Obama Canvasser Punched in the Face

A woman canvassing for Obama in Wisconsin was punched in the face by a man ranting about ACORN. The woman was part of a canvassing effort organized by friends of mine. As we were about to go on stage for Oobleck Election Play 2008: The Trojan Candidate, a friend of our lighting designer who was in the same canvassing group called and told her the story.

The silver lining is that when the woman who had been assaulted returned to Chicago, there was already a voicemail message from Barack Obama expressing his sorrow that she had had to go through such an experience.

That's it. McCain supporters are dicks. The usual gang of conservative bigmouths are inciting violence with their propaganda, and the suckers who want desperately to believe are so frustrated with the lack of believability of the propaganda that they're lashing out with violence and violent rhetoric.

Meanwhile, Obama has such a great organization that he heard about this small incident and contacted the victim before the end of the day.

More as the details come out.

Comments

[DASChicago]

What Harriet Tubman inspired us to do and never forget…

If you hear the dogs, keep going.

If you see the torches in the woods, keep going.

If they're shouting after you, keep going.

Don't ever stop. Keep going.

If you want a taste of freedom, keep going.

What Obama inspired us to remember...

“We’re not going to be bullied,
We’re not going to be smeared,
We’re not going to be lied about,
don’t believe in coming in second.”

[MariaHopeful]

There you go!

[mistlesuede]

I am truly sorry that this happened to this great American. I am seriously reconsidering my husband going to Ohio the last few days before election day. There is so much hate out there, it really saddens and frightens me. I will never forget what the McSame ticket did to this country. They are worse than Bush. Pure evil.
These words from Harriet Tubman strengthen us. Didn't Hillary use these words during her speech at the convention?

[SurrealPumpkin]

Yes, she did. Keep Going!

[myangeldog1]

I've had some pretty scary moments canvassing in rural Missouri. It is a very sad day in AMERICA when one fears for their safety while supporting their choice of presidential candidates.

WHY is there so much hate? Is it fear, ignorance? It seemed that we were getting past this kind of aggression.

Palin....you are dangerous and wreckless and irresponsible in your rhetoric....KARMA will take care of you...my 'friend'.

[FrictionSoul]

That's right. We're merely reaping what their hate has sown. And they know it. That's why they would never say this crap to Obama's face. Their only goal is to fuel as much hatred as possible.

I was out in our very conservative neighborhood, canvassing, and a few people came charging out the door full of venom. That's just how it goes. I would say that 90% of the people were civil and courteous, but as the saying goes, it takes just one bad apple to ruin the whole bunch and that sums up the McCain+Palin "strategy".

[Mag44]

Exactly P allowed this to continue at her rallies uncontested and Mc did nothing about it either. She is a pig w/o the lipstick. I did not want to go here, but I am so angry right now. This is what that campaign does. Makes people angry, just what they want. Only thing is we are angry at them right now and not w/what's going on in the world, which I hope is bad for Mc/P that enough people continue to get angry w/them.

[fiorastar]

So when is the Obama campaign going to come out strong against these attacks on ACORN and FOR the organization? They have not been in violation of election rules, they were actually FOLLOWING election rules by turning in all completed registrations (courteously flagged as potentially invalid, though they certainly didn't have to), and they readily acknowledge that a small percentage of the very low-income folks they hired may have been turning in invalid registrations to earn the money. This is nothing new--it's been an issue in any election where petitioners or registration gatherers, Republican or Democrat, have been paid on a piece-rate basis for their work. Oregon's actually recently passed a law making it illegal to pay this way for petitioners, to eliminate the core issue--and it was instigated by an especially bad situation by a REPUBLICAN right wingnut turning in false petition signatures to get a measure on the ballot.

The point is, and this needs to be made strongly, this is a problem with ALL voter registration groups if they pay by the registration, and there have been, over the past 6-8 years, only like SIX instances of actual illegal voting in the entire nation!

The thing this is being used to cover up and it will be a very big deal after Election Day is stolen from us again, is the theft being perpetrated already by the Republican neocon puppetmasters led by Karl Rove and his minions.

[diamondgirl9]

I think the Obama campaign contacted the DOJ to appoint a Special Prosecutor to investigate the claim of voter fraud on behalf of Acorn. They think it is an ongoing criminal enterprise by the Repugs to defraud the voters-since they claimed this in the same states in the last election.

[Mag44]

One of the news channels said some one pd to go door to door for 8 hrs was to lazy, so they went home and copied names out of the phone book. And yes you will have prankster who will fill in Mickey Mouse, but these issues are being caught before the election. And the jerk who was to lazy I think is now being investigated.

[Shieldmaiden]

Sickening stuff. This is what happens as people become desperate and they are down in the polls. They literally lash out at their fellow Americans. I read somewhere about a reporter getting kicked to the ground by these people.

[SmootyBooty]

why the violence? one word: insecurity.

[Changeizgood]

The Repuppetcons have lost their minds.

They know their party is on the way out and they are blaming the voters, not Bush and McSame, who destroyed it.

McSame because he helped to deregulate our Financial Institutions with Bush Cronies.

Bush for the incompetient arrogant ignorant and divisive way he tore the fabric of America apart.
OUR UNITY AS A COUNTRY, JUST FOR POWER, LIKE PALIN AND MCCAIN.

I PRAY THEY ALL GO TO JAIL AND HELL, FOR DOING SO.

[llisa]

Obama has class.

[epitomized]

Amen. And it is a testament to how tight of a ship Obama runs. The fact that he was notified of such a small incident is amazing. You are a fool if you are not voting Obama/Biden '08!

If that would have happened to a McCain/Palin supporter/volunteer, the two of them would probably praise the assaulter as being patriotic and pro-American.

[RumiSouth]

What class. Joe the Sixpack Plumber needs anger management.

[Syymone]

It's very sad that the people who are the loudest about patriotism are often the ones who violate others who practice it when they canvas for Mr.Obama.I'm willing to bet that those people don't really know the dynamics of Socialism or ACORN.

Bush has done more for socialism than anyone. ACORN has to turn in all voting registration forms by law but it is ACORN that flags cards with suspicious names such as Donald Duck or Mickey Mouse.

[whoajack]

So, Congressman John Lewis was RIGHT? I suppose that McCain cannot comment on this, because it would mean his whole, "Im so hurt to be accused of being like George Wallace" and my supporters whom I am so proud of, are not like the people who bombed the 16th Street Baptist Church, or attacked the Freedom Riders!

Demand this be stopped NOW!
Link Arms and March for the Freedom to Vote as you PLEASE!
Let's never forget where this kind of hate leads....
Shwerner, Cheney and Goodman
Emmett Till
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King
Medgar Evers,
Selma
Birmingham
Mississippi

Stand UP People!

[DebbieinPhx]

Next Saturday in Arizona..McCain's HOME state we are holding an Arizona Divorces John McCain Rally... I live in a very very VERY red state and my neighboorhood is very pro-McCain/Palin...that is it was until a couple of weeks ago...now I see more and more and more Obama signs and bumper stickers. The Arizona Divorces McCain Rally had to be moved to a BIGGER/Outdoor venue to accomodate the reserved attendees thus far....wow...wow wow wow....

The rumor is that McCain is thinking of a campaign swing through this state.... I will have my protest signs and Obama shirt on, baby... we are ready to go.

[Mag44]

Too bad you couldn't pull in 100,000 like St Luis. But any statement will make a statement. Make sure it makes it to Huffpo, Oh how I'd love to be there.

[aztiger]

When and where is the rally? I want to be there--and I DO live in Arizona.

[chiwillie]

This is a natural outgrowth of a republican campaign so intellectually bankrupt and devoid of vision, it can only stoop to telling stupid people who to hate, who to resent and who to fear.

[lisakaz2]

So much for civility. RIP. The guy was lucky I wasn't there. I woulda belted him with my cane.

[DShawn233]

Senator Mc Gaffe, should the person that, was doing nothing more that canvassing, for Senator Obama have been punched in the face by a man or a woman?
"Yes, the punch to her face was accurate and based on facts. What my friend George Bush did to me in 2000 was different."

[doctordoubt]

My wife was up there, same area, the next day, and they were warned about it. The guy was arrested, but apparenlty he did survive the ride to the cop shop. The groups that followed were warned about approaching houses alone, and to be careful of anything that doesn't feel right. And Barack did call the woman, who was not seriously injured.

[Querent]

Thanks for that update.

[Donnat]

Bet McCain won't call her. He likes this kind of stuff.

[JULIABLULIA]

I was canvassing in Phoenixville, PA with my sister from LA and we were verbally accosted by a man also ranting about ACORN and claiming to be a Christian. We were canvassing on foot and he literally chased us down with his car, ranting that we would burn in hell, peppered with additional foul expletives. We suggested that he seemed full of anger...he threw out some "Bible" jargon, suggested that McCain is God's chosen one...scary stuff. He sped off when we threatened to call the police. It was quite frightening, but it hasn't stopped me; I will continue to canvass until Obama is elected!!

[TheNuff]

I am so proud of all of the brave ones who have the backbone to do this work. Bless you all.

[Emlyn]

Did you get the license number of the man's car? You should have and had him arrested.

[zendem1]

You are to be commended. Don't hesitate to call the police if you ever feel threatened by these lunatics. Continue to do your work.

[sheisme]

Obama supporters heckled as they wait to vote, tires slashed on 30 vehicles parked for an Obama rally, assault in Wisconsin, my friend's yard rutted and ruined by someone trucking over her Obama sign in Indiana, bigots and racists ranting at McCain rallies ... these are the types of supporters McCain is so proud of ... really pro-American types. These are examples of the hate being whipped up by Palin and other surrogates of McCain. Palin the barracuda relishes her attack role and will stoop to any level of rhetoric she is allowed ... the brutal hunter has been unleashed on the American public and she will use any tactic to bring her prey down. Just look at her eyes and her glee as she attacks ... not the same when she is presenting policies. McCain is too old, too blind, or too dishonorable to call for it to stop. I hope I do not have to hear one more Democrat calling this man "honorable" on the campaign trail.