WOW. Bill Clinton spars with Obama supporter

[TeamJordan23]

(edited for copyright purposes-proud patriot moderator Democratic Underground)

As an Obama supporter, I do not agree with what this guy did. However I do think Bill should have been smarter about the situation. He should have just gotten the guy kicked out. If there is a video of this, the media will run with it and it could damage Hillary's campaign.

BILL SPARS WITH OBAMA SUPPORTER

From NBC/NJ's Mike Memoli
CANTON, OH -- Robert Holeman came to Timken High School here today with a message to deliver to Bill Clinton. He did -- and he said the former president wasn’t happy about it.

Clinton spoke to a capacity crowd in this Northeast Ohio town, the third of five events today in the Buckeye State. He told voters that the contest was “the power of speeches against the promise of solutions by a world-class change maker.”

Throughout the event, as Clinton made his case for his wife, Holeman’s dissenting voice could be heard. At times he simply shouted Obama’s name. When Clinton would set up a sure applause line, Holeman could be heard heckling. As soon as Clinton finished speaking, the Canton native made a beeline to the ropeline to give Clinton a piece of his mind.

“I asked the president to please stop the bickering between the campaigns,” Holeman said in an interview afterwards. “All this name calling is like the bully in the yard. He can’t get his way, he can’t get nothing done.” Holeman said he thought Clinton was “gasping for air.”

(snip)
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/02/17/673670.aspx

[ruggerson]

1. More apt title: "Rude heckler whines about being confronted on his ugliness"

[polpilot]

37. HOW DARE him question William Jefferson. NAFTA promoter Bill demands proper respect...

[ruggerson]

Repeatedly interrupting campaign speeches is just plain ugly

not cool when it's done to Obama, not cool when it's done to Clinton.

If someone did this to Michelle Obama, you'd be outraged, and rightly so.

[Alexander]

It happens. Get over it. Muskie was classy enough to debate hecklers.

If Clinton had as much class as Edmund Muskie, he would've done the same and won the crowd over with words.

[ruggerson]

62. Yes, I know it happens. That's why we're talking about it.

And I don't have to get over egomaniacal third grade behaviour.

[hisownpetard]

79. Yes, ugly - and it *always* backfires. Not a good move on anyone's part.

[nomorewhopper]

99. unless the heckler gets punched in the face

look, i totally agree wiht you about hte heckler situation. just look at how people rallied around hillary after she was heckled leading up to New Hampshire.

but if you blow your stack and physically confront the guy, especially when you used to be president of the united states and could possibly be sitting unemployed in the white house all day, is fairly concerning.

[hisownpetard]

118. Yeah, Bill should have it down pat by now. Ignore them. Give them enough rope...

[rodeodance]

74. there is polite way of doing it. and you know that --i hope

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

98. shh... the more Bill talks, the better Obama does

cause Bill always says something "unfortunate" if you give him enough time.

His patronizing attitude is the key - how dare you ingrates not vote for me/I mean my wife.

[nomorewhopper]

50. wow this guy claims clinton actually hit him

sounds like a real a-hole for sure. i'm not sure i believe the bit about bill hitting this guy.

“I think he even hit me in the face with his hand,” he said. “He did give me a little pop. It was okay, because I understand his tenacity for his wife.”


edited to add that if bill actually hit this guy it would be blockbuster news. if it was videoed and ends up on youtube it would be a HUGE blow against bill's legacy. sad day

[RummyTheDummy]

83. Wrong on one count

Yes, he heckled him, but then he had the balls to PURSUE Clinton at the rope line and engage him. I give the guy credit for hutzpah.

[nomorewhopper]

129. ***UPDATE*** From Clinton and Obama (read)

*** UPDATE *** Obama spokesperson Ben LaBolt said Holeman was “absolutely not” a plant by the campaign. And a spokesperson for President Clinton who was near the president said there was no physical contact.


from the original MSNBC page
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/02/17/673670.aspx

[TexasObserver]

2. Let's hope there is video of that up on youtube soon. Too funny.

Bill has become a pompous windbag, a shadow of the man we twice elected president.

[ClericJohnPreston]

51. Nothing has changed about Clinton

nor diminshed him. It's only your programming.

[SKKY]

3. Rude heckler aside, what "world-class change" did HRC bring about anyway?

[dchill]

Must be NAFTA!

:)

[polpilot]

30. Pro-War Hillary delivered a war and NAFTA but no healthcare!

[publicatlarge]

38. Reality. Hillary Clinton did not support NAFTA.

Why tell lies? She did not vote on NAFTA, nor support it.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02/14/did-hillary-clinton-reall_n_86674.html

'Hillary Clinton long held reservations over the labor and environmental fallouts of the free trade agreement. In addition, she was, at the time, eager to see her health care reform (not NAFTA) pushed through Congress. As such, Clinton biographer Sally Bedell Smith writes in her book "For Love of Politics," her disapproval of the trade agreement was both political and philosophical.'

*response to dchill

[polpilot]

46. ??????????????? Surely you jest.

[dchill]

4. “I think he even hit me in the face with his hand,”

If this is on video - uh-oh!

[BooScout]

113. It's bullshit.....

Do you honestly think the Secret Service would let this guy close enough to be in physical contact with an former President and the husband of a Candidate for President? Get real.

[bilgewaterbill]

5. Is there video of this encounter?

[nomorewhopper]

82. i checked youtube and it doesn't seem to be on there yet

i'm assuming somebody videoed the speech.

i'm assuming it will show up.

are people typically allowed to video campaign events like this?

[Bread and Circus]

6. "I think he (Clinton) even hit me in the face with his hand "

[intheflow]

40. Y'know, I can always tell if someone hits me.

And I sure as hell remember it. That line is the freakiest part of the whole OP, and discredits that Obama supporter imo.

[Bread and Circus]

63. it's pretty fun though....the whole thing sounds fairly laughable

[JVS]

7. I want to see the video to know if Bill hit him

[UALRBSofL]

11. I have never seen this in a primary

An anti-Clinton protester. Now how will that look to Hillary supporters. Do they really want to vote for someone whose supporters engage in violence?

[JVS]

17. I doubt that the Obama supporter did anything violent. Bill has secret service protection, no?

they'd not let anything happen to him

[bilgewaterbill]

18. Hillary may have voted for the "Heckler Violence Resolution."

[Auntie Bush]

104. I sure as hell don't. nt

[dogman]

8. I wouldn't want this asshole titled an Obama supporter.

Or a supporter of any candidate for that matter.

[sandnsea]

16. Why?

What is wrong with a voter challenging a campaign to stop their lies and divisive tactics? Bravo for this guy, it's about time somebody remind the likes of the Clintons that we put them in their positions to help US, not make millions of dollars peddling the influence WE gave them.

[dogman]

27. If you don't get it, I wont explain it.

He very well could have been an Obama supporter from this site. Lies , divisive, that describes the majority of pro-Obama posts here lately, including yours.

[Cha]

41. In other words you have nothing to back

up your assertion that the protester from Ohio shouldn't be able to ask bil clinton not to be so negative?

[dogman]

60. If that was all he was doing, it would still be rude.

Boorish behavior is not restricted to Obama supporters, but I would want no claim to it.

[Cha]

81. Compared to what the clintons'

scortched earth policy is on this primary campaign..I'd like to buy the man a cuppa tea.

[dogman]

92. I've noticed that about a number of Obama supporters lately.

They remind me of Tom Cruise defending Scientology, attack with full force, while claiming to be the victim.

[Cha]

112. Then you don't notice shyte...all you

can do is throw out your little dogman red herrings and hope someone will bite your santimonious insults.

[sandnsea]

43. Heckling isn't appropriate, but questioning after is

I don't understand why Clinton can't handle someone challenging his campaign tactics. Does he really think he's so much better than everybody that nobody has the right to question him?

[dogman]

52. The heckling exposed his real motive.

After that he deserved nothing but contempt. I attended a town meeting with Obama. He was asked about the National ID card that was just then being proposed. He could not express a clear idea as to whether it was good or bad. Would it have been appropriate for me to approach him on the way out and ask him how he could be so ignorant?

[sandnsea]

67. Of course it would

If they can't answer a question from a citizen, then what the hell is our democracy about. If I had a lot of money all I would do is travel from location to location and give politicians grief.

[dogman]

70. Well, he couldn't answer the question.

I don't have a lot of money to dedicate my life to being an asshole, but I can withhold my vote.

[sandnsea]

78. So Obama didn't scream and poke his finger at someone

but you are going to reserve your vote for the professional politician who did, out of some bizarre objection to a citizen questioning a former President. Well allrighty then.

[dogman]

88. I don't believe I will be able to vote for Bill Clinton again.

No one treated Obama that rudely. I am withheld my vote for Obama because he has failed to represent me as a Senator.

[sandnsea]

91. How could you possibly know?

Have you followed Obama to every event for the last year? Of course there have been people who have been confrontational, there always is.

And failed to represent you?? Because he was bad bad bad and ran for President against Hillary, right? :eyes:

[dogman]

97. I would not excuse any rude behavior.

The first failures of Obama were his first votes in the Senate. I viewed him as the anti-war candidate until he voted to confirm Kindasleazy, calling her qualified, even though she was one of the original neo-con architects. I knew then that his anti-war stance was a fairy tale. His vote for tort reform and his seeking out GOPers like Brownback, convinced me he was there for politics as usual in Washington, not change and hope as he had promised.

[sandnsea]

105. Hillary voted for Rice too

And Obama has been on the right side of much more important tort legislation, he filibustered medical malpractice reform, and helped kill the asbestos reform bill which failed by one vote. He's been a good Senator and has passed a lot of really important legislation, much more than Hillary has. But you keep looking for reasons to bash him because he stole Edwards' cookie or doesn't worship at the altar of Hillary or whatever it is that drives people to ignore lies and corruption when it's right in front of their face.

[dogman]

111. She was not the "anti-war" candidate.

Fool me once, and all of that. Yes, his naming a post office was impressive. I do not support him because he has not lived up to my expectations, no hope, no change. With Hillary, I know what is there. After Obama was elected Senator, the utilities requested and were awarded rate hikes. He dismissed them as a state problem, and he was now in Washington. The Chairman of Com Ed/Exelon is a major Obama supporter. Yeah right, no solutions from Washington, no more politics as usual. I see through him, you don't, apparently.

[sandnsea]

122. You repeat blogosphere lies

How hard is that? Sad that that's all you think of yourself.

[dogman]

123. Which lies?

I live in Illinois and Obama is my Senator. I know his record. Show me one lie.

[sandnsea]

124. So you can post more cut 'n paste garbage?

Not worth my time. See ya.

[dogman]

125. I have not cut and pasted, but if you have nothing, I'm not surprised.

[MADem]

34. So, you're all for McCain surrogates to shout down your candidate, then?

I'll remember that if your guy makes it to the show.

After all, what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

[rodeodance]

76. Thank you. I am glad to hear this from a Obama supporter.

[dogman]

85. Sorry, I haven't been an Obama suppoter for years.

After working and voting for him to be my Senator, His votes and particularly lack thereof, have eliminated him from people I support.

[speedoo]

9. "promise of solutions by a world-class change maker". Sure Bill.

WTF is the former president talking about?

[Whisp]

25. NAFTA, Globalisation? that's been world changing...

carried out by the upper classes.

[patrice]

10. Everyone gets what they give. This kind of energy is not one way.

Bitchy is as bitchy does - on both sides.

[Cha]

45. And bitchy bill started it but

can't take responsibilty like an adult.

[patrice]

77. The Golden Rule applys; people will treat you in the same manner that you are to them, and if

you can't admit that you're causing at least some of what's gong on, and/or at least that what you do cause, the energy that you create, is NOT insignificant, then all bets are off for what you can expect from others, i.e. you can't expect others to support phatic rules that you don't suppoert yourself.

[Bread and Circus]

12. smacking voters is a very bad campaign move.... rofl

[Cha]

75. Like a one eighty on

kissing babies. :)

[ruggerson]

13. Read the comments section - even Obama supporters are embarrassed by this guy

[Triana]

89. as well they ought to be - If I supported Obama I'd be embarassed by...

...the attitude and behavior of some of his followers. This royal ass would certainly embarrass me.

[goodgd_yall]

93. I was thinking they would be

Only an Obama zealot would think the guy acted appropriately.

[ericgtr]

14. This guy is a poor representative for Obama IMO

We can act better than this, sounds like it came right out of Happy Gilmore.

[UALRBSofL]

21. This isn't the first time an Obama supporter engaged

They also did this in Virginia as well. I mean, who would vote for a candidate that there supporters represent violence. That's the way it looks to me.

[ericgtr]

36. Well judging from some of Hillary's supporters on here

she would take the cake on that front lol.

[Metric System]

15. "“I asked the president to please stop the bickering between the campaigns"

Says the man who rudely and constantly heckled Bill Clinton throughout his speech.

[tyne]

22. What a jerk.

And I don't mean Bill.

Obama08

[publicatlarge]

19. This guy Holeman seems like he needs professional supervision.

Anything at all said in support of Hillary Clinton's candidacy is blasphemy to some of these nutcases.

Why, ask yourself, is msnbc highlighting this kind of stuff? They are now trying to make Obama supporters look bad?

[shayes51]

20. I would know if someone hit me in the face.

I would not "think" he did. Pitiful.

[ruggerson]

33. Yeah, that gave it away from me too. Not only is the guy rude, but he's a liar.

[MADem]

23. Wow--that heckler was a FUCKING JERK! Who sent him--Karl Rove?

I have a feeling that any undecideds in that crowd won't be voting for "The Heckler's Choice!"

So much for those politics of HOPE and CHANGE!!! More like mendacity and the same old shit!

[RoadRage]

24. As an Obama supporter.. this is NOT the kind of guy we need on our side.

Screaming out and interrupting speeches, and then saying Bill Clinton was upset - well.. DUH. If you have issues, send a letter, or try to talk to him after the event.

But, doing this kind of crap is stupid, and if a Hillary supporter did it to Obama (who honestly would just ignoor it) we'd be all over that guy.

There are a million good Obama supporters.. let's stick with them.

And if the guy isn't "Sure" that Bill Clinton hit him in the face.. he doesn't need to mention it. "I Kinda think maybe possibly Bill could have hit me".. eh. Whatever - either he did or he didn't. If he did, i'm sure there will be 10 others claiming it was true (well, maybe not at a Hillary Event).

[MethuenProgressive]

26. What's the jerk's DU name?

Obviously a paid plant.

[oasis]

73. DU's Obamamites would never leave their keyboard comfort zone.

;-)

[in_cog_ni_to]

28. An Obama follower heckling President Clinton during an event....

Go figure! I'm shocked! Shocked, I say! ...... NOT!

How RUDE!

[ShortnFiery]

29. They best keep those nasty ole hecklers away from Bill Clinton ... he's IMO, "Jumped the Shark"

All those years of power and privilege have seemingly made Bill Clinton BELIEVE that his "Hillary" will be President. :scared:

It's sort of unnerving to watch. Bill Clinton DEMANDS that we make his wife President?!? Damn, even intelligent people can "lose it" when it comes to perspective. :(

[oasis]

132. "even intelligent people can 'lose it' when it comes to perspective".

You are exactly right. I see it almost every day right here at DU.

[Cha]

31. Thankfully, someone has the wherewithall to

confront bil clinton is his areana..and all bil can whine is.."he started it"..what a fucking lame pos.

[TheDonkey]

32. Fmr President pops man in the face. So outrageous it is not shocking

and I certainly doubt the "heckler" is exaggerating. Bill Clinton has become unhinged.

[Skip Intro]

35. I'm glad Bill responded to the jerk. I mean the "hope-filled" jerk.

Those Obama people are a class act.

[Cha]

47. bill clinton is a whiney ass jerk who

can't take responsibility for his bitchiness like an adult.

[Skip Intro]

57. He was speaking at a Hillary rally, they guy heckled all the way through

and then confronted Bill.

What was Bill supposed to do? Lead him in a prayer to the new messaih?

[Cha]

86. bil clinton started going negative in the beginning

of the primary and he won't take responsibility but he can lie about it with ease like he lies about everything. I don't trust on one single thing anymore..he lies too easily.

[NastyRiffraff]

39. VERY misleading headline

Makes it sounds like Bill just lashed out at a poor innocent Obama supporter.

And thanks to all the true Obama supporters who chimed in here disavowing this jerk.

And irony is officially dead: Holeman said “I think we need to come together on those issues.” Now THAT'S chutzpah! Or something.

[TexasObserver]

42. Bill's running for First Asshole

[in_cog_ni_to]

59. Stop it.

Talking about asshole!:eyes: sheesh.

[gerrilea]

44. From What I've read here the past few days

Most of the Obama supporters are caught up in the zealotry of his speeches and nothing more...Bill Clinton should defend himself...let's see if there is a video...doubt it...

Someone explain to me why all of a sudden everyone hates Bill Clinton and HRC? HRC As my Senator has helped me personally...or should I say her office(s) did...I support her completely!!!

Even though I may not agree with everything...she is still the best person, or should I say Woman for the job...period!!!

[in_cog_ni_to]

54. They hate Bill because the repukes told them to and they hate Hillary because she voted for the IWR.

Monica comes into play too with their Bill hatred. Never mind what he did to help this country when he was in office. They don't care. Obama MUST win.

[ShortnFiery]

56. Yes, HRC should make a campaign ad out of the video: "If you think Bill's spicy now ...

just wait until he's First Gentleman!?!" :evilgrin: :nuke:

Damn, don't the jokes and potential scandals galore "just begging" to write themselves? :crazy:

[paulk]

72. yeah, you could probably get a job with the RNC "writing" it

if you haven't already.....

[MickeyVA]

48. Wonder what he meant by this:

"Now if one Clinton, the male Clinton can’t get it done, how is Ms. Clinton .”

[ClericJohnPreston]

49. BWAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHA

More Obamite "logic". Heckle and be disruptive and then feign ignorance as to why that happened.

Cause and effect.

The simplest logic escapes Obamites. Why, they act just like 30% of the Obamites on this board. Loud, and without a scintilla of awareness.

[Faygo Kid]

58. Do you have any other titles to your posts?

Maybe you ought to try to come up with something besides BWAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHA.

If you can. That seems to be the extent of the creativity you are able to display.

[ClericJohnPreston]

80. Yup

you're so right. In over 1,000 posts I have made, they all have one caption.

Can I help it if you Obamites are a constant source of UNINTENTIONAL humor?

Keep up the good work. It saves my having to watch televison comedy for my laughs.

[Faygo Kid]

87. Always here to entertain.

Sometimes we're intentional, ya know.

Never good to lose a sense of self-deprecating humor. Even here on GDP:P.

[Faygo Kid]

53. Take a deep breath. The heckler was wrong. Bill maybe should have just walked away.

In the heat of a campaign, lots of crap happens, but this isn't some pivotal moment for either Hillary or Barack supporters, and this incident should not be used to somehow define either campaign or set of supporters.

It's tough out there, and in here. Let's at least keep it real.

I'm an Obama supporter through and through, but this isn't the way to support our candidate.

Don't make more of that statement than it says on its face, Hillary backers.

[theHandpuppet]

55. Should be titled: "Bill Clinton Spars With Obnoxious Asshole"

I can just imagine the outrage if the situation were reversed and Obama had been the target of this jerk.

[ShortnFiery]

61. And lowers his standards by bickering (and perhaps hitting) that Obnoxious Asshole

Bravo Big Dawg. :eyes:

[Freida5]

64. Consider the source- GENBC which is worse than Fox news

[crimsonblue]

65. In other news...

Hypocrite heckles Hypocrite for being Hypocritical.

[Cass]

66. He heckled and disrupted through the whole speech and whines

that Clinton is irate with him? What did he expect - flowers and candy? :eyes:

“I think he even hit me in the face with his hand,” he said. “He did give me a little pop..."

Yeah, right. In one breath he THINKS he hit him, in the next breath he says he did give him a little pop. What a pantload.

[kurth]

68. Next: Obama Supporter Charges Bill Clinton With Assault, Sues For Damages

[Thrill]

69. He has some nerve to tell people in Ohio to vote for Hillary

after his terrible trade policies

[Seeker30]

71. Funny how the Obama supporters

defend the actions of an obviously unstable moron.

I think he hit me...hahaha!

[ClericJohnPreston]

84. They are a constant fountain

of unintentional humor.

[goodgd_yall]

90. Kind of inappropriate behavior

When someone is making a campaign speech, it's par for the course to say negative things about the other campaign. Obama does it against Hillary. It would be a bit weird for a Hillary supporter to then heckle him with pro-Hillary talk. I think the man sounds like some of Obama's overzealous supporters.

[NMMNG]

94. "I think he even hit me in the face"

If you have to think about it then you weren't hit.


Holeman said he did support Bill Clinton during his campaigns, but that now the country wants a “new perspective.”

If Holeman is a reflection of that "new perspective" he's not representing it very well.

[terrya]

100. No shit

Either you were hit in the face or you weren't.

I've been hit in the face in the past. I sure as fuck didn't have to "think" about it.

This story has the whiff of bullshit about it.

[NMMNG]

110. I'll say

I've been hit, kicked, pinched, slapped, bitten and a whole lot more. I never had to think about whether or not it happened.

[bluerum]

117. More than a whiff - it REEKS!

[ruggerson]

102. I'm pretty sure Obama punched you in the stomach

I think I remember that.

[NMMNG]

109. You too, I'm afraid

:hug:

[Mr.Fitzgibbons]

95. Sorry, but this type of heckling is just totally uncool and irritating and does Obama no favors

It makes his supporters look obnoxious and rude.

[still_one]

96. non-issue, non event in my view /nt

[JeanGrey]

101. If Hillary were smart, Bill would stay home. I really don't think

it is going to matter anyway, but every time he goes out more damage is done. He is angry, because they are losing (and ARE going to lose). We'll see more of this. I hope Hillary at least concedes with some dignity when the time comes.

[kipmurr]

103. Obama supporters are coming off as rude, nasty, and disruptive

[goclark]

131. Please don't place all Obama supporters in a basket

and we we try our best to not put Clinton supporters in one basket.

[Tatiana]

106. This is completely SURREAL and I can't stop laughing!!!!

“I think he even hit me in the face with his hand,” he said. “He did give me a little pop. It was okay, because I understand his tenacity for his wife.” Clinton did engage Holeman for a few minutes, at times pointing directly at him. It was unclear whether he did make physical contact, however.

[terrya]

107. I wouldn't be surprised if this was on "The Daily Show" tomorrow.

This story is such laughable bullshit.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

108. What An Asshole. Too Bad That Troublemaking Moron Holeman Didn't Get A Pop In The Jaw.

Ehhhh, oh well. Maybe next time...

[BooScout]

114. Do Obama supporters think being obnoxious

...gains them anything? Does being rude, obnoxious and generally a pain in the ass qualify them to try and convince voters to vote for their hero?

[dchill]

115. Well, how's it working out for YOU?

n/t

[AZBlue]

119. As a whole

Clinton supporters have NO cause to point fingers here...

[IrishBloodEngHeart]

116. this obama supporter thinks that guy is an idiot

he should have been quiet, and approached President CLinton in the greeting line to say what he wanted to say. Shouting someone down is stupid.

[blogslut]

120. UPDATE from the blog entry

*** UPDATE *** Obama spokesperson Ben LaBolt said Holeman was "absolutely not" a plant by the campaign. And a spokesperson for President Clinton who was near the president said there was no physical contact.

[onehandle]

121. Some Obama supporters = Zero class. nt

[Peace Patriot]

126. Seems to me you're all reacting to corporate news monopoly "divide and conquer."

There will always be hecklers (except at Bush, Cheney and McBush, i.e., fascist, events). But the corporate news monopolies are very selective in their "news" coverage of these and all other events, with their own goals in mind--profit, and manipulation of our political perceptions to the ends of big profits for the few. So we should be very wary about what they focus on, and how they frame things, especially with regard to our campaigns and candidates. For all we know, this guy was a Bushite plant. We really don't know. The "news" is extremely manipulated, and riddled with psyops, disinformation, invented information, black holes where information should be, and carefully crafted images and illusions.

To get into a spat about this heckler is ridiculous. It is also exceedingly irrelevant and distracting. I'm for knockdown dragout political debate, and passionate disagreement, if the issues are important. I'd love to see it. One of my problems with Clinton and Obama is they seem to be nearly identical on the issues, and neither is a strong advocate for accountable, constitutional government, transparent vote counting in the public venue and not with 'trade secret' code owned and controlled by rightwing corporations (a big issue with me), and strong reform aimed at evicting war profiteers and global corporate predators from Washington DC. But IF somebody were talking about what really needs to be done--in my estimation--I wouldn't mind the strongest kind of debate and advocacy, and hecklers are simply inevitable when you engage in strong debate, and will occur even without it, if you are not "vetting" crowds and excluding people. You just have to deal with it. It has NOTHING to do with Obama or with his other supporters, in this case. We have no idea who the guy is. IF it came out that the Obama campaign was planting hecklers, that would be another matter. But even then, the smart thing to do--and what good debaters do--is use them to advantage. And minor campaign officials' actions are not necessarily reflective of a candidate or a campaign.

By jumping to bitter conclusions--that this guy was speaking for Obama, or Obama supporters--you are just playing into the war profiteering corporate news monopolies' power over you and over political debate. It is a MINOR thing. It happens all the time in open politics (not closed events like the Republicans hold). It could almost be seen as a good sign. It means the crowd is not over-vetted. And maybe this guy--if he was sincere--felt that his issue was that important. He had to shout it out. So use that energy in some way. Make a joke. Answer him. Out-debate him. Or just thank him for being so passionate. Acknowledge dissent. Welcome dissent. Consider dissent. Learn from dissent. Teach your audience by means of dissent. Honor the long tradition of dissent in this country. You know. What's the big deal? Only MSNBC thinks it's a big deal--and when did they become pro-democracy? The fuckers are corporate liars and shills. DON'T. LET. THEM. DICTATE. WHAT'S. IMPORTANT.

[LadyVT]

127. This guy sounds mentally unstable

[RamboLiberal]

128. I don't side with the heckler but it happens to all campaigns

except those so carefully managed Bush Bubble appearances. IMHO the heckler was a jerk and Bill needs to hold his cool a bit better.

Wait - the damn Repukes are the pro hecklers and I expect them to be out in force no matter if the candidate is Clinton or Obama.

Did I mention damn I hate those Freeper Koolaid drinkers?

[ErnestoG]

130. GASP! The LITTLE PEOPLE questioning ROYALTY??

What is the world coming to.