Hannity is a douche, but I think the police report does say she hit the officer. Regardless of how badly, or if at all, the officer was hurt, you can't hit a police officer. Given that the guy didn't end up in the ER, hopefully both McKinney & the officer can apologize to each other & be done with this. No reason to arrest her, but I still think she was wrong to hit the officer. By the same token, the officer should have recognized her, but it's understandable given that there are 500-some faces to remember.

The incident happened at a "House office building". All federal buildings have to have security cameras, don't they? Funny how none of the talking heads are asking this question.

Actually, in the video included with the story here, the LAPD detective says that there is a camera at the security checkpoint, but no video of the incident itself. FWIW.

As to your point that she hit an officer. Of course, if true, that's not good.

But what Hannity said is: "She punched a cop."

If you've seen the Police Report (as you referenced), I'd be happy for a link to it since I haven't seen it. From what I've seen, it's reported generally as a "scuffle" or a "tangle".

The part of it that Hannity refers to as "punched a cop" is reported by WaPo thusly:

The trouble began when McKinney strode past the metal detector. An officer told her to stop, police said. He then reached out and touched her, not realizing she was a congresswoman, police said. McKinney and the officer scuffled, and she struck him in the chest with a cellphone, police said.

Reuters reports it as:

She reportedly poked the officer with her cell phone when he stopped her.

As mentioned, all a far cry from "She punched a cop." And that's just one of the points I was trying to make, of course.

As to what has been reported that the Capitol Hill Police said about the incident...I'd remind you that they also reported Cindy Sheehan was removed from the State of the Union for unfurling a protest banner in the joint chamber. Which was found to be wholly untrue.

I don't know all the facts, but I'm sure the video camera would pretty much answer any questions. I DO have a problem with anyone, let alone a legislator, throwing a tizzy-fit and cuffing a security officer (or whoever) over some altercation with gaining entry into a government building, because she was being required to show their id or stopping when they were told to, or whatever the hell it was.

In my opinion, this can either be blown totally out of proportion pro or con, and if she did act in an undignified manner as it seems to appear to me at this time, then she would have a hard time getting my vote come next election. I'm assuming the people we send to Washington are mature and respectful enough to comply with reasonable requests when dealing with security in this day and age. I hate to see "race" brought into this as an issue, but I get the feeling that's where we are going with this case.

I passed through the South a year ago, and my impression was that an awful lot of the black community have a "chip on their shoulder". I'm NOT saying the majority, and only a small minority at the most. Having said this, I almost feel like I need to give a ton of info to help identify myself as NOT a race/ethnic bigot. I won't waste the space, but if this had anything to do with her actions, she needs to be reminded of why she is there. NOT to take on some personal grudges.

That's my take on this whole issue. She really doesn't help to lend the democratic ticket any support by her actions. In fact, just the opposite is true.

I heard Sean Hannity is coming out with a new book. It's called "Oh, Say Can You See." The cover will have a huge picture of his ugly face with the American flag behind him, like all his other 80% off books at your local bookstore. This time, they will hit the shelves @ 80% off, instead of waiting. He STINKS! I'm glad Fox News is occuppied with McKinney. Thank you. The Republican Noise Machine is not racist, though, when they bash a black congresswoman...people are only racist when they bash a Republican like Condosleeza Rice.

By the way, am I imagining it? Or is Bush calling for the newly democratically elected leader of Iraq to step down?

Well, Michael, did you see the video of McKinney doing this? I didn't. That's why I reserve judgement until I see the video. But what I do know, is that FOX News liesand slants the news, and is an arm of the GOP. Where's the video? I can't wait to see it. Brad, do you have a link to a video of McKinney's interaction with this policeman?

Thanks for the clarification, Brad. Obviously I didn't watch the video clip yet. Hopefully this issue goes away real soon as it sounds by all accounts that there was no damage done to anybody or any thing. There are far more important things for news media to be covering right now.

Actually, Hannity's new book should be called "20% Truth, 80% Off"

Dick Cheney. Shot. A guy. In. The. Face.

Think I'll try punching a cop - oh, wait... I'm a white male. I'll just wind up in jail.

About her hitting the officer didn't she hit him AFTER HE grabbed her? Remember she has been harassed lately with DEATH THREATS and had her house in Georgia vandelized. So if someone came up to her from behind and grabbed her like that and she was talking on her phone in a hurry it's a natural reaction. And like Alan said if you work at that point all the time you should know everybody. IT'S YOUR JOB! Hannity is a douche and something doesn't smell right with this because Hannity is too defensive of the cop.

Hannity has no right to act like he was there. He doesn't know what happened any more than I did. But then again, Danny Glover, Harry Belafonte and crew weren't there either.

It's disgusting that she's raising this to be a race issue. People who are tasked witih protecting the Capitol are now on the defensive for protecting it? That's absurd. Too bad McKinney couldn't just apologize and put this behind her. No - she has to act like a spoiled child and refuse to back down, and play this stupid, irrelevant race card. Disgusting.

My curiosity with this article is its point of view. I am a white, male and never confused for a republican in New York. In other words I’m a no body. I work and live in New York, the most “post 911” environment there is. I work in a fairly banal industry there may be – catering – we serve food. Done deal.

We serve food to Senators, Bluebloods, No-Names, New Money, TV and Film Personalities, Regular Joes with some cash, World Class and Local Corporations. Sports Celebs, The “Infamous” the Famous and the monied who defy categorization. I have walked into the UN, Merrill Lynch, American Express, Gloria Steinam’s house, Vernon Hill’s house, Radio City Music Hall and Republican National Convention at Madison Square Garden, more than once, among others and who I am allowed to mention. (contractually: for those interested in specifics I can send an NDA for you to sign) In each case I have been asked for identification, when I was asked I didn’t accost anyone when I and my staff have been stopped regardless of weather they knew who we were.

In fact I felt it was our responsibility to show the “gatekeepers” who we were.As for me... does that make me a “lesser’ American? I could call on my family’s longevity in these United States. I could call on my whiteness. I could call on my two of my ancestors who were leaders in the American Revolution. I could call on my three ancestors from the Mayflower. I could call on my ancestor who signed the Declaration of Independence. Wouldn't it be easy to say "Hey guy, you were just stopped as a protocol" Not so fast (remember we're walking into no where for for no real reason - just food).

I could call on my retarded brother, I could call on my alcoholic mother; I could call on my distant father. There are so many “rights” or “blames” I could call on. Or I could take responsibility for myself, who I am, who I have become in spite of who I would like to be, but am willing to become (also in spite of myself and with restraint). AND SO.

Why should Cynthia McKinney, by virtue of here job, sex, race or party affiliation, be exempt from compliance with protocol; legal, policy or otherwise. I am curious about the position of someone who is a citizen and an elected government official who lives in the United States in 2006. How does a Democratic Republic work in this case.

Where is my white male republican recourse to her black female democratic recourse, should I punch anyone who gets in my way? This, of course presumes that she “hit the cop” without any provocation of vanity (and that is the point in question) in which case the policeman in question should be hanged. If that’s the case please disregard this missive.

Sincerely,

Roberts Morton Mius-d’Entremont

“It is always to be taken for granted, that those who oppose an equality of rights never mean the exclusion should take place on themselves” – Thomas Paine

You can watch 24×7 McKinney coverage, or watch real news like Democracy NOW! on LINK-TV & FSTV, and the INN Report on FSTV.

Do yourself a favor, and watch today's INN Report, it's on everyday. You'll be informed of the real news. Compare this clip below, to FOX News/CNN/ABNBCCBS, the corporate controlled news................This is Monday's news, they end it with an interview with the website manager of whatreallyhappened.com.....one of their stories is about the former head of Star Wars under Ford and Carter, saying that Cheney is the main suspect behind 9/11....or watch McKinney coverage on FOX News with Hannity...

INN Report Daily News

Like everyone else here, I don't know what happened aside from what I have seen on TV or read, so I wasn't going to comment, however I have now seen enough to put my 2 cents in.
Many of us work in places that require ID and we comply. If I was running around in a restricted area of the hospital without my ID I would expect to be stopped. I would stop anyone I saw without ID in a med room or restricted area. It is my duty to do so. I would touch their arm to get there attention if they seemed to be ignoring me. I wouldn't molest them and I hope they would not smack me.
This seems like a misunderstanding blown out of proportion to me. Turning it into a racial-political issue is a BIG mistake and will only serve to injure the Democratic party and race relations in this country. I hope it stops soon.

No matter how badly she may want it to be true, Cynthia McKinney is not Rosa Parks. I agree, Mckinney is a huge black eye for the credibility of the civil rights movement and the Democratic party. She's also an embarrassment to those in her district that didn't vote for her and can't really grasp why she was elected. Not only did she apparently behave poorly, she compounded it exponentially with her actions since.

I hope that was not an attempt to paraphrase my post Mr/Ms Sandwich. While I think the racial-political aspect of this event is inappropriate, I don't have a specific opinion of Ms McKinney and her work. Race relations in this country were more seriously damaged by the images of Hurricane victims left to die and rot in the streets than anything Ms McKinney has done. As a nurse I find that suffering inexcusable. We care for every patient equally, without consideration for race or economics. Apparently this administration does not.

sean hannity always impressed me as . . . . . . A Stool With Eyes.

Wow that INN news is brilliant!
This is what the news should be.

invade country based on lies = no MSM coverage.

scuffle with cop = ?

Regarding COMMENT #15 everysandwich said on 4/4/2006 @ 8:04pm PT...

"No matter how badly she may want it to be true, Cynthia McKinney is not Rosa Parks. I agree, Mckinney is a huge black eye for the credibility of the civil rights movement and the Democratic party."

Cynthia McKinney doesn't need to be worried about being a huge black eye on the so-called "credibility" of the pro-war Dead Democratic Party when the party no longer has any credibility to begin with, as far as I and many other people I've talked with are concerned! With a very few exceptions, these pro-war corporate political pimps and whores sold their soul and their "powder"---you know, the powder they keep talking about keeping dry---to the Republicans in 2000 and have ever since been Bush and Republican accomplices and enablers.

Cynthia McKinney has done a lot for civil rights and is an outspoken advocate for the poor and disadvantaged. Unfortunately, she's also a loose cannon. Her temper has gotten her into trouble in the past.

Over-reacting to the Sean Hannitys of the world is a mistake, just as it's wrong to get into a war of words with Ann Coulter (about anything). McKinney will have to deal with the law here, and that's as it should be. Let it go, please.

According to the US Constitution, no one (NO ONE, not even a cop) is allowed to interfere with a member of Congress going to or from their official business. THAT is why capitol police are required to be able to recognize all members of Congress. It's not because it's respectful thing to do, LOL.

So, screw all of you who blame McKinney. I don't even care what the videotape shows. She should not have been stopped, touched on the shoulder, or accosted in any way.

Correct me if I'm wrong. But I don't think so.

She has not been charged, nor has there been any definition of the law she is alleged to have violated.

That is probably good, because we can not know what specific law applies, until we have some specific facts.

If she was told to halt ... that begins a sequence. Did she hear the officer, or was her hearing impaired by a cell phone conversation?

The law applicable may branch there, depending on the facts.

Did the officer put his hand on her first, and she, with cell phone in hand, push back?

Big path diversion based upon those facts.

And then we have the spectre of immunity. Congress members are immune from arrest:

"They shall ... be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same" (Article I, Sec. 6).

Sean Hannity is on an opinion show. Hannity and Colmes never claimed to be "fair and balanced." Stop trying to twist that.

Sean Hannity is an opinion show that is ruining America by misinformation. It's called "lying".

Joe Warwick: That INN News is everyday, and it's like that. It's on FSTV on DISH 9415, every day 30 minute news. It is the way news should be. Also Democracy NOW! on DISH LINK-TV 9410 & FSTV 9415.

We now have gotten real news on TV...we all have to switch our habits from corporate-controlled news ANBCBSNNX to these 2 news: uncensored/unfiltered important news on TV.

What's going to happen, if the INN Report & Democracy NOW! make it onto the MSM TV channels? How are ANBCBSNNX going to explain the difference between their news and Democracy NOW! & the INN Report??? They will have to answer, if that happens. It's only going to happen if you start watching it.

One man's view of a fallacy here: We spend an inordinate amount of time on Bradblog worrying about what Sean Hannity and Ann Coulter are saying.

We should not do this. Hannity, like Coulter, panders to a specific audience. If there were no Sean Hannity and no Ann Coulter, the audience would still be there, looking for emotional sustenance in its hatred of liberals. It would seek out a Limbaugh, or a Gordon Liddy, or some equally perverted spear-carrier for the right wing. Hannity doesn't INFLUENCE opinion so much as he SATISFIES it...his viewers start out as intellectual perverts and he reassures them.

So why do we obsess over what he says? For me, it's like arguing with a drunk in a bar. You can't win the argument, and you diminish yourself by trying.
Just one man's opinion; I know many disagree with me here.

Ya know I will give Ms. Mickey K the benefit of the doubt. Yes Negros are routinely dissed at entrances at fine hotels, restaurants, nightclubs and other gubment buildings.
BUT Mickey K saw a wonderful opportunity to show her Nigga side and get some play just like many black liberal democrat politicians….just think back to the comments by Mayor Negro Naggin.
This Ms. Mickey K is an embarrassment, she is a straight up fool, so yes will the talk shows and right leaning spin doctors play this up? Yup!
But all the blame doesn’t go to her I blame the idiot constituents who voted for her. She is the people’s rep.
Let me throw out that earlier comment:
Mickey K “is a huge black eye for the credibility of the civil rights movement and the Democratic party."
Democrats should be running away from this moron rather than defending her.

McKinney asked Dumsfeld why billions are missing from his budget, why no punishment for a defense contractor who's employee was running a sex ring, and what was up with the war games on 9-11, ( that were mysteriously like the real thing, a scenario the Adminstration later claimed "no one could have predicted" ). Bush & Company hate her and are probably harassing her with this and other actions. I don't blame her for playing the race card. Bush & Company play dirty and play to win.

#14 Jo/Joy,
Very well-said. My two cents:
She should have worn the pin. She should have stopped when told to.
He should not have touched her, but he should not have HAD to. She was evidently not responding to him, so he did have to.
I think she over-reacted. Her behavior was unbecoming for a member of Congress, all of whom should respect security precautions.

I can understand her hitting out at him if she was startled & felt threatened; but if that was the case, once she realized why he touched her she should have apologized, he should have apologized, and that should have been the end of it.
Her handling of this incident has made her look like a prima donna & a spoiled child.
She's diminished her reputation & that is unfortunate.

Wow.. just watched the vid.. boy is that Hannity an ass-hat!

RLM is correct, there is no point in even trying to discuss these people. Point out that they are totally nuts, show why, then move on. They have NO interest in the truth, or fairness, or decency. Anyone that "likes" this guy is at a minimum a closet nut-case.

As for McKinney.. we'll have to see what happens, what charges are "offically" filed, etc. Perhaps she did "over react", but perhaps that's because she's tired of being harassed? I find it interesting that in a building like this, we don't have footage of almost every square inch .. though, I'm sure this tape has met the fate of the tapes of the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.. shooed off to the bowles of "hide the truth".

We have no clue what "really happened"..

I have THIS question.. why the hell was she "allowed" to get to a position where someone had to "grab her from behind" (if that's what happend)? I would think that the DOOR WATCHERS would be in a position to INTERCEPT people walking past the metal detectors, not have to chase them.

If things were set up "properly" (in my definition of security, anyway), the 'cop' would only have had to step in front of her, blocking her path.. He would not have had to "touch" her unless she was trying to force her way past, period. If the cops were in the proper positions and doing their jobs properly, one would have stepped in front of her and said "Ma'm, may I see your credentials?". Instead, we have a "cop" grabbing her from behind? Or so the story goes.

As far as the pin.. so, if I go steal a pin and walk up to the guards who've never seen me before, they should just let me go in? The pin is a DISTRACTION from the point, and is a strawman if you ask me. Not to mention, she's been walking through that door for the past year and a 1/2, as Brad pointed out.

The short of the long is, this incident should not have happened, and the Capitol Police are the ones to blame for it getting out of hand (if it even did.. we don't know yet). The rest of the short is, the Pugs are drowning in scandal and desperate as hell to divert some heat. This hardly seems to me to measure up to DeLay, Plame, Cunningham, Feeney, etc. etc. etc. This is a bullshit diversion, which is why Hannity and the rest are being so vehement about it.

You guys are all NUTS. A person, whether a congressperson, white, black or other punched a cop!! Don't you get it? She was flat wrong, tried to abuse her position and got caught. It's that simple. She needs to answer for trying to abuse her position and then for trying to get out of it by playing the race card.

Dick Cheney shot a guy in the face.

Having said the above, however, doesn't change the fact that Hannity & his ilk are despicable.

#s 8 & 35
Thanks for the reminders, BVAC, lol. Good point.

And I agree with Savantster that this incident is NOTHING compared to the long list of illegal & immoral stuff this administration & its business-buddies have gotten away with.
Still...damn, Ms. McKinney!!...bad move giving them this ammunition. They sure are runnin' with it.

And as for the GOP rushing to bring a resolution praising the Capitol police.....!
Thanks for showing that YOU TOO can be childish, vindictive & inane!!
Jesus, what a bunch.

I agree with Joan...Ms.McKinney should stop with the interviews with the attorneys at hand. AND stop playing the race card over and over.
Any sympathy she may have had is dissolving fast.

Soledad O'Brian this a.m. tried over and over to let Ms McKinney say what happened and all we heard was the Race Card. Can't she just say, "I over reacted and it has blown out of poprotion".
If she had been someone with a bomb, the Police Officer would be a hero. She was in the wrong, not wearing the pin and not stopping when asked.

Has nothing to do with color.

I work at DARPA and I'm on first name bases with most of the Officers and they still ask to see my ID before entering the building (often 3 to 4 times in the same day). I'm not offended nor do I punch them because they should know me. They are doing their jobs and if they didn't they would be derelict in their duty. It's not about race, it's about right and wrong and McKinney is wrong. All she had to do was show her ID...

You guys need to STOP saying she "punched a cop". That is NOT KNOWN.. get it? You try to say "she acted inappropriately", then do worse by inflaming a situation with no FACTS??

Fuck, you republicans are all the same. Talk out your ass 90% of the time, and when that 10% comes around that you actually ARE dealing with facts, try to ride that back down the 90% when you're full of shit.

The "best reports" (and not facts) that seem to be out there are that she "poked the guard with her cell phone". Hell, for all we know, the cops (most of whom are likely Shrubby supporters, being that most cops are control freaks too) decided to get physical with her (for various reasons) and WERE being inappropriate with her. She might be FULLY JUSTIFIED for "poking the cop" with her cellphone. Perhaps she poked and said "look buddy, you shake me and smack my boob again and we're gonna have a problem".. YOU DON"T KNOW, neither do I. But, stop saying she "punched a cop", cause that seems to be CLEARLY not the case. Lying and distracting and inflaming is pathetic, are are the kinds of people who's first reactions are to incite.

And, CZL, you are not a Congressperson. MOST of us who work where "security" is in place need to use our credentials to gain access. Members of Congress DO NOT HAVE TO.. they are allowed to "bypass security", and are SUPPOSED to be RECOGNIZED by the police to facilitate that situation.

People need to STOP comparing THEIR job to what happened here. This is NOTHING like where ANY of you work.. get it?

My Dear Bros, Brothers, Sistahs and Sisters

If all congress members are IMMUNE FROM ARREST, which they are (see post #23), then the competent police (not to be confused with the Capitol [or Capitalist] police) ought to have some fu*king idea about who they can arrest and who they cannot.

Right?

If you work at the Capitol you need to know that you cannot arrest Congress Members.

Even if they are members of, in your opinion, a bad race, gender, ideology, or politic.

No matter how hard The Dick, The Bush, or the looooorrrrrddddddyyyyy man preaches to you.

What you really need to know is the law ... if you are a law man ... law woman ... or law Gannon ... or law Guckert.

Hey, get over it, you gotta (or in Cicilian gotti) know the law.

And in this case, if you know the law, and it sez, you cannot arrest a member of congress here, then if you do not know a congress person from the guy who just overflowed the crapper at position 14, well, don't get too friggin jiggy wid it. Ok?

But if you get to feelin your piece, your iron, your warm puppy, and that gets to makin you itchy ... be real careful ... cause just because you need some happiness ... from the trigger ... back the fu*k off.

You are addressing a Member of Congress. And the American Constitution, tells you, DO NOT FU*K with a member of the people's representatives, no matter how your sh*t has been shattered in life [been dissed, been stepped on, gotta chip on that blue blood shoulder], just remember, YOU CANNOT ARREST THEM.

So if you can't arrest them ... why do you wanna stick pins in them ... stop them from getting to the floor where they can cast a deciding vote ... a vote that preserves American ideals ... rights ... freedoms ... etc?

Just keep your sh*t in your pocket and run for Congress if you wannabe a Congress member you dumb fu*k.

At least learn their names so you do not violate what some are dying for in Iraq, WEraq, or THEYraq.

I just can't hear your whining right now ...

Yes, really, people DO need to STOP saying "she punched a cop". As Savantster said. It's dis-information.

Our representatives to Congress have a GUARANTEE OF SAFE AND UNMOLESTED PASSAGE TO THE CONGRESS WITHIN THE CAPITOL, going back 220 years.

No officer has the right to touch or in any way interfere with the passage of these Constitutional officers.

There are a grand total of 15 black female representatives in the House of Representatives.

Any officer who wished to work there would obviously be expected to recognize those 15 by name and sight. Failing that, firing is the obvious next step.

It doesn't matter what you think about C. McKinney, or even how she comports herself. This is YET ANOTHER attack of our national integrity --- VERY similar to stopping Senator Ted Kennedy at the airport for a search.

It is HARASSMENT, AND WE WON'T STAND FOR IT.

"AND stop playing the race card over and over.
Any sympathy she may have had is dissolving fast."

This is not about sympathy. It is about the right of our representatives NOT to be touched by THEIR protectors.

"A person, whether a congressperson, white, black or other punched a cop!! Don't you get it?"

You obviously don't. A congressperson AT THE CONGRESS is not an ordinary person. They are a CONSTITUTIONAL REPRESENTATIVE, and as such, sacrosanct in their persons. No officer has the right to touch a representative.

"He should not have touched her, but he should not have HAD to. She was evidently not responding to him, so he did have to."

SHE DID NOT HAVE TO. Her REPORTED, undocumented, lack of response is meaningless.

The Capitol police have turned into thugs in the last six years --- I wonder why. With GFY, Senator being the standard set, with ANTHRAX sent to our leaders (how's that investigation going, eh, Karl?), with Duke Cunningham telling a Dem representative on the floor of the Congress "You son is toast," with R traitors calling Dem leaders "traitors" on the floor of the House, THIS IS JUST PART OF THE PATTERN.

She recognizes the pattern just fine, since she's been getting that shit from Day One in Georgia.

Didn't you just see what the authorities did to the black people of New Orleans? A majority black city is now a majority white city --- Mission Accomplished.

HANDS OFF OUR REPRESENTATIVES. Fire the officer.

Just to set the record straight, Ms. McKinney is no "beacon of light" in the South. You don't see Atlanta Congressman John Lewis, who got his head bashed in during the Civil Rights Movement, coming to her defense, do you? Ask yourself why.

you know, if you guys were not serious this would almost be funny. everything goes back to the war, a woman allegedly hits a cop and you bring up the war. get over yourselves.

you know, it does not matter if the cop was hurt or not. next time you are stopped in traffic, go ahead and tap the officer on the shoulder and see how fast your butt is hauled down river. white or black, you wont get away with it.

if she did not have her id, the cop did his job, and she should be more harshly dealt with. if she did have her id, and she showed it and was manhandled she obviously has a case, and the cop should be reprimanded.

Hear the one about the guy (Doyle) at home land security and the 14 year old leukemia patient. More on "family values" here.
http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/Moral_Values

"if she did not have her id, the cop did his job, and she should be more harshly dealt with. if she did have her id, and she showed it and was manhandled she obviously has a case, and the cop should be reprimanded."

And here in lies the rub, right? She DID have her ID.. she SHOWED IT TO HIM.. You're listening to Hannity's LIES about "punched" and "no id" and "missing for 5 years". All BULLSHIT to try and distract from the FACTS, which are not even OUT yet.. duh?

And I fail to see where the "war" was brought into this.. that's something reserved for you right-wing nut-jobs.. bringing the war (wrongly) into Sept. 11, 2001, and terrorism.

"you know, if you guys were not serious this would almost be funny. everything goes back to the war, a woman allegedly hits a cop and you bring up the war. get over yourselves."

I think you need to learn how to read.. hmmmk? Then come back and try to have a conversation at the big people's table.

I have been buried in work for several days and did not hear about this incident until today. Uh--- I think this hardly qualifies as a "story". It is of course a wonderful distraction to other things---Ken Blackwell "accidently" investing in Diebold---now that's a story! I think McKinney and the Capitol Police should cool off. But really-- a Grand Jury investigation? This surely smells like a political asassination.

#44
Paul,
I wrote:
"He should not have touched her, but he should not have HAD to. She was evidently not responding to him, so he did have to."

And you retorted:
"SHE DID NOT HAVE TO. Her REPORTED, undocumented, lack of response is meaningless."

I don't know, the points you make about Congresspeople being "sacrosanct in their persons" may be factual; but it seems to me that maintaining security in these times SHOULD trump such a statute if it exists.

Isn't it the job of the Capitol police to protect the building & the people in it from possible attack, from smuggled-in weapons for example?

Yes, he should have recognized her. But if, in his judgment, she was just a random stranger (maybe she rushed past & he couldn't see her well enough to identify her), I think he has a duty to try & see who she is & what the situation is.

This whole "sacrosanct" notion seems a bit high-falutin' to me, considering what could happen if a random stranger who IS concealing something lethal can just breeze through in a rush.

You wrote:
"Didn't you just see what the authorities did to the black people of New Orleans?"

Yes, it WAS & STILL IS hideous, unbelievable & unconscionable and people should go to jail for it. But equating this with that strikes me as way out-of-proportion and only adds fuel to the rightwing's mis-characterization of progressives, in my humble opinion.

"Yes, he should have recognized her. But if, in his judgment, she was just a random stranger (maybe she rushed past & he couldn't see her well enough to identify her), I think he has a duty to try & see who she is & what the situation is."

But that's 1/2 the POINT.. he SHOULD have been paying attention enough to get a good look at her BEFORE she got to the check point.. and as I pointed out earlier, they should be able to, for security reasons, be able to stop you BEFORE you get past... grabing from "behind" should NEVER have to happen.. if it does, security is incredibly fucked up in that building.

I'm in Georgia, and many of my friends on the Right consider her an embarrassment to the state. Hannity's overbearing treatment of anything not pro-Bush doesn't help.

From the HuffingtonPost:

Capitol Police Chief Terrance Gainer:

"...Any time an officer does not know who the person is coming in the building, I direct them to stop that person..."
http://www.cnn.com/2006/...inney.scuffle/index.html

#51 Savantster,
Yes, I get your point, but things don't always work the way they SHOULD! And considering all we've come to learn about our country's lack-of-security issues on so many fronts, maybe there's a lack-of-proper-training issue here, too.

It just SEEMS like she over-reacted, period. Her apology, his apology, & it all could have ended at that.

I really, REALLY wish our lawmakers would quit acting like children.

I can understand how a black woman, a congresswoman, would be sick and tired of having to apologize for being unrecognized in the building she works at. She may have not handled the situation with elegance, but with such a weak protocol what do you expect? If they can't, at the bare minimum, recognize a 6 term congressperson, they need to change the rules.

Besides... Dick Cheney shot a guy in the face.

I'm with Joan. This is more like the time Sensenbrenner took his gavel and turned out the lights turning a meeting than it is like Bush leaving people to die after a national disaster. This is childish. Time for everyone to grow up.

BVAC,
What does that stand for anyway?
Blind Visceral Action Committee?
Born Vain And Condescending?
Boring Vaunting Arrogant Contemptuous?
Blundering Visiting Amnesic Cretin?
:confused:

Admit it: you hate the VP, don't you?

Someone here was saying how you guys are full of hate. Another person said that you guys eat your young here. Maybe so ..............

Besides, the Swiftboat group was correct in their descriptions of John Kerry. But the 8 men on his boat did support him, while one man on his boat did not.

So when Brad says "swiftboated" he is also disrespecting the 8 men who did support Kerry along with the 27 swiftboat officers of other boats and 200+ veterans of Vietnam joining the group that did not support Kerry. That number included the commandng admiral of the task force.

About McKinney, some can say she showed ID. But think about it, she must not have because the officer had to ask her to stop and go after her like the CNN article says that the officers are told to do.

Look, dude. You need to get over the hunting accident thing. Every year people are injured and killed in hunting accidents. It was a mistake on his part and he knows it. But every year people are injured and killed mountain climbing or skiing through somebody's mistake. Doesn't mean you stop that activity. Usually people learn from mistakes, unless you are a lifelong liberal.

And Joan, progressive is just another word for liberal.

And "liberal" is just another version of "Commie," or "bleeding heart," or "Pinko," or "welfare queen."

It's a pejorative that appeals to mass prejudice, at the opposite end of the spectrum from "Nazi" or "Fascist." The fact that you say, "...progressive is just another word for liberal" proves the point.
There's nothing untoward about being progressive, obviously, because the root of the word is progress.
But "liberal" (which means broad-minded and open to new ideas), once equated with "progressive," takes on a sinister meaning.

To put it bluntly, James, you're an ass for using words in this way. And referring to complete strangers as "dude" is even sillier.

I think that the trolls show up when stories or issues involve hatred. Some trolls like to hate.

Anyway, it is the US Constitution, not a statute, that protects congress members:

"They shall ... be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same" (US Constitution, Article I, Sec. 6).

Again, if a police officer knows the law cited above, then the officer should know a congress person cannot be arrested on the way to or from work, or at work.

So, as has been pointed out, these police need special duty training. Specifically they need to know the congress members so they know who they can deter and who they cannot deter.

If they do not know that they are out of order and anything done out of order is improper.

Hey, its in the US Constitution and it is against the supreme law of the land to hamper congress members on their way to or from work.

There can never be probable cause in these circumstances because arrest is not an option, nor anything short of that which impairs a congress member from getting to the floor or to the office.

Dredd, this media furor over Cynthia McKinney is a conscious attempt to divert attention from Tom DeLay, corrupt voting machine companies, Capitol Hill corruption, Iraq, Bush's poll ratings, recent revelations that confirm the Downing Street minutes, and Card's resignation and others to come.

McKinney is an easy target for the right wing. She's outspoken, has a bad temper, and enjoys making herself the focus of controversy. I don't agree with Brad that she was "swift-boated." She lost her temper (for the umpteenth time) and overreacted to the actions of a lazy cop. She should have said, "Take your hands off me, officer. My name is Cynthia McKinney, and I'm a U.S. Representative."
Instead, she hit him with her cellphone.

Not smart. But also not worth three days of headlines. Let the authorities handle it (I predict no charges will be filed) and concentrate on more important matters. Please. The country is going to hell, and we're arguing over a minor incident on Capitol Hill between a testy Congresswoman and a lazy cop?

Funny, the cop stopped a black woman Democrat. Anyone think that's curious? When was the last time a cop grabbed a white male Republican entering???

I'm sure if the cop grabbed a white male Republican, he'd have cold-cocked the cop, and the trolls & Republican Noise Machine would be complaining.

Can we look up, if a cop EVER grabbed a white male Republican entering??? Are their records of incidents like this?

If the Republicans keep pushing this, it's time to research when the last time and how many times politicians were stopped from entering by cops. This can be turned against the Republicans very easily, if the Dems unite and attack back.

I read that she had very recently changed her hair from braids to soft curls. This changed her appearance. That, with the lack of ID....
This is a misunderstanding out of control. It is HER problem. Let go....

The cop was stupid. But there are a lot of stupid cops, and McKinney should have been mature enough not to over-react as she did. Instead, she hit him with her cellphone, then played the race card and even played the victim of a cop who didn't recognize her new hairdo. Give me a break, Ms. McKinney!

Five little words would have sufficed: "Take your hands off me." Period. Maybe it's true that a white male wouldn't have been physically stopped in that situation. But it's also unprovable, and speculating on whether it ever happened to a white guy simply prolongs an argument that should have died out two days ago. Let it go, indeed.

James

Bergen Volunteer Ambulance Corp

You folk are always quick to scream "hate!" when folk like me point out inconsistencies like I did. Had anyone else shot their friend in the face while hunting without a license, they would be taken in immediately and probably arrested. I didn't hear a peep from folk like you decrying his actions, therefore the noise being made about McKinney is simply an attempt to say "See! Democrats do it too!"

Duuuuuuuuude

Big Dan #5

Yeah, I read about it also in a good source called TomDispatch.com

He says Iraq is like a version of "Mad Max" now.

The civil war began last summer when large groups of dead Shiites began to turn up with their hands & feet bound & obviously having been tortured.
There's ticked off teenagers roaming the streets in armed gangs in jeeps, different factions aline with one another, then later drop affiliation. The sale of all kinds of weapons has zoomed up.
It's a mess.

Not off topic...Jon Stuart did a great spoof last night about racists(moral majority) being persecuted. I think a lot of the commenters on this thread would have enjoyed it. Maybe felt vendicated instead of laughing.

i doubt it would be possible to find out if one of the cops ever grabed a white congressman, but not for the reasons you and insinuating.

the white cop would not get a bunch of media attention by calling the procedure racist. therefore, it would go under the radar of the media. the only reasons there is such a stink about this is she pulled the race card and supposedly hit him.

i am sure that other congressman have been stopped by the guards. after all, it is their job to guard and investigate this kind of activity. if they just let people run by security checkpoints, they would not be guarding much would they?

i meant white congressman.

need..... more..... coffee........*bad william shatner impression*

and savanster, the war has nothing to do with this, the subject of this string, hence i find it funny people bring it up, so again you reinforce such stupidity with another assertation. good job. way to work out the gray matter.

as i said, IF she hit him she should get in the appropriate trouble for it. the race card thing is stupid, but not illegal. but even if he wrongly stopped her, she has no right to hit him, if in fact she did.

if she put the id in his face and he manhandled her she has a case. but i do find it interesting that only after the grand jury convened did she issue an apology.

Rep.McKinney apologized today, so that makes everything ok.

Again, I work on a military base every day. I have to show my ID and have it ready when I drive up. The guards are armed with handguns and shotguns. There are thousands of people who work on the same base. The guards can't recognize everybody. Congress is a different kind of place, but it's still a secure location that was threatened on 9-11. It's still a place that had a gunman attack the entrance and kill two officers in 1998. Two of my friends are cops in two different major cities. Both agree that Rep.McKinney should have had her ID ready. I'm glad that many liberals here agree too.

Have a nice day!

Mike J

All they have to show is a lapel pin. No photo ID, no ID.. just a pin. That isn't very secure now, is it? Go ask your cop buddies in two different major cities. I'm sure they'll agree!

not to mention, congresspersons routinely walk by without wearing their pins, and whoever they are escorting are free to walk by as well.

and to address popeye's concern: if they just let people run by security checkpoints, they would not be guarding much would they?

Yes, that is exactly what they do on a routine basis.

Quite frankly I'm surprised this is the protocol in a "post-9/11" world. Implant some RFID tags in those critters already!

McKinney has apologized and the news cycle has moved on. Will we get an apology from the latest "family values" pedophile, Doyle? Will we get an apology from Bush for authorizing leaks? Stay tuned.

Will we get an apology from dick cheney? Who, I seem to recall, shot a guy in the face?

Oh! And AFTER dick cheney, the vice president, shot a guy in the face, he sent the police away. Couldn't talk to them right away.

Kids, do not try this at home!

Doyle should be put in prison. Bush doesnt need to apologize for anything. What law was broken?

How come so many republicans are sexual degenerates?

Get a load of this. That Bush is a real piece of work. "I want to know the truth". Tomorrow polls will be at 20% approval. and in November....the day of reckoning and balance.

From the AP
Fitzgerald quoted Libby as saying he was authorized to tell New York Times reporter Judith Miller that Iraq was "vigorously trying to procure" uranium. Fitzgerald said Libby told him it "was the only time he recalled in his government experience when he disclosed a document to a reporter that was effectively declassified by virtue of the president's authorization that it be disclosed."

The process was so secretive that other Cabinet-level officials did not know about it, according to the court papers, which point to Bush and Cheney as setting in motion a leak campaign to the press that ended in Plame's blown cover.

In 2003, when the public furor erupted over the disclosure of a CIA operative's status, Bush said he wanted to get to the bottom of the affair. "I want to know the truth," he said at the time.

From the AP
Libby's testimony puts the president and the vice president in the awkward position of authorizing leaks. Both men have long said they abhor such practices, so much so that the administration has put in motion criminal investigations at their behest to hunt down leakers.

The most recent instance is the administration's probe into who disclosed to the Times the existence of the warrantless domestic surveillance program.

#30 Shado

I believe your slant on this episode is the most enlightened way to view it.
That Bush & Co. have it in for her because she had the chutzpah to ask Runsfeld too many questions he couldn't answer.

I don't remember the name, perhaps you can show us your astuteness and research this: There was a NYC councilman who was killed by a guest of his at the city offices. No ID needed for the guest. I agree, not a good system, if so.

My cop "buddies" (as you said) are protecting the citizens of their cities from criminals, crazy drivers, etc. One of them is on his city's SWAT team. The other is now a police academy training Sgt., but he has worked long hours in crowd control in tough situations before. First responders have a hard job who should be paid more than they are for what they have to do to protect us.

Rep.McKinney should realize that every day instead of playing the race card. All she had to do was to tell the officer who she was and that she forgot her pin or ID. Then a quick call to verify and it would be done. That is, if she was graceful. Unfortunately, she was not and is not.

Her father made comments about race when she lost her re-election bid (then 2 years later sheeee's baaaaack). So this is how she has been raised. But as an adult, she should know better. As an elected Representative, she should act better. But as a person with a large chip on her shoulder, she apparently can't behave. I sincerely wish that she would have handled this situation better from the start.

Have a nice day!

here, here mike j,

i totally agree with your last two posts, but watch who you call a liberal around here. i am a proud member of what the indigenous people refer to as a "repug troll" and a participant of that rich tradition. calling me a liberal is fighting words, and you seem a decent fellow, i would hate to kill you (or to die. sorry, i am full of bad movie quotes these last few days).

have a great weekend everyone.

Mike J

I don't know what your point was in elaborating on the background of your friends, but you completely dodged my point. You said that you are required to show your ID every day when driving up to your military base. That is a good policy and prevents misunderstandings.

The protocol at the capitol building allows congresspersons to walk by without any verification save for a lapel pin that many often choose not to wear. Now that seems like a shitty policy, right? Go ask your police pals: I'm sure they'll agree!

That lax policy has led to several misunderstandings involving McKinney. Neither of us know the details of this scuffle, but I think we can both agree that she didn't turn around, see that a police officer grabbed her, and proceed to deck him. The idea that all she had to do was "tell the officer who she was" ignores the fact that she got by security without being stopped, and was able to make it a considerable distance before being chased down and grabbed. The further assertion that she would have to show ID and have it called in for verification is frankly an insult to any congressperson, especially one that has been serving for 12 years.

I think we can also both agree that they made a federal case, literally, out of a small incident instead of taking issue with a colossal failure of a security policy.

As far as race goes, McKinney was wrong in so far as it being a case of racial profiling. The fact remains that there is only a handful of black congresswomen, and the failure of the guard to recognize her is indicative of just how bad the lapel-pin security standard is.

So to conclude, you draw a false comparison of your military base standards to that of the capitol police. The comment that "[both police friends] agree that Rep.McKinney should have had her ID ready" is an invalid argument. The policy doesn't exist, so don't say she "should have" done anything. If she was required to show a photo ID or otherwise she should have, but currently all that is required to bypass security is a little lapel pin and facial recognition. If that's how good security is in our nation's capital, god help us all.

"currently all that is required to bypass security is a little lapel pin and facial recognition. If that's how good security is in our nation's capital, god help us all."

Amen to that!

Mike J

Do you ever get any on your cheapo flag?

Troll stroke for you

For anybody that comes back to this thread on at this late a date, I'll post a new story here because I would not want to be accused of being off-topic (even though most of you are often off-topic yet you will yell at me if I am, hmmm?).

Atlanta CBS TV46: McKinney Blasts Staffer, On Tape

BVAC,
I agree with your opinion about a lack of security at Capitol Hill, so we don't disagree there.

But discounting my examples shows that you just want to argue. My "cop buddies" would certainly agree that ID cards should be required to be shown and worn by members of Congress.

I am suprised that Congress has not increased security after 9-11 and especially after the 1998 attack.

Dredd,
You are saying that the USA flag is "cheapo"! What a jerk!

And check your website while you are at it. Did you forget to pay the bill? I have not been able to view your website for three weeks from any computer, location, or network.

Have a "nice" day! (Try harder, Dredd)

For anybody that comes back to this thread on at this late a date, I'll post a new story here because I would not want to be accused of being off-topic (even though most of you are often off-topic yet you will yell at me if I am, hmmm?).

Atlanta CBS TV46: McKinney Blasts Staffer, On Tape

BVAC,
I agree with your opinion about a lack of security at Capitol Hill, so we don't disagree there.

But discounting my examples shows that you just want to argue. My "cop buddies" would certainly agree that ID cards should be required to be shown and worn by members of Congress.

I am suprised that Congress has not increased security after 9-11 and especially after the 1998 attack.

Dredd,
You are saying that the USA flag is "cheapo"! What a jerk!

And check your website while you are at it. Did you forget to pay the bill? I have not been able to view your website for three weeks from any computer, location, or network.

Have a "nice" day! (Try harder, Dredd)