Obama Heckled From Press Pit

A man heckled Barack Obama from the photographers' pit at an appearance in Ohio yesterday, causing some to question the Secret Service and their vetting of press credentials at Obama events. The man shouted down Obama as he began to speak, demanding that he lead the crowd in the Pledge Of Allegiance, which Obama did with the crowd joining in.

Reporters rushed to interview the man but he refused to identify himself. Via Blogger Interrupted:

Then this man began taking photographs. As Secret Service began to hover, numerous reporters, including myself, asked the man repeatedly who he was and who he worked for, and the man never answered. He was allowed to keep photographing. After the event ended, the man was surrounded by about 10 reporters and cameramen who kept asking who he was and who he worked for. He never answered.

I must say, this event really made me nervous. In the current environment, when a man shouts at Barack Obama from the press riser, in this way, over the Pledge of Allegiance, from a place reserved for media who are told not to disturb the event, that is troubling. Heckling from the crowd is standard - heckling from the press riser is almost never heard of. Then to watch the man go about lifting his camera to point it at Barack Obama, my heart skipped a beat.

Scary, perhaps. Annoying, definitely. But illegal, no. And Obama handled it perfectly. The man was later identified as photojournalist John Quinn, who has worked Rolling Stone and TIME Magazine, among other publications. Therefore, I don't think the Secret Service let Obama down on this, but it does illustrate how easily an ill-intentioned person can get close to presidential candidates.

(Via - Pam Spaulding)