So this will not be a long analytical diary. I know we have a lot of "breaking" tidbits and I generally try to refrain from diarying snippets and we'll see if this develops into a bigger story. But what the freak is up with this (via HuffPo original source Dana Milbank)
I have to say the Secret Service is in dangerous territory here. In cooperation with the Palin campaign, they've started preventing reporters from leaving the press section to interview people in the crowd. This is a serious violation of their duty -- protecting the protectee -- and gets into assisting with the political aspirations of the candidate. It also often makes it impossible for reporters to get into the crowd to question the people who say vulgar things. So they prevent reporters from getting near the people doing the shouting, then claim it's unfounded because the reporters can't get close enough to identify the person.
By preventing reporters from well, reporting, by walking around and observing, aren't they essentially aiding and abetting despicable behavior like death threats being shouted from the audience ? Isn't the primary role of the Secret Service to protect the protectee, not act as suppressors of freedom of the press? On a day when we're seeing diaries about the disgusting fliers that the Republicans are sending out ( ie the food stamps in CA) and the robo calling that's being described here with blatant lies like:
"You need to know that Barack Obama has worked closely with domestic terrorist Bill Ayers, whose organization bombed the U.S. Capitol, the Pentagon, a judge's home, and killed Americans. And Democrats will enact an extreme leftist agenda if they take control of Washington. Barack Obama and his democratic allies lack the judgment to lead our country."
and John McCain's ridiculous defense of his crowds during last night's debate while trying to pretend he doesn't know exactly what's gone on at some of these events, the US Secret Service is essentially creating a friendly environment for these whackjobs to spew their crap. I didn't think it was possible to be more outraged but I was wrong.