ..

Russell said he is a Republican who ran unsuccessfully four years ago for judge- executive of Bracken County, Kentucky. He said he worked for the Bush-Cheney campaign that year by putting out campaign signs.

Bushista Mugger * * Kendra D-Ore
The Last Four Years in a Nutshell

[glitch]

1. so what's he gonna do - call a lawyer? nt

:evilgrin:

[ibegurpard]

33. Better yet... a TRIAL LAWYER.

:7

[liberal N proud]

2. This will be front page stuff before the day is over.

Watch and see!

[chelsea0011]

9. It's already the lead footage on CNN, not the hundreds there for Kerry

[skypilot]

3. At least the fucker got in...

...without having to sign a "loyalty oath".

[Catfight]

4. Show the video of the Young Republician kicking a young girl! n/t

[Swamp Rat]

12. This guy?

[Javaman]

22. Hitler Youth...

[Swamp Rat]

24. Exactly!

I watched about 1/3 of the CSPAN footage... that's all I could stand of Andy Card preaching to the Nazi youth. If you want to see it, go to CSPAN and use the search term "Republican Youth." When they are all wearing uniforms, that will mean we are past the point of no return.

[Catfight]

26. I think he is the leader of the Young Republicans for Talibans. n/t

[klook]

5. Hey, that was a lot milder than a fraternity prank

so what's this guy whining about??

[BlueEyedSon]

6. What kind of precedent is this for the kicked protester at the RNC?

[NYC Liberal]

7. Cowards

They act all macho, but when actually confronted they wimper and cry to their mommies.

"Look at what the mean ol' Democrat did to me!"


Huh...sounds kinda like Bush.

[footinmouth]

8. Such a shame

that he didn't have a nice safe "protest zone" to go to, with others of his kind. I guess being strong armed is better than being pelted with flip flops.

[tandot]

10. What did he expect? Flowers?

I heard that he was sitting in an area reserved for Veterans. If you insult Kerry on his Vietnam service, you'll insult all of them. Those Veterans supporting Kerry already have had enough with all those SlimeVets and their lies.

[sui generis]

11. I have a problem with hecklers on both sides

it's disruptive and immature and reflects badly on their "cause" no matter what.

[KurtNYC]

13. Note how they imply that he is NOT working for the BC campaign

by talking about 4 years ago? worked for the Bush-Cheney campaign

And now?? 4 years ago "sign putter" Now: "heckler/suer"

[G_j]

14. I really don't get it

I don't know if the guy was really assaulted.
But we tend to scream bloody murder if one of ours gets 'roughed up'.
I don't think he was, but what IF the guy was actually assaulted?
What would we say then?

[Tuttle]

17. give him a bandaid

with a purple heart -- Newt says it's funny!

Tut-tut

[MagickMuffin]

15. Is CNN reporting

about the christian who assaulted the Veterans for Kerry in CO, who also hit a woman in the mouth?

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/politics/3710608/detail...

[Joanne98]

16. He didn't look hurt to me..........n/t

[Walt Starr]

18. What a fucking double standard!!!

Not one word from the media whores when Kerry supporters are assaulted by Republicans, EVEN WHEN BROADCASTED LIVE ON TELEVISION, but let one guy be frog marched out of a Kerry event and the media whores are all over it!

[Democat]

19. The right wing will go all out to get this in the media - our side doesn't

If the power of the Democratic Party got behind every Democratic protestor who was attacked by right wingers, it would be a news story too. Instead, we let it go and hope the media will do something about it.

The right wing doesn't "hope" for anything - they make it happen.

We need to be much more aggressive with the media. When a Democrat is attacked at any right wing event, we need to make it an issue. The right wing goes all out to make issues, we need to do the same.

[Monte Carlo]

20. Oh, look who needs a trial lawyer and a frivolous lawsuit now...!

Muffin, do you have whiplash?

[bushalert]

21. GOOD!!!

I would have smacked the shit out of him!

[frylock]

23. show of hands for anyone who feels sorry for the poor li'l guy..

Bueller? Bueller?

[alarcojon]

25. Isn't this the kind of thing protestwarrior does?

These people know the media will play up stories like these. It's clear he was heckling and, in fact, was there specifically to heckle. And, probably, to try to goad others into attacking him. Then he can play the poor republican victim on Fox, Limbaugh, Hannity, and the rest.

[enki23]

27. if a republican *male* wants to make the talk show circuit...

cringing and crying about being roughed up a little at a democratic party event... i say, go buddy go. *this* is one attack angle that truly, truly ain't gonna work.

we should encourage (or goad) this schmuck to do just that.

[GingerSnaps]

28. He's never been able to move his stiff neck

It's good enough for him what does he want to do now "sue" and I guess he will be looking for a trial lawyer.

[Must_B_Free]

48. "Stiff Necked Fools"

"You think you are cool"

[Libby2]

29. I was watching it

it looked to me like that had the jerk on the floor.
I never did see what he looked like.


Too bad, he's mad, and I'm glad.

[rumguy]

30. Bottom line: You question a vets honor to his face like that

you're going to get your ass kicked.

That idiot deserved everything he got.

I doubt he was even hurt - you can tell by lookin' at him he's pussy.

[Nlighten1]

31. Tough shit

[opusprime]

32. Lesson One:

Dont talk smack in a crowd full of union iron workers.

The same thing can be said for hockey/football games in cities like Philadelphia or New York.

[xchrom]

34. pity, that.

sniff, clears throat -- OK NOW what else is happening?

[hatrack]

35. Complained that his neck was hurt . . . sounds to me like he's just a . .

GIRLIE-MAN!!!!!

[progressivebydesign]

36. Why was this guy in Cinncinati? I guess he had it all planned...

Another angry white man. yawn.

[Citizen Daryl]

37. Don't Be Such A GIRLIE MAN, Mikey!

[DoNotRefill]

38. Too bad. The heckler should be charged.

for conduct that will cause an immediate breach of the peace.

You have a right to speak. You don't have a right to speak in a manner that will cause a ruckus.

[Sterling]

39. To me it looked like they just help him down.

Meaning made him stay seated. Nothing gratuitous, just kinda like a citizen’s arrest.

[DoNotRefill]

42. do you have a link to the video?

All I can find is one picture on Drudge...

Thanks

[jdj]

40. I wouldn't have a 'salted him. I'd have used pepper (spray)!

[G_j]

44. oh come on

the idiot was yelling, he didn't attack anyone.
We were cheering for the folks who disrupted the RNC with their banners.

--If you succumb to the temptation of using violence in the struggle, unborn generations will be the recipients of a long and desolate night of bitterness, and your chief legacy to the future will be an endless reign of meaningless chaos.

- Martin Luther King Jr., "Justice Without Violence", 4.3.57

[AlFrankenFan]

41. Serves him right...Democrats aren't wimps, ya know

and I'm glad he learned that.

[shraby]

43. Keith Olbermann had the video

on his show. He reruns at 11:00 cst.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

45. When asked for proof that his neck was actually injured,

Russell proudly unveiled his neck. Sure enough, it was red all over.

[Dr Fate]

46. At least he was not submitted to a loyalty oath. n/t

n/t

[riverwalker]

47. I watched it on TV when it happened

and thought it was handled pretty well. He started heckling, then suddenly was surrounded by a bunch of other guys, and then he shut up. I think his plan was to yell and run, but when he was confronted by people who came to hear Kerry speak, he wimped out.