Secret Service Studying LATimes Cartoon For Possible Bush Threat

AvesPKS

Diamond Member
Apr 21, 2000
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The New York Times /Reuters (7/22) reports, "The Secret Service is studying apro-Bush cartoon in the Los Angeles Times , showing the president with a gun to his head, as a possible threat, US officials said on Monday. Cartoonist Michael Ramirez said the drawing, which ran in Sunday's paper, was only meant to call attention to the unjust 'political assassination' of Bush over his Iraq policy. The cartoon, based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph from the Vietnam War, depicts Bush with his hands behind his back as a man labeled 'Politics' prepares to shoot him in the head. The background of the drawing is a cityscape labeled 'Iraq.'" Secret Service spokesman John Gill said, "We're aware of the image and we're in the process of determining what action if any can be taken." An official who "asked not to be named said: 'The Secret Service does take threats against all of their protectees very seriously and they have an obligation to look into any threat that's made against any of their protectees.' The official did not elaborate. The 1968 photograph on which the cartoon is based showed the instant before South Vietnam's national police commander pulled the trigger in a summary execution of a Vietcong prisoner on the streets of Saigon. The brutality of the image was credited by many with helping to turn US public opinion against the war."
The Los Angeles Times (7/22) reports, "An editorial cartoon in The Times that depicted a man pointing a gun at President Bush prompted a visit to the newspaper's offices Monday by a Secret Service agent, who asked to speak to cartoonist Michael Ramirez. The agent was turned away. A Secret Service official said the inquiry was routine, according to Karlene Goller, an attorney for The Times who met with the agent and later spoke to an official in the agency's Los Angeles office. The government asks questions of anyone publishing material that might be construed as a threat against the president. Goller said she met with the Secret Service agent, Peter J. Damos, in the newspaper's security office and told him he could not speak to Ramirez. After some discussion, Damos left. Reached later by telephone, Damos declined to discuss the incident with a Times reporter."

 

CaptnKirk

Lifer
Jul 25, 2002
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So a comicstrip depiction is going to influence the Prez to do himself ?
Well with his level of comprehension, it just might happen.
Monkey see - monkey do.
 

DealMonkey

Lifer
Nov 25, 2001
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Wow, that is gotta be the stupidest non-story I've heard lately...
rolleye.gif
 

dmcowen674

No Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
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That "Cartoon" does cross a line that should not have been for Newspaper publication, not saying anything against Freedom of the Press etc, just that the Cartoon is in very poor taste and just plain outright tacky in a disgusting kind of way.
 

Hayabusa Rider

Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
Jan 26, 2000
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Originally posted by: dmcowen674
That "Cartoon" does cross a line that should not have been for Newspaper publication, not saying anything against Freedom of the Press etc, just that the Cartoon is in very poor taste and just plain outright tacky in a disgusting kind of way.

The thread is not about tastes in cartoons, but that the SS is investigating this. Not appropriate at all, and far more offensive to me than any cartoon.
 

Moonbeam

Elite Member
Nov 24, 1999
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Politics had a gun to the head of Wuperman and the secret service gets involved?
 

sandorski

No Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
70,085
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Originally posted by: Moonbeam
Politics had a gun to the head of Wuperman and the secret service gets involved?

Yup, the political cartoonist is obviously trying to incite Politics to assasinate Bush. I hear that Bush saw the cartoon, then began weeping shortly afterwards when he saw a gun pointing at his head.
 

Mrburns2007

Platinum Member
Jun 14, 2001
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The SS can investigate anyone that they want, if they perceive them to be a threat to the President. They can't arrest them without good cause though.
 

Spencer278

Diamond Member
Oct 11, 2002
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Originally posted by: Mrburns2007
The SS can investigate anyone that they want, if they perceive them to be a threat to the President. They can't arrest them without good cause though.

I bet hitler used the SS in the same way. Don't you see something wroung about herassing people for using their free speach.
 

CADsortaGUY

Lifer
Oct 19, 2001
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Originally posted by: Spencer278
Originally posted by: Mrburns2007
The SS can investigate anyone that they want, if they perceive them to be a threat to the President. They can't arrest them without good cause though.

I bet hitler used the SS in the same way. Don't you see something wroung about herassing people for using their free speach.

"Harassing" or intimidating is quite different from studying and investigating. Just because Moonbeam is in the thread doesn't mean that tinfoil hats are mandatory.

I don't have a problem with them investigating a bit to see if the guy is a nutbag who wants the President dead. If he isn't some cult, mob, terrorist dude then leave the guy alone. The cartoon was harmless when using the context of the text associated with the figures, but without that context - it looks like a Guy shooting the President. Plenty of people who are illiterate in this country;) not that they'd be reading a paper though :p

Let it go people - if the guy is held on something then you can get all worked up but this is only a small query, it isn't like they busted his door down and destroyed his house looking for more "evidence".

CkG
 

DealMonkey

Lifer
Nov 25, 2001
13,136
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CkG, I think the question is why did the SS construe it as a "threat" in the first place?

Why they would apply that label to a political cartoon published by a well-known political cartoonist, in a large metro newspaper is beyond me. Especially, when the cartoon "was meant to call attention to the unjust 'political assassination' of Bush over his Iraq policy."

It seems like overkill for them to start showing up at Ramirez's work and so on... Next they'll be bustin' down AT's doors looking for Moonbeam's real identity so they can ask him a few 'questions' ;)
 

sandorski

No Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
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Originally posted by: DealMonkey
CkG, I think the question is why did the SS construe it as a "threat" in the first place?

Why they would apply that label to a political cartoon published by a well-known political cartoonist, in a large metro newspaper is beyond me. Especially, when the cartoon "was meant to call attention to the unjust 'political assassination' of Bush over his Iraq policy."

It seems like overkill for them to start showing up at Ramirez's work and so on... Next they'll be bustin' down AT's doors looking for Moonbeam's real identity so they can ask him a few 'questions' ;)

Yup. The cartoon can be construed as supporting Bush, how it's a "threat" is beyond me.