September 7, 2000

10:28 PM

You have the right to protest. You have to right to speak out in public against political candidates. Unless that political candidate is Hillary Rodham Clinton. Then the Secret Service bags you and throws you out the door.
posted by aaron (4 comments total)

It's not exactly the loss of our freedom of speech. She's the president's wife, and gets extra protection as a result. And someone yelling stuff like that would get carted out of any rally.

Have you ever tried to protest against a political candidate? Let me tell you how much everyone loved me for just bringing a Clinton/Gore sign to a 1996 Bob Dole rally...
posted by mathowie at 10:38 PM on September 7, 2000

Reaction from the public, or regular security, is one thing. Having the federal government haul you out for yelling is another. They weren't a threat to Clinton.
posted by aaron at 10:47 PM on September 7, 2000

Forgot a line: As long as she's running for Senate, she should have no more federal "protection" against hecklers than Lazio, who gets no Secret Service. (The presidential race is different. They ALL get Secret Service there.)
posted by aaron at 10:51 PM on September 7, 2000

Whether you hate Hillary Clinton or not, it's just not right for her not to have protection. She is the First Lady, and as such, a huge target.

Like matthowie said, anyone that disrupted a rally like that would be carted out whether it was the secrest service or rent-a-cops.

Be realistic.
posted by owillis at 6:24 AM on September 8, 2000