Is the Secret Service Investigating Liz Trotta and Fox News?

FOX News political pundit Liz Trotta jokingly suggested this weekend that someone should assassinate an American presidential candidate. She had first "mistakenly" referred to Obama as "Osama" while discussing theories that Hillary Clinton's recent comments about the RFK assassination was in fact a suggestion that someone "knock off Osama." When she was corrected and reminded that she meant "Obama," she then said, "Well, both if we could."

The United States Secret Service is charged with the protection of Senator Obama and famously takes all threats seriously, so it's important to ask the question whether they will be investigating Liz Trotta's comment, FOX News' response to that comment, and any collateral threats that may have been generated by the comment.

Assassins throughout our history have repeatedly claimed to find their motivations in the media. John Hinckley claimed his attempted assassination of Reagan was because of his obsession with Jodie Foster, Mark David Chapman cited The Catcher in the Rye and the film Ordinary People as inspirations for his assassination of John Lennon, and Charles Manson claims his murders were a result of his twisted interpretation of The Beatles' "Helter Skelter."

While these so-called motivations are inexplicable to a healthy mind, it is foolish and naive not to accept as a terrifying fact that psychotics can and will be triggered by almost anything, which is why it's not only vulgar but completely reckless, irresponsible and bordering on criminal for those who comment on politics and political figures to say the kind of disgusting thing that Liz Trotta said. It's also, not incidentally, why the world pounced so quickly and decisively on Hillary Clinton's comments about the RFK assassination.

This from the Secret Service website: "The Secret Service is interested in legitimate information relating to threats, plans or attempts by individuals, groups or organizations to harm Secret Service protectees. However, the agency does not desire or solicit information pertaining to individuals or groups expressing legitimate criticism of, or political opposition to, the policies and decisions of the government or government officials."

The questions the Secret Service should be asking are: Were Liz Trotta and FOX News criminally negligent in using the public airwaves to suggest the assassination of a presidential candidate; Is the suggestion of political assassination an example of legitimate criticism; and, If the First Amendment doesn't allow one to yell "Fire!" in a crowded theater or "Bomb!" on an airplane, how could it allow a public "joke" about assassinating a political candidate?

And what is the question the rest of us should be asking? How about, what kind of world are we creating for ourselves and our children where we allow our political divisions to become so deep that the suggestion or even the joke about a political assassination is in any way acceptable?

Comments

[DoAsISay]

Thank you for the insightful comments. Considering that Fox is Bush's mouthpiece, there will probably be cheering rather than investigating of such comments. I am just waiting for McBush to jump in and offer his support for Hillary and Fox.

[wolfbato]

Well said ... everyone should do their duty as American citizens and report this call for assassination by Liz Trotta to the Secret Service. Find your nearest Secret Service office and let them know about Trotta's intentions and actions. Here's the link
http://www.ustreas.gov/usss/field_offices.shtml

[MPeter]

Thank you Michael. The FBI need to do their job. Begin investigating FOX and Trotta for inciting violence towards a presidential candidate. I think these people need to be dealt with immediately so they can learn a lesson.

[nancytheragingliberal]

What a joke. Boy, I'm shaking in my boots...The SS investigating Murdock's Fake News? NOT. The SS has a pipeline into Fake News and the WH. No way will this ever go any further. There would be hell to pay, however, if this jerky comment was made on CNN or MSNBC, then you had better head for the hills. The howling dogs of the SS would descend. Also, think Air America Radio, Nova M or any other liberal broadcast company. What happened to my Fairness Doctrine? I detest these right wing creeps and they are all ugly, inside and out. What with the red cheeks, thin lips, white hair, beady eyes, loud voices. What a turnoff.

[izAriver]

Ask those reagun democrats and repugnicans.

[jadez]

so true but to really get the depth of these remarks ask yourself this.

What would be the outcry if an Obama supporter had joked about hillary being assassinated,? or if Obama himself had used the exact words that hillary had?.

you can bet your life that the clintons would be calling for Obama to withdraw from the process.

you see in this country it is still ok to joke about killing a black man.

sad but true.

if it wasnt we wouldnt have sen it now 3 times!!!..this clown,hillary and huckabee.

[Knowitall]

I've always wondered if they've cornered the market on peroxide??