Did Obama need bulletproof glass at his acceptance speech?

Dec 26, 2007
11,783
2
76
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/t...ind_bullet_proof_glass

Here at Grant Park in Chicago, the stage for what Barack Obama hopes will be a victory speech on Tuesday night is being set up. On either side of the lectern is a large bullet proof glass screen protecting him from any shots fired by would-be assassins who might be positioned in skyscrapers overlooking the venue.

One of the workers helping build the steel-reinforced stage said the two screens (which measure about 10 feet high and 15 feet long and are about two and a half inches thick) had been lowered into place by cranes at about 5pm today.

He described how Secret Service agents had taken up different positions on the stage where they had been lit up up ont heir chests with red dots apparently "fired" by other agents using laser guns and posing as snipers aiming from the windows of different skyscrapers. The existence of the screens was first reported by ABC radio news.

The screens would protect Mr Obama from most of the high-rise buildings surrounding the park with the line of sight from many other buildings being be blocked by the press stand and broadcast tents . This is the first time I have seen bullet proof screens being used to protect Mr Obama. Law enforcement officials with binoculars often scan tall buildings close to campaign rallies.

Mr Obama first received Secret Service protection in May 2007, a much earlier juncture than previous presidential candidates, after his Senate colleague Dick Durbin raised concerns about his safety. Last week, federal agents in Tennessee broke up what they described as a plot by two white supremacists to assassinate Mr Obama as party of a "killing spree" targeting black people.

Yes I know it's a blog, but I couldn't find any non-blog and this was from a real news source (the telegraph).

Was this something that was really needed? Obviously McCain didn't have it, so that means it is just for Obama. Should we expect this to be the norm for his presidency?
 

Genx87

Lifer
Apr 8, 2002
41,095
513
126
This assasination business sounds like a far left fantasy. Probably to validate their opinions on far righties.
 

yllus

Elite Member & Lifer
Aug 20, 2000
20,577
432
126
There's rarely any harm in being too careful.
 

Rainsford

Lifer
Apr 25, 2001
17,515
0
0
Why would McCain need it? He lost.

But in any case, yeah, I think this could be a large concern for the Secret Service for the next 4 or 8 years. There are a lot of crazy, racist as hell fuckers out there who can't be happy that Obama was elected. Now most of them are probably about the same caliber threat as the incompetent "terrorists" that keep popping up every once in a while, but it never hurts to be careful.
 

Mursilis

Diamond Member
Mar 11, 2001
7,756
11
81
Originally posted by: Genx87
This assasination business sounds like a far left fantasy. Probably to validate their opinions on far righties.

Every president, regardless of party, is a magnet for crazies. Reagan was actually shot, and remember that guy who flew a small plane into the White House to get Clinton? I'm sure there will be plots against Obama, but it's probably not going to be just because of his race. Someone may still want to impress Jodi Foster!
 

Rainsford

Lifer
Apr 25, 2001
17,515
0
0
Originally posted by: Genx87
This assasination business sounds like a far left fantasy. Probably to validate their opinions on far righties.

Yeah, because I'm pretty sure the Secret Service takes action based on "far left fantasies" :roll:
 
Dec 26, 2007
11,783
2
76
Originally posted by: Rainsford
Why would McCain need it? He lost.

But in any case, yeah, I think this could be a large concern for the Secret Service for the next 4 or 8 years. There are a lot of crazy, racist as hell fuckers out there who can't be happy that Obama was elected. Now most of them are probably about the same caliber threat as the incompetent "terrorists" that keep popping up every once in a while, but it never hurts to be careful.

They didn't set this up after it was decided. They set this up prior to Obama winning.
 

Drakkon

Diamond Member
Aug 14, 2001
8,401
1
0
150K+ people on a grassy knoll?
if i was president (elect) being called the next JFK i wouldn't wanna take any chances either.....
 

dmcowen674

No Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
54,894
47
91
www.alienbabeltech.com
Originally posted by: DisgruntledVirus
Topic Title: Did Obama need bulletproof glass at his acceptance speech?
Topic Summary: Or is everything being blown out of proportion?

Yes I know it's a blog, but I couldn't find any non-blog and this was from a real news source (the telegraph).

Was this something that was really needed? Obviously McCain didn't have it, so that means it is just for Obama. Should we expect this to be the norm for his presidency?

Oh come on.

Dead MLK, Kennedy's, McKinley, Lincoln etc. Dumb to even make the OP. :roll:
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,456
854
126
That's really sad. Shows that we have a long way to go as a nation that's for sure.

BTW-If anything happens to Obama I predict a race war in this country the likes of which we've never seen. It would set this country back decades.

When I saw those I just assumed they were strategically placed to prevent a sniper from one of the many high rise buildings in the area...guess I was right.

I'm sure Obama is well aware of all the loonies in this country and will take security very seriously during his administration.
 
Dec 26, 2007
11,783
2
76
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Originally posted by: DisgruntledVirus
Topic Title: Did Obama need bulletproof glass at his acceptance speech?
Topic Summary: Or is everything being blown out of proportion?

Yes I know it's a blog, but I couldn't find any non-blog and this was from a real news source (the telegraph).

Was this something that was really needed? Obviously McCain didn't have it, so that means it is just for Obama. Should we expect this to be the norm for his presidency?

Oh come on.

Dead MLK, Kennedy's, McKinley, Lincoln etc. Dumb to even make the OP. :roll:

Okay, so why didn't McCain have it setup for his speech? Once again this was setup before the outcome was known, so how come McCain didn't have anything like this setup?
 

bamacre

Lifer
Jul 1, 2004
21,030
2
61
Originally posted by: DisgruntledVirus
Okay, so why didn't McCain have it setup for his speech?

Because anyone with half a brain knew McCain never had a chance.
 

CitizenKain

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2000
4,480
14
76
Originally posted by: DisgruntledVirus
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Originally posted by: DisgruntledVirus
Topic Title: Did Obama need bulletproof glass at his acceptance speech?
Topic Summary: Or is everything being blown out of proportion?

Yes I know it's a blog, but I couldn't find any non-blog and this was from a real news source (the telegraph).

Was this something that was really needed? Obviously McCain didn't have it, so that means it is just for Obama. Should we expect this to be the norm for his presidency?

Oh come on.

Dead MLK, Kennedy's, McKinley, Lincoln etc. Dumb to even make the OP. :roll:

Okay, so why didn't McCain have it setup for his speech? Once again this was setup before the outcome was known, so how come McCain didn't have anything like this setup?

Because no one wanted Palin as president? Even crazy people aren't insane.
 
Feb 10, 2000
30,029
66
91
Originally posted by: bamacre
Originally posted by: DisgruntledVirus
Okay, so why didn't McCain have it setup for his speech?

Because anyone with half a brain knew McCain never had a chance.

Plus he simply wasn't as likely to be assassinated. The federal government has arrested at least three groups of people with the intention of killing Obama, and there is no question others must exist. I have heard of no similar ventures created with the intention of taking out McCain. Meanwhile, if Obama were assassinated it would be a simply catastrophic event in American history - imagine JFK, RFK and MLK all rolled into one.

As for the specific measure taken here, obviously the Secret Service felt that this public venue made it nearly impossible to eliminate the risk of a sniper and felt the glass was worthwhile. I'd rather it hadn't been necessary, but if it hadn't and Obama had ended up with a bullet in his forehead, God help us all.
 

jman19

Lifer
Nov 3, 2000
11,221
654
126
Originally posted by: DisgruntledVirus
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Originally posted by: DisgruntledVirus
Topic Title: Did Obama need bulletproof glass at his acceptance speech?
Topic Summary: Or is everything being blown out of proportion?

Yes I know it's a blog, but I couldn't find any non-blog and this was from a real news source (the telegraph).

Was this something that was really needed? Obviously McCain didn't have it, so that means it is just for Obama. Should we expect this to be the norm for his presidency?

Oh come on.

Dead MLK, Kennedy's, McKinley, Lincoln etc. Dumb to even make the OP. :roll:

Okay, so why didn't McCain have it setup for his speech? Once again this was setup before the outcome was known, so how come McCain didn't have anything like this setup?

Because there was a vast left-wing conspiracy to get Obama elected, obviously.
 

Capt Caveman

Lifer
Jan 30, 2005
34,547
651
126
Originally posted by: Mursilis
Originally posted by: Genx87
This assasination business sounds like a far left fantasy. Probably to validate their opinions on far righties.

Every president, regardless of party, is a magnet for crazies. Reagan was actually shot, and remember that guy who flew a small plane into the White House to get Clinton? I'm sure there will be plots against Obama, but it's probably not going to be just because of his race. Someone may still want to impress Jodi Foster!

Didn't Jodi Foster finally come out of the closet? A crazy may need to find someone else to impress. ;)
 

palehorse

Lifer
Dec 21, 2005
11,521
0
76
I believe that any president or president-elect would require bullet-proof glass at large public appearances -- especially those that are so difficult for the Secret Service to control and contain (ie. 125k people in a public park). McCain's event was a much more controlled event where the crowd was much smaller, and the angles of attack were very limited.

That said, the threats on Obama's life by the inbred retarded racist rednecks in this country are real, so I hope the agents play their A-game for the next 4-8 years.

PS: if you paid very close attention to this aspect of Obama's venue, as I always do, then you'll notice that there were no sheets of glass directly in front of the podium. Why? Because the pavilion housing the large band and chorus blocked that angle of attack...

It's all about the venue people...
 

Mxylplyx

Diamond Member
Mar 21, 2007
4,197
101
106
I think given the potential for any attempt on his life to cause massive civil unrest by the black community, he should be afforded a higher level of protection than past presidents, if that's even possible. White supremacists, or any other anti American nut jobs out there, now have the opportunity to set race relations back 50yrs in this country, and that cant just be dismissed.
 
Feb 10, 2000
30,029
66
91
Originally posted by: Mxylplyx
I think given the potential for any attempt on his life to cause massive civil unrest by the black community, he should be afforded a higher level of protection than past presidents, if that's even possible. White supremacists, or any other anti American nut jobs out there, now have the opportunity to set race relations back 50yrs in this country, and that cant just be dismissed.

Yeah, that's the thing. I think any sane American (and really, ANY American who isn't a Klansman or white supremacist) would agree that an Obama assassination would be a catastrophe of epic proportions, and the resulting events would make the Rodney King riots look like a Boy Scout Jamboree.
 

Genx87

Lifer
Apr 8, 2002
41,095
513
126
Originally posted by: Rainsford
Originally posted by: Genx87
This assasination business sounds like a far left fantasy. Probably to validate their opinions on far righties.

Yeah, because I'm pretty sure the Secret Service takes action based on "far left fantasies" :roll:

I am not speaking about the secret service. But the constant flow of assasination talk from the left about Obama. And it is always some gun toting 3 tooth hillbilly who carries it out in their fantasy. IMO Obama isnt in any more danger than any other president.
 

senseamp

Lifer
Feb 5, 2006
35,785
6,187
126
Secret Service obviously felt he needed it. Obama is like JFK, RFK, and MLK blended together. It only takes one whacko.
 

Canterwood

Golden Member
May 25, 2003
1,138
0
0
Originally posted by: DisgruntledVirus
Okay, so why didn't McCain have it setup for his speech? Once again this was setup before the outcome was known, so how come McCain didn't have anything like this setup?
Because the only assassin McCain has to worry about is the Grim Reaper, and bullet proof glass aint no use against him tbh.

 

PepePeru

Diamond Member
Jul 21, 2005
3,846
0
0
the secret service apparently thought so and i'll take their word for it.

it would have been there for anyone in a situation like that w/ that many skyscrapers around, i'd wager.