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Security incidents involving Barack Obama

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Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, who has been the target of several assassination threats and alleged plots.

Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, has been the target of several assassination threats and alleged plots since he first became a presidential candidate in 2007. Secret Service protection for Obama began after the Senator received a death threat in 2007, when Obama was still serving as then the junior U.S. Senator of Illinois and running for president. This marked the first time a candidate received such protection before being nominated.[1] Security was increased early for Barack Obama due to fears of possible assassination attempts by white supremacist or other racist groups or individuals against the first African American major party presidential candidate.[2][3][4]

Some of the threats have been extended to members of Obama's family, including First Lady Michelle Obama.[5][6][7][8] Obama and his officials have generally declined to discuss death threats against him since entering the presidential race.[1][5] Some commentators have suggested the unprecedented amount of death threats surrounding Obama are at least partially tied to the use of racist imagery and words used by some of Obama's critics to describe the president.[2]

2008

North Carolina Waffle House threats

Jerry Blanchard, an accountant from Charlotte, North Carolina, was indicted for threatening to kill Obama during a July 15, 2008 breakfast at a Charlotte Waffle House.[5][9] Two customers said Blanchard told them, "Obama and his wife are never going to make it to the White House. He needs to be taken out and I can do it in a heartbeat."[5] The customers contacted the Secret Service, who questioned Blanchard. He denied making the threats, but allegedly told the Secret Service agents he believed Obama was the "Antichrist" prophesied in the Bible.[5][9] The Secret Service later got a second call from an employee of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Charlotte,[10] where Blanchard was overheard in the lobby restroom saying into his cell phone, "I'll get a sniper rifle and take care of it myself. Somebody's got to do it ... We both know Obama is the anti-Christ."[5] Blanchard had claimed he would buy a sniper rifle and pistol from the Hyatt Gun Shop in Charlotte. The gun shop owner said Blanchard has visited the store but did not buy any weapons.[5] Blanchard was placed into custody on felony charges of making threats against a major candidate for president, and a psychiatric evaluation was ordered. It has been questioned how much evidence existed that he planned to actually go through with an assassination attempt.[5][9]

Miami bail-bondsman training threats

Raymond H. Geisel was charged with making threatening statements against Obama during a bail-bonds training class on July 31, 2008, in Miami, Florida.[9] During the course, Giesel referred to Obama with a racial epithet and said, "If he gets elected, I'll assassinate him myself."[2] Geisel also threatened to put a bullet in the head of then-President Bush, although Geisel later claimed he was joking. In his hotel room, authorities found ammunition, body armor, a combat-style hatchet, tear gas, a loaded 9 mm handgun and four loaded magazines. Geisel said he collected firearms, and was only using the gun for his bail-bonds course. Geisel remained in custody for a month.[2][9]

Assassination scare in Denver

Main article: 2008 Barack Obama assassination scare in Denver

Three men allegedly discussed shooting Barack Obama, then the 2008 Democratic Party presidential nominee, during his acceptance speech on the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. Cousins Tharin Gartrell and Shawn Adolf, and their friend Nathan Johnson, allegedly came to Denver specifically to kill Obama, and discussed in their hotel room how they could assassinate him.[1][11][12][13] On August 24, 2008, Gartrell was arrested when police found his truck filled with weapons and narcotics.[14][15][16] Johnson and Adolf were arrested shortly thereafter and, during a televised interview, Johnson later indicated Adolf was the one who planned the alleged threat.[12][17] Authorities later downplayed the threats and indicated the trio had little chance of successfully killing Obama.[4][12]

Assassination scare in Tennessee

Main article: 2008 Barack Obama assassination scare in Tennessee
Wikinews has related news:

Paul Schlesselman and Daniel Cowart, two men with strong white supremacist beliefs, allegedly planned a murder spree of 88 African Americans in Tennessee, many of whom were to be young students at an unidentified, predominantly black school. They allegedly planned to end the spree by driving their vehicle toward Barack Obama as fast as they could and shooting at him from the windows.[18][19] The two men were arrested on October 22, 2008, after they bragged to their friends about firing shots at a church in Brownsville, Tennessee.[18][20] Schlesselman and Cowart were in possession of several guns during their arrest, and they allegedly told police they intended to rob a firearms dealer and other stores to secure more weapons for the attack.[21]

2009

Hawaii threats against Michelle Obama

Kathy Lee Roshia, 35, called the Boston office of the Secret Service on November 10, 2009, and told them she planned to "blow away" First Lady Michelle Obama while the family visited Honolulu, Hawaii for a Christmas vacation. She also indicated she planned to shoot members of the United States Marines Corps.[6][7][8] Roshia told authorities she knew "the exact location" the Obama family would be staying. Information that Roshia provided to the Boston office was consistent with the itinerary of the Obama family at the Secret Service office in Hawaii, and authorities believe Roshia had observed Secret Service agents in the area of the Kailua Beach home where the Obamas had previously stayed.[7] Roshia had a history of calling the Boston office and making threats, and told the agency in 2004 that she intended to assassinate then-President George W. Bush, although she contradictorily added that she had no desire to hurt him. Following her threatening call, Roshia was arrested two miles from the Honolulu house the Obama family had booked for their vacation. She allegedly struck an officer in the face and arms while he tried to detain her. Roshia was charged with threatening a family member of the president and assaulting a federal agent while being arrested.[6] A federal judge has ordered Roshia to undergo a mental competency examination.[7]

2010

Incident in North Carolina

On April 25, 2010, Joseph McVey, 23, was arrested in Ashville, North Carolina. Police say he impersonated a police officer at the city's airport as the President left the airport on Air Force One. McVey is being held on a charge of going armed to the terror of the public, according to the Buncombe County jail's booking office. McVey's bail was set at $100,000. Airport police Capt. Kevan Smith said the suspect was driving a car that was made to look like a law enforcement vehicle with working lights and sirens. He would provide no further details about the suspect, but emphasized that the president was never in any danger.[22]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Maggs, John; Freidman, Dan (2008-08-27). "Authorities play down plot against Obama". National Journal. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  2. ^ a b c d Parks, Gregory S.; Heard, Danielle C. (2009). ""Assassinate the Nigger Ape": Obama, Implicit Imagery, and the Dire Consequences of Racist Jokes" (PDF). Cornell Law School Working Papers: 2.
  3. ^ Riccardi, Nicholas (2008-08-26). "Men's threat to kill Obama is downplayed". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2008-08-26.
  4. ^ a b Johnson, Kirk; Lichtblau, Eric (2008-08-26). "Officials see no "credible threat" to Obama in racist rants". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-08-26.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Bradley, Jim (2008-08-08). "Charlotte Man Charged With Making Threats Against Obama". Retrieved 2009-12-29.
  6. ^ a b c "Woman "Threatened to Murder" Michelle Obama". Sky News. 2009-12-23. Retrieved 2009-12-29. {{cite news}}: |first= missing |last= (help); Text "Bonnett" ignored (help)
  7. ^ a b c d Dooley, Jim (2009-12-23). "Oahu woman to undergo mental exam after allegedly threatening first lady". The Honolulu Advertiser. Retrieved 2009-12-29.
  8. ^ a b "US woman held after 'threat to kill' Michelle Obama". BBC News. 2009-12-22. Retrieved 2009-12-29.
  9. ^ a b c d e Cardona, Felisa (2008-09-03). "Local Obama plot case lures N.C. lawyer". The Denver Post.
  10. ^ "Man indicted for Obama threat". United Press International. 2008-08-30. Retrieved 2010-01-02.
  11. ^ Cardona, Felisa (2008-08-29). "1 of 3 men in Obama threat case in court on drug charge". The Denver Post. Retrieved 2008-08-29.
  12. ^ a b c Wyatt, Kristen; Jordan, Lara Lakes (2008-08-26). "Fed official: Colo. men no "true" threat to Obama". Associated Press. Retrieved 2008-08-26. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  13. ^ Gardner, David (2008-08-27). "White supremacists cleared of gun plot to assassinate Barack Obama". Daily Mail. Retrieved 2008-08-27.
  14. ^ Piazza, Jo; Meek, James Gordon; Kennedy, Helen (2008-08-27). "Feds: Trio of would-be Obama assassins not much of "threat"". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  15. ^ Ensslin, John C.; Villa, Judi; Washington, April M. (2008-08-26). "U.S. attorney "confident" Obama not threatened". Rocky Mountain News. Retrieved 2008-08-26.
  16. ^ Otis, Ginger Adams; Venezia, Todd (2008-08-26). "Would-be assassins had seething hatred for Barack Obama". New York Post. Retrieved 2008-08-26.
  17. ^ Burnett, Sara (2008-09-03). "Drug suspect wanted to shoot Obama at Invesco". Rocky Mountain News. Retrieved 2008-09-03.
  18. ^ a b Date, Jack (2008-10-27). "Feds thwart alleged Obama assassination plot". ABC News. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
  19. ^ Lichtblau, Eric (2008-10-27). "Arrests in plan to kill Obama and black schoolchildren". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
  20. ^ Baird, Woody; DeMillo, Andrew (2008-10-30). "Authorities say skinhead plot wasn't fully formed". Associated Press. Retrieved 2008-11-04.
  21. ^ Jordan, Lara Lakes (2008-10-27). "Feds disrupt skinhead plot to assassinate Obama". Associated Press. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
  22. ^ "Man arrested after Obama leaves North Carolina". CNN. 2010-04-25. Retrieved 2010-04-26.
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