Jim Inhofe: Ted Nugent Comments About Obama, Democrats Are Not Concerning (VIDEO)

Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) said Wednesday that he didn't understand why some people appeared disturbed by rocker Ted Nugent's recent tirades against President Obama and Democrats.

"I can't figure out what people are talking about," Inhofe said on CNN. "He's talking about him, that Ted himself will either be dead or in jail. Now, how does that relate to the president? I have a real hard time putting that together."

Nugent laid into the "vile," "evil" and "America-hating" Obama administration over the weekend at the NRA convention in St. Louis. He proceeded to claim that he would be "dead or in jail by this time next year" if Obama is reelected and encouraged attendees to vote against Democrats and "ride into that battlefield and chop their heads off in November." On Tuesday, he doubled down in a radio interview, taking direct aim at Democratic leaders.

Inhofe maintained that these remarks were harmless and said that he was the one facing real threats.

"If you want to see how you can be abused, read my book 'The Greatest Hoax' and see what Bobby Kennedy -- you know, he wanted to hang me for treason -- and, so, if you want to see some real threats, you can see that," Inhofe said, apparently referring to Kennedy's recent interview given in the wake of calling Inhofe "big oil's top call girl."

Inhofe was then pushed on the actual words and imagery used by Nugent, which have reportedly prompted a Secret Service investigation, leading him to respond with some degree of confusion.

"Anyone could put an interpretation on like that," the senator said in response to the concern from some that Nugent's remarks may have been a threat to the president. “I just didn't hear that because that's not what he said and it is confusing because it's hard to say, why would he be dead -- and now we're talking about Ted, not the president -- and I didn't quite understand it."

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Comments

[WeAlwaysKnewIt]

01:01 PM on 11/30/2012

It's so easy to defend what you understand! Wink, wink, smiled Inhofe.

[Vicki Vinson Dalton]

11:27 AM on 11/27/2012

I am ashamed to have Jim Inhoffe as one of my Senators from the State of Oklahoma... he is anti-science and anti-president. Either he is stupid... or he is lying on this video. He is one of the most un-intelligent Congressmen and an affront to all Oklahomans. This man is dangerous to all Americans and should be removed from office... sooner, not later. He understands EXACTLY what Ted Nugent was saying... it doesn't take a genius. Let's remove him from office....

[parhelion]

01:30 PM on 04/21/2012

I'm going to give this guy the benefit of the doubt and assume that he earnestly does not understand why people would be negatively effected by Nugent's comments.

That said, how can someone who can't read something so blantantly between the lines be a Senator?

[NHGranite]

04:39 PM on 04/20/2012

The party that twists what people say all the time better shaddup. Remember the fierce statement from the Dixie Chicks that got them banned and death threats: "We're ashamed" to be from the same state as Bush. OMG, can you believe the horror!?!?!
Last week a woman named Hillary Rosen said Ann Rmoney hasn't worked a day in her life, and EVERYONE knew that meant had a job outside the home and it was 3 days of sheer panic by the right. Maybe they meant Mrs Rmoney didn't have a choice and her husband forced her to stay home to raise his 5 boys.

[billie789]

02:31 PM on 04/20/2012

So, Inhofe is a lying idiot, too? Can't say it surprises me.

[NHGranite]

04:41 PM on 04/20/2012

And gee he never spoke out when Nuggent demanded Hillary Clinton suck on his machine gun, now did he?

[KobraKai7474]

12:43 PM on 04/20/2012

With all due respect, Senator Inhofe, you know was well as I do, the problem with Ted Nugent's words were NOT that he proclaimed he would be "dead or in jail" but that he exhorted a crowd of people to chop the president's head off. Yes, I am quite confident that it wasn't meant literally, but that is now how the Secret Service deals with threats. Quite appropriately, ALL threats are investigated to insure that they are not real and NOBODY gets no special treatment. As soon as you say, "well Ted Nugent is just being Ted Nugent" so we don't need to turn this into a big thing, you change the rules, and run the risk of eventually saying, "well, that is just Lee Harvey Oswald being Lee Harvey Oswald".

Besides, isn't your plate full enough denying global climate change? Do the oil companies really want you defending a moron like Ted Nugent when they are paying you good money to defend them?

[Educating Americans]

06:04 PM on 04/19/2012

I read these comments and it makes me ashamed, no wonder our country is in the mess its in these days, I read the post from mimiyo , to assume that all Oklahomans or even a vast majority share one mans views or comments shows how uneducated she really must be. Possibly could this be the problem in Washington as well?

[KobraKai7474]

01:03 PM on 04/20/2012

I can't speak for most states. I can however speak for Oklahoma. I am an East Coaster, but I've spent most of the past 10 years in Oklahoma. Yes, there are wonderful, honest and honorable Christian folks there who truly understand what Christ was talking about, but they are NOT in the majority. The majority are ignorant and racist and darn proud of it. They think that going to church on Sunday excuses all other behavior between Monday and Saturday. I've seen with my own eyes exponentially more ugly, nasty, overt, matter-of-fact racism in past 10 years in Oklahoma than I saw in the previous 40 years on the east coast.

[rgilley]

04:10 PM on 04/19/2012

Nugent , Inhoffe same calibur of right wingnut so Inhoffe's inconcern is not at all surprizing nor out of character for a far right wingnut senator from big oil.

[Janicot]

03:47 PM on 04/19/2012

Sen. Inhofe, at the very least, is consistent in his disingenuousness.

[Nardac]

03:44 PM on 04/19/2012

Nugent. Rhymes with pungent.

[bushywhacky]

12:33 PM on 04/20/2012

New-gent Pun-gent nope, but I don't like what he said either

[Nardac]

02:08 PM on 04/20/2012

Yep, it still stinks!

[NHGranite]

04:44 PM on 04/20/2012

Oh, are you guys trying to pull in the nasty craziness Nugent claimed kept him out of the draft where he pooped and P's his pants for days before getting a psycho classification? The right mostly follow Dick Cheney who took a 5 deferment pass on military service.

[Nardac]

06:26 PM on 04/20/2012

Yes, it's the chickenhawk syndrome. Waving a big gun all over the joint and threatening whoever doesn't agree with them but when it comes to actually serving the country, nobody's home, which makes sense since they don't understand what this country stands for in the first place.

[eenp718]

03:37 PM on 04/19/2012

This man, believes that everyone is as unintelligent as regular faux listeners. He believes that he can take and mocking the victim for being the victim, and in his defense he saying he is the victim, when he has perpetrated this fraud. It is a common practice, for most repubs, to change the blame from them to someone else, when they have created, most problems, most of the time. This man needs to be voted out, and the remainder of his friends need to be voted out or recalled also. GOTP!

[mimiyo]

03:31 PM on 04/19/2012

inhofe never surprises me with his conveluded statements. He's good at two things. One is pretending to be ignorant, and the other is, actually being ignorant. He clearly exemplifies the majority of Oklahomians. Not all, but definitely the majority.

[stettin]

05:35 PM on 04/19/2012

agree with your comments on Inhofe, but please lay off the implicatrion that the folks
of Olkahoma are mainly dumb. lots of really nice people there and strong in spirit.
gotta be if you live in the middle of tornado alley like they do.

[Vicki Vinson Dalton]

11:34 AM on 11/27/2012

I am an Oklahoman, with, I hope, a moderate amount of intelligence. As long as we continue to elect Jim Inhoffe, we will continue to be thought of as a right-wing Christian state that turns its back on science. Yes, Oklahomans are thought of as dumb and we will continue to be thought of as backware Christian hicks until we vote out Jim Inhoffe... it's what we deserve. A few "nice people with strong spirit" don't make up for his ignorance... these "nice people" continue to re-elect him. He needs to be gone if you want to change the view of Oklahoma.

[SnootMama]

06:27 AM on 04/20/2012

It's not 'Oklahomians'. It's 'Oklahomans' or 'Okies'. Personally I like 'Okie' better because it's shorter and it triggers spasms in those who are so ignorant they don't have a clue about the state. OK is actually quite beautiful - it's one of only four states with more than 10 eco systems. There are more miles of shoreline than most states. Tulsa, the large city in the northeastern part, is an urban forest - sometimes you can't see the houses for the trees. OKC is a wild west sort of place. And the BEST part is that a lot of us get to live in little towns where there are more cows and horses than there are people!!!

[KobraKai7474]

12:47 PM on 04/20/2012

....and sadly, the people, by and large, are every bit as ignorant as mimiyo says... not to mention darn racist to boot. I am not speaking from some ivory tower either. I've spent half my life over the past decade in Oklahoma and, while the land is beautiful, the majority of the people are hideous.

For the record, I am NOT saying all Okies are this bad, just most of them. As with all places in this great country, there are some amazing and wonderful people in Oklahoma... just as not as many as in other places.

[NHGranite]

04:48 PM on 04/20/2012

I bet it is beautiful.
So we really shouldn't sing
OOOoooooooookalhomans
where the wind goes sweeping through their ears

[SoutheastBeast]

03:29 PM on 04/19/2012

It's no surprise that this guy supports thinly veiled assassination threats against Pres.Obama. This is the new face of the Republican Party.

[Johnny Galileo]

03:11 PM on 04/19/2012

'Tis a pity Kennedy couldn't finish his task.

[deathintheafternoon]

03:04 PM on 04/19/2012

Tea Party/Republican, dungster from the dung of the earth