Obama Heckled, Leads Crowd In Pledge Of Allegiance

McClatchy reports on another interruption at a Barack Obama event:

A heckler sitting in the press section interrupted Barack Obama's opening remarks at a town hall meeting in Berea, Ohio, and forced the candidate to lead the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance. The audience of several thousands groaned with the heckling, but Obama waved them back and said then led the group in reciting the pledge.

Ben Smith has more:

A slightly odd moment at the beginning of Barack Obama's event in Berea, OH, when a man on the press riser -- apparently a photographer -- began loudly demanding that the crowd recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

The crowd began to chant, drowning the man out, but Obama -- perhaps sensing a moment of peril -- quickly shushed them, and led the crowd in the Pledge.

"We usually do an invocation and a pledge before we start," he said. "I don't know why we didn't, but this young man reminded us."

Obama was heckled last week for not focusing on African-American issues.

Comments

[nellie]

Grace under fire. He always finds a way to defuse. It makes the hostility look all the more ridiculous.

[ObserverinVancouver]

From Commondreams.org - Feb 17/05:

"After Dr. [Samuel] Johnson said patriotism was the last refuge of a scoundrel, the cynic Ambrose Bierce amended it with, "I beg to submit that it is the first." Then H.L. Mencken jumped in: "But there is something even worse: it is the first, last and middle range of fools."

Also check out Jesus's parable (Luke 18:9-14) about the Pharisee and the Publican.

[BabsfromKansas]

I can't - I don't own a bible.

[MajorKong]

You should. If for no other reason than people will use it as a justification to take away your freedoms.

[GeoLee]

Try getting one...I use mine all the time to refute the religious right about their Christian beliefs...­Most of them depend so much on the Old Testament they can't hold up an argument when I point our Jesus's words about the subjects they bring up. It is such fun. LIke, when you have a creationist tell you about the beginning of humankind, ask him which of the two creations stories...­the one in Genesis 1 or the one in Genesis 2. They are different. You don't even have to pay for one, Babs...the­re are plenty of people who would give you one and the Gideons don't even mind if you walk off with one from any hotel room. It makes them feel like they are doing their good deeds. Just don't take one from a door to door evangelist or you will never get rid of himm. It is a literature book no well respected intellectual should be without since so many parts of literature and idiomatic expressions derive from the book. Heck, in undergraduate studies in Topeka, I took "History and Literature of the Old and New Testament classes which really helped my understanding of Shakespeare, Milton and most of the other great writers in English and World LIt. Have fun esploring ;-)

[Saxton]

Obama - Grace and control under fire.

He took control of the situation and turned it around. How do you think old McCain would have handled it if he were heckled? A. The guy would have been ruffed-up by guards and thrown out of the room. B. McCain would begin reciting the allegiance only to fade out towards the middle because he wouldn't be able to recall the rest of the pledge. C. Go into a long winded recanting of his service to this country and how dare anyone question his patriotism.

[Passenger57]

Try as they might, they can't "get him"...thi­s is the second time Obama's been heckled,and the second time he's completely ,expertly defused the situation.­How he handles these situations today is a strong indication of how he'll handle these same types of situations as President.
Obama comes out on top and looking stronger - and it looks like the goons are going to give him lots of practice between now and November.

[lexnekst]

Republicans should be forced to recite the Preamble to the Constitution before every event.

[Egalitare]

Many of them would spontaneously ignite.

[PAposter]

Good point!

[jackt51]

That would certainly "thin the herd!"

[LiberTLover]

And the down side would be...?

[olivia]

Or name their favorite quote from the Bible. They would flubb it up just like Bush did, right after naming the Bible as his favorite book. He couldn't come up with a single quote.

[kellygrrrl]

voters should be forced to read the Constitution outloud before voting

[pupbayer]

Candidates should be forced to read the Constitution outloud before they run.

[MDinOK]

Heaven help us if we had to memorize it!

[isis]

Obama has class, unlike the heckler. (I go with Bill O as the culprit since he seems to have a crush on Obama .) At least Obama isn't like the ten commandments senator on Cobert.

[LA2000]

This flagpin nonsense is the American version of Mao's Little Red Book. When did we decide that communist China makes a good model for how to run a democracy?

[sandpiper1]

HuffPost's Pick

When a whole nation is roaring patriotism at the top of it's voice, I am fain to explore the cleaness of it's hand and the purity of it's heart. Ralph Waldo Emerson
As a Canadian, I have never understood the American mentality re. their love of country in that they have to shout it at the top of their voices at every opportunity as if to prove that they do indeed love said country by externanlizing it. I can't help but think that it's the reason Bush who went AWOL in the National Guard got in the WH, not once but twice and the real war hero, John Kerry was demonized. Something is wrong with that picture. How's that patriotism? A war hero V a chicken hawk!!!!

[MajorKong]

Have you seen the new GOP campaign posters?

http://www.kirktoons.com/busheviks/busheviks.html

[mypov123]

That "heckling" moment ticks me off, bigoted freaks!

[patmancando]

I thought this one was a plant.....­........bu­t then I thought the three blacks who were holding the banner and shouting "Why don't you discuss issues relating to blacks?" (paraphrased because I don't know the exact quote) was a plant too. Both of these were advantate--0-man

[PAposter]

I agree, both instances represent men who are not quite as comfortable in their skin as Senator Obama.

[Mojane]

Wish Obama had asked the a-hole who wanted the pledge, to lead it himself.

[GravitonX]

The American flag and pledge are slowing being morphed into tools of facism.

[Egalitare]

"The high-sounding phrase 'The American Way' will be used by interested groups, intent on profit, to cover a multitude of sins agains the American and Christian tradition.­..."

Prof. Halford Luccock, Yale Divinity School, NYT Sept. 12, 1938

[pupbayer]

He was "forced" to do something by a heckler? That doesn't bode well.

[ThunderclapNewman]

You didn't read the story, did you?

[pupbayer]

I read the first paragaph that said he was forced to do it. I stopped after that. I start reading many and even finish a few but most aren't worth the time, I've found.

[superbust]

No he wasn't forced. Read the article.

[pupbayer]

OK, so I read this fascinating article as urged by so many of you. I read where it says he was forced. I don't see where it says he wasn't forced. It sounds to me that he was forced to do it so as to avoid a moment of peril.

Enlightening. I'm really glad I read it.

That's 12 seconds I'll never get back.

[Rose52]

Perhaps it doesn't bode well for you, since he will be the next president huh?

[lexnekst]

I guess it bodes better for all of us if Obama's president.

Good to see you know he'll be president though. :)

[pupbayer]

I don't know. He may be the lesser of the 2 evils...or not...I just haven't decided.

[Charles1Goodwin]

Mabye he should have offered the heckler up for a Buffalo Chip contest!

[itmaybetoolate]

You say "forced," but you could also say that he thought the suggestion was a good one and decided to go along with it. It isn't like he asked him to sing a love song to bush.

[tony2008]

It sounds like a plant by Mccain camp or other republican groups to go after Obama. Obviosly he handled it properly.

[truegreen]

MEMO: Misleading Headline!

Memo to Huffingtonpost: Don't make MSM mistakes, please, we count on u for real news.

[DesertLight]

You are serious?

[pupbayer]

You're kidding, right?

[reshas1]

PLANT!!!

[RaraAvis17]

You say you're a what?

[kempis]

An obvious plant.

Pretty funny, actually. Did anyone faint at the end?

[PAposter]

Agreed, just another f*cking idiot, willing to sell his soul.

[superbust]

If you all havent watched the Pa-ris H. response ad, it's worth the watch.
I actually have a newfound respect for P.H.

[ShamusNYC]

Link, please.

[Makesense]

Go to home huff post page

[RaraAvis17]

Front page of HuffPo.

[TAC]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/05/paris-hilton-responds-to_n_117137.html

[pupbayer]

Interesting. Made me smile! But respect for her? Nah, she's flaky as usual.

[edwarvir]

I think Paris handled the old man quite nicely. Just like Senator O
did with the heckler. You don't have to be silly like jmb to get your
point across

[kittyma]

Strangely enough, I did too.

McCain is in pretty bad shape if Paris Hilton can dis him like that. Pathetic!

[jOke]

MISLEADING HEADLINE!!