This is disturbing... not just because the wingnuts are saying this shows Obama is aloof and elitist, but primarily because this guy was able to get close to Obama more than once. <embed src='http://www.cbs.com/thunder/swf/rcpHolderCbs.swf?partner=userembed&vert=News&autoPlayVid=false&releaseURL=http://release.theplatform.com/content.select?pid=NuG0qFk18SfqOHlCwIW7vig4MRJkp9DV' name='cbsPlayer' allowFullScreen='true' width='506' height='494' wmode='transparent' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' pluginspage='http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer' /> http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/04/02/persistent_pictureseeker_irks.html PHILADELPHIA -- During Sen. Barack Obama's visit to the Italian Market here this morning, he was harassed repeatedly by a middle-aged man trying to get a photo with the Illinois senator. The extended contact was unusual, given the heavy security surrounding the candidate, and Obama was sufficiently frazzled that he lost his cool. It turned out the man was an e-Bay seller, according to campaign spokesman Robert Gibbs. He had been spotted by campaign staff at Obama's hotel earlier in the morning, and was seeking an autograph -- presumably for sale -- as well as a photograph to authenticate the transaction. Apparently the man had previously approached Obama while he was speaking to several children. When the man surfaced at the Italian Market for another try, Obama walked away. The man nudged his way to Obama again, after the senator walked out of a shop. "Senator can I get a picture with you?" Slightly annoyed, Obama responded, "You are wearing me out, brother." A bit later, the man was back. "Senator, can I please, a quick one?" A very annoyed Obama responded, "No, you know what, no." The man asserted, "Can I just say something to you real fast? I had one with Clinton, I had one with Sen. McCain." Obama said, "I am sure you do. Because when I was trying to talk to some kids...." The man interrupted, "No, my wife is a schoolteacher, and she was there, she had to go back and that wasn't right... I'm not asking you for an autograph, it's for my family." "Yeah, well, whatever. Just take it," Obama said. "I won't be smiling. Because you're wearing me out... you've been really rude about it. Just take a shot." But no picture was taken. Obama and the man were still arguing when a Secret Service agent stepped in and put a hand between the man and Obama. "That's it," the agent said. "No, I'm good," the man protested. "All I want is a picture, that's it."
No s*** Obama is going to be aloof of a guy like this. You never know what some whackjob is going to do these days. Obama, like all politicians, has to view a good number of people as a potential danger. I would have come unhinged too.
Obama needs better protection than this. It's pretty disturbing. I've seen too many tragedies to think it couldn't happen again. Impeach Bush. Yesterday.
If you were in the public eye like that, you'd be a little touchy too. This would be especially true if this guy popped up everywhere you were. It's a little creepy.
Maybe it's because I just watched Bobby, but seriously we need better protection for our future leaders. This scare the crap out of me.
Why would you expect SS service to protect Obama. How do you know the gov't isn't trying to take him out?
Obama looks like he needed some smokes! He was crankier than a hungover and sleep-deprived Batman Jones watching Ohio be called for Bush.
I hate those idiots who need to take pictures of everything. Why can't you just have a memory in your mind and that's it.
Because that video doesn't show their FIRST encounter, so you don't know the whole story. That "ebay guy" was doing nothing more than STANDING there, yeah staring at obama as he walked by, but nothing else. Then when obama noticed him he got kind of mad and said in a real sarcastic tone, "Why don't you take a picture, it'll last longer"! Then it was on.
why doesn't obama just take a picture with the guy? it would've taken 10 seconds and the guy would be happy and run out of excuses to stalk him.
According to the article Obama offered to take a picture with the guy. But the guy didn't snap a picture and kept arguing with Obama.
If this guy was already screened for weapons, I think it is ok to let him approach. If not, then something is seriously wrong with the SS. I do think Obama has a high probability of getting attacked because usually highly charismic persons more likely to make crazy people obsessed about them. In a way, this is a blessing and a curse.
This is from the article posted above: "It turned out the man was an e-Bay seller, according to campaign spokesman Robert Gibbs. He had been spotted by campaign staff at Obama's hotel earlier in the morning, and was seeking an autograph -- presumably for sale -- as well as a photograph to authenticate the transaction.It turned out the man was an e-Bay seller, according to campaign spokesman Robert Gibbs. He had been spotted by campaign staff at Obama's hotel earlier in the morning, and was seeking an autograph -- presumably for sale -- as well as a photograph to authenticate the transaction." In the video, Obama says "You're an eBay guy" and later tells the guy he's annoyed because he interrupted him while Obama was "talking to some kids". Under those circumstances, I think Obama acted rightly in denying the guy. The article does say that Obama eventually agreed to the picture, but that the Secret Service finally pushed the guy away at that point.
yeah, but that was at the end. the ebay guy asked obama several times before that and got rejected. obama was basically shaking hands with everyone on the street, i don't see what he would have lost by taking a picture with the guy, even though the picture is going to be sold for money -- that's still publicity, isn't it?
How does he know this guy is an eBay guy? If they only met in the same day, this is quite a sequence of events. Maybe Obama knew this guy for a long time?
