Revealed? The ‘Kids’ Behind Rep. Etheridge’s Infamous Assault Vid
- Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:00pm by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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As of Monday, the number one political video on YouTube was Rep. Bob Etheridge’s (D-NC) infamous June assault of a college-aged kid who asked about Obamacare. The video shows Etheridge grabbing the young street interrogator by the wrist and neck* and demanding the boy reveal who he worked for:
For months, no one has come forward to answer that question. Not surprisingly, Democrats labeled the video and ambush a Republican “operation.” And while rumors swirled that Republicans were at least in the know, they never fessed up.
Until now — kind of.
In a story in Thursday’s New York Times detailing how Republicans won so handily on Tuesday, the paper includes this nugget:
They also tried to push Democrats into retirement, using what was described in the presentation as “guerilla tactics” like chasing Democratic members down with video cameras and pressing them to explain votes or positions. (One target, Representative Bob Etheridge of North Carolina, had to apologize for manhandling one of his inquisitors in a clip memorialized on YouTube. Only this week did Republican strategists acknowledge they were behind the episode.)
Details about the video end there. No explanation regarding who the “strategists” are or what exactly they “acknowledged.”
Either way, if the video was part of a larger Republican plan, it worked. Etheridge lost his election on Tuesday (although he’s demanding recount).
(H/T: Gawker)
*Changed from “throat” to “neck.”
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Comments (145)
Rickfromillinois
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 4:28pmWhat a dirty trick, asking a politician why he voted the way he did. Who could blame the Congressman for assaulting him? How low can you get. What next, the voters wanting him to explain his actions? Don’t people realize just how important this Congressman is? Us lower class plebeians should just mind our own business and let those who are so much smarter then us tell us what to do.
Report Post »starman70
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 5:35pmYEP! We don‘t know what’s good for us. Just ask the progressive idiots in San Fransisco or New York who want to ban French fries and cola drinks. OH, SHEEP, follow the shepherds from Washington and we will lead you to the promised land.
Report Post »SJJB
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 4:26pmWonder why the New York Slimes newspaper never reports on the antics of the SIEU,Acorn and of course the puppet master, George Soros. Like the rest of the media, they endorse and support all the activities of the SIEU thugs, Acorn, and the new black panther party as long as these antics are directed against conservative Americans.
Report Post »SatTerra
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 4:21pmI totally forgot about this guy, thank goodness he is gone as well.
Report Post »Goldenyears22
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 4:36pmOh Goody, he’s gone, or is he? He’s going to question the votes.
Report Post »DagneyT
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 4:19pmYou know actually give credence to the New York Slime, do you?
Report Post »dinadp
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 4:15pmCool! The right using the left’s tactics. Saul Alinsly must be proud.
Report Post »JohnnyJT
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 4:05pmDemonCrats think they know better than anybody else.
Report Post »queenofcapitola
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:45pmPersonally, if someone grabbed me by the throat… I would have punched him in the face.. maybe not the ”best” choice, but to allow someone to abuse me like that is not in my nature any longer.
Report Post »I hope this young man comes forward.. it DOESN’T MATTER where he came from.. he was simply asking a ”gov’t official” a question.. no reason to be accousted… and I’m glad that idiot lost his seat..
He absolutely doesn‘t deserve to represent the people when he can’t control his own paranoia
davecoolworld
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:43pmKinda sounds like a guy who blames his wife after he abuses her.
Report Post »Goldenyears22
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 4:35pmYou might be right, he probably pushes her around, looks like a mean dude.
Report Post »davecoolworld
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 5:44pmLike most bullies…they generally back down from equal or greater strength.
Report Post »Beckofile
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:42pmIf that is all you have to do to get a progressive Congressbully to react then I want to be a Republican strategist. Sign me up.
Report Post »HippoNips
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:35pmLOL Ahh the Democrats and their NYT’s are so desperate. Sure, the nameless Republican strategists used mind control to have a Democrat congressman assault people on the street.
Report Post »Bush made him do it !!!
DonnyBeGood
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:35pmYeah, the Republicans were also behind the “Numa Numa” guy on YouTube and Charlie bit my finger too! Oh and were pulling the strings on the Evolution of Dance guy…..unbelievable.
Report Post »lainpa
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:31pmI’m for these querrila tactics. What is good for the goose, is good for the gander. We must fight fire with fire in order for this to be a fair fight. We need more of these kind of patriots. Where is our Hannah in the PA-14th?
Report Post »dcwu
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:25pmfeculence
Report Post »ProudConservative1
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:25pmIt’s sooooo FUN out-Alinskying DEM/LIBs!
Report Post »roberja
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:24pmThrow out the mud and see where it sticks. Set up or not, the man acted stupidly.
Report Post »Rowgue
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:19pmLol. “Guerilla Tactics” according to the left means asking legitimate questions of a candidate for office that is running to represent you. All the while their supporters are tearing out and ripping up campaign signs, going into wild obscenity slur filled tirades, engineering voter fraud and intimidation, physically assaulting anyone who dares agree with them, comparing people to hitler, etc. But that’s all just a part of the great american political process.
FYI soros shills. Nobody buys the “anonymous sources” or “officials stated” bull**** anymore. People are intelligent enough to know that is simply a surefire way of not being able to refute the claim since there is no source to confirm the story with.
Report Post »Unbelievable
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:12pm“Only this week did Republican strategists acknowledge they were behind the episode.“ ”Details about the video end there. No explanation regarding who the “strategists” are or what exactly they “acknowledged.””
This is just a BS story by the NYTimes. Otherwise they would have named names. The NYTimes are getting less and less credible every day!
Report Post »TNgirly
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:11pmExactly. Doesn’t matter who was behind that, what matters is that Etheridge manhandled the student and I don’t think the Repub strategists told Etheridge to do that.
Report Post »KenInIL
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 4:47pmSo how many other congresspeople were baited in this method? – and only Etheridge took the bait – he deserves the publicity he got.
The other half of the story is that congresspeople have to put up with this sort of harassment on a daily basis and have to take it all graciously with an “I’ll look into it“ or ”No comment” put off.
Report Post »Rev. WC
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 5:53pmSo asking a Congressman a question is harassment? Or is asking an Elitist a question a crime?
Report Post »joseph Fawcett
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:11pmthat is horrible behavior form anyone. If they refused to anwser who they were or where they were from then the congressman should have just refused to anwser and walked on by. However he had to try to use force to get his anwser. Typical of the Goverment, very arrogrant! In a way it did not matter who they were, The congressman should have been willing to stand up for what he believe he did that was right in his eyes. I am glad the congressman lost.
http://www.josephfawcettart western artist
Report Post »firstHat
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:11pmHelp support Tea Partier, Renee Ellmers, winning opponent to Etheridge as she faces the rigors of the recount:
Report Post »http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2010/11/027623.php
RepubliCorp
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 8:49pmDid they count the dead yet? If not, they will
Report Post »Eric-n-OTown
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:11pmHmmm, the New York Times citing un-named Republican strategists with no follow-up as to who they are or what, exactly, they acknowledged. Great journalism there guys! Regardless of that “fact”, the issue remained that the Representative committed a crime in response to a simple question, and clearly acted in a manner unbecoming any member of a civilized society, much less a “representative of the people”.
Report Post »Goldenyears22
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 4:33pmNew York Times doesn’t care about the truth, innuendo is good enough for them.
Report Post »catndahat
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 5:29pmNo doubt Etheridge should have been arrested for his behavior. The day an American cannot question an elected representative about policy is the day the country is done.
Report Post »IronDioPriest
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:11pmI’m a republican strategist. Nobody pays me, but I strategize on behalf of conservatism all the time. Maybe it was a republican strategist in the same way I’m a republican strategist? Which is to say, that given the media’s proclivity to implicate without attribution, I call B as in “B”, S as in “S”, unless and until they reveal who the “republican strategist” is that is making such a claim.
Next.
Report Post »IronDioPriest
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:21pmAlso, doesn’t it kinda go without saying that “guerrilla” tactics of asking DemComms on camera to explain votes or positions would not be effective if the DemComm votes and positions did not violate the will of the American people?
If the DemComms were voting and holding positions that were in alignment with the will of the electorate, then these “guerrilla” tactics would favor the DemComms, no? Am I missing something?
The only reason this tactic of “chasing down” DemComms with video cameras works is because to the vast majority of the American people, their votes and positions are INDEFENSIBLE.
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 6:26pmDon’t they still teach the “who, what, when and where” theory in school? The minute there are no confirmed details, including names, it goes in the mental trash can. I guess they still think we are stupid, or maybe they are just used to THEIR stupid readers who buy into anything they print. Slow learners had better pick up the pace!
Report Post »Will NV
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:09pmThe guy should have pressed charges against Ethridge. Lesson learned.
Report Post »Goldenyears22
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 4:31pmWas Etheridge drinking that made him so mean, or was it that he is just a mean person?
Report Post »missionarydad
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 7:31pmYes that is clearly assault and battery.
Report Post »wleeblake
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:05pmIt didnt take much pushing to get him to get physical.
Report Post »john seven eighteen
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:05pmYeah, that was pretty strategic of the republican strategists to subliminally suggest to Ethridge that he should grab the kid and manhandle him. Pretty neat trick.
Report Post »halfbrain
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:11pmRich republican have the money to study that mind control stuff.
Report Post »HKS
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:20pmCool, we can play Obamaball. I’m impressed.
Report Post »ILFarmer
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:22pmanything to try and put the blame on someone else. They “may” have been instigating something, but the congressman didn’t have to acknowledge them much less manhandle the guy. Sorry, but logic fails on the (ex-)congressman’s side.
Report Post »thepatriotdave
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:24pmYeah those cagey old Republicans sure how to get someone to act like an a**.
PatriotShops.com
Report Post »snowleopard3200 {mix art}
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:30pmMust have been those Jedi mind tricks Obama is going to India to learn. The kind that must have (sarcasm included) been used to ‘provoke’ Etheridge‘s ’violent reaction.’ Actually it just means the guy is totally out of control to react this way over such a small matter.
Maybe in India Mr Obama will see the light, retire, and join a monastary to meditatie on the nothingness of existence.
Report Post »Beckofile
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:39pmAnd why does a Congress Critter have the right to know who someone is? Elitism at it best!
Report Post »DagneyT
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 4:22pmGood point, but the story is sorely lacking in details! Journalism is dead at the alphabet networks, and the New York Slime!
Report Post »AnotherWay
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 4:22pmShe seems like a delight. Never saw her before. Its all about character–and you can feel it when you see her talk. I just made a donation to help her stand strong during the recount.
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2010/11/027623.php
Report Post »untameable-kate
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 4:24pm…and who says the people are not allowed to ask questions of thier representatives, when did that become a choking and grabbing offense?
Alvin691
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 4:30pmVery Jedi-like.
Report Post »vennoye
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 4:48pmGood Job!!! Now if they can just do the same on Obamacare Repeal!
Report Post »TSUNAMI-22
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 4:51pmTo HKS:
Is ObamaBall a game where nobody wins but everyone gets a trophy for participation? If so, I understand. :)
Report Post »pajamash
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 5:02pmIf your comfortable with the way you voted and on the content of what you voted on you don’t fly off the handle. Etheridge obviously either was remourseful of how he voted or on what he voted on.
Report Post »teddie888
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 5:25pmRepublicans only handed boozerEthridge the rope, he hung himself.
Report Post »missionarydad
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 7:30pmThe congressman should have been arrested for assault and battery No one is legally allowed to grab someone the way he did. That is the real story why wasn’t that arrogant elitist snob charged? Try walking up to one of them and doing that?
Report Post »m2davis
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 7:45pmSeems like a main stream media trick that is done all the time, in my opinion. I guess the dems don’t like it either. Look at how they were searching for the child-molester in the Joe Miller camp and tell me if this is any different.
Report Post »If you chase anyone around with a camera long enough, you will eventually catch them with their guard down, and this is what happens. Real news isn’t for the Republicans to use, just the Dems.
I say turnabout is more than fair play.
The Swedette
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 10:05pmWitchery stuff a‘la O’donnell.
Gotta watch them Coven Rebubs…. they make you do stuff ;-)
Report Post »klstj
Posted on November 5, 2010 at 2:24amIt’s all a master ploy, no different than Obama claiming he will reach out to republicans after getting schooled. Here comes the bait little fishes…hard line to lower test and barbless hooks…that‘s so they can throw you back after they’ve determined weather you’re a good catch. This is all a ploy, don’t fall for any of it. Stay true to morals and the cause.
Report Post »rebel
Posted on November 5, 2010 at 6:14am“guerilla tactics”=asking questions
Report Post »Insulting and name calling=“journalism”
WORKS FROM HOME
Posted on November 5, 2010 at 8:36amHe was drunk because he knew he was going to loose.
Report Post »IF you have the time you need to watch your reps’ every move and make sure people know about what they are doing. If a couple of people in each city got together to watch their reps they could do incredible work.
learn how to blog for free and use google adsense make a passive income with it.
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ron the veteran
Posted on November 5, 2010 at 8:42amfirst off if that sob grabbed me like that hed be still trying to remove his arm from his ass. this is what happens when commies get elected to office. guess what commies its time for you all to move. americans are comming for ya. the only good commie is a dead one, lets help to make them all good commies. NEVER IN AMERICA!
Report Post »Marcobob69
Posted on November 5, 2010 at 9:25amIt must’ve been a republican “Yogurt” mind trick! “May the Schwartz be with you”!!!
Report Post »Noonien_Soong
Posted on November 5, 2010 at 12:24pmListen to Yoda he must,yes? Unlearn what he has learned he must.
Report Post »