Posted on 09/08/2004 3:31:27 PM PDT by kristinn
(CINCINNATI, September 8th, 2004, 5:30 p.m.) -- A heckler who briefly interrupted a speech by Democrat John Kerry on Wednesday said he was assaulted by two men near him in the crowd before others shouted him down with cries of "Kerry, Kerry."
Police said Michael Russell, 48, of Foster, Ky., complained that his neck was hurt by a man who put him in a headlock after Russell started to yell about Kerry's allegation of war atrocities after returning from Navy service in Vietnam.
City police were investigating. No charges had been filed Wednesday, police spokesman Lt. Kurt Byrd said.
Russell, in a telephone interview Wednesday afternoon, said he had been trying to ask Kerry whether he had personally participated in atrocities in Vietnam including burning villages. Russell said he also wanted to ask whether Kerry would release his military records.
Russell said he was then grabbed by the man standing next to him in the audience.
"He grabbed me and put me in a headlock, twisting it pretty hard. I was trying to get away from him, then I was shoved to the floor and kicked," Russell said. "By that time, I just wanted to get out of there."
Russell said he is a Republican who ran unsuccessfully for judge-executive, the chief administrative post in Bracken County, Ky., in 2000 and worked for the Bush-Cheney campaign that year by putting out campaign signs.
Secret Service agents took Russell away from the scene of the scuffle and outside the Cincinnati Museum Center, a former railroad terminal. Russell was released because he had not presented any threat to Kerry, said James Emery, agent in charge of the Secret Service's Cincinnati office.
A man wearing a Sheet Metal Workers union shirt who was sitting next to the heckler grabbed him and put him in a headlock. Two other men sitting nearby joined in and pushed the heckler to the ground.
"I have nothing but the greatest respect for people's right to have their opinions and to express them here in the United States of America. That's who we are as Americans," Kerry said. "And I might add, it's a terrific tactic of the Bush team, they love to disrupt, they love to interrupt. They don't want America to hear the truth, but we will talk the truth."
Reporters who followed Russell outside to try to talk with him were ordered by Kerry campaign staffers to return inside immediately or risk not being allowed back in to hear the speech.
Kerry campaign spokesman David Wade told reporters that the heckler was Mike Russell, who is listed as a spokesman for the anti-Kerry group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. The group has accused Kerry of lying about military heroism for which he received medals.
But the Mike Russell with Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, when contacted Wednesday at his office in Alexandria, Va., said he was not at the speech in Cincinnati.
"It's an obvious ploy by the Kerry campaign not only to discredit this organization but to steal my identity," Russell said.
Disgusting! I hope that man presses charges against that jack-booted, union thug!
Russel should hire Edwards to sue that idiot that hurt him. there are lots of pictures to support his claim.
Kerry and his group are a bunch of morons
"A man wearing a Sheet Metal Workers union shirt ..."
Stuff like this makes me want to go to a kerry speech and heckle just to see what dumb SOB would even try something.
*fyi*
I'm tellin' ya'... they are melting down before our eyes! Be careful out there, Freepers.
The guy has a good case caught on camera.. he needs to retain John Edwards as his lawyer...
This sounds like a case for the 2nd district GOP chairman, don't you think? :-)
What's his screen name?
But the Mike Russell with Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, when contacted Wednesday at his office in Alexandria, Va., said he was not at the speech in Cincinnati.
I'm telling you right now... the dirty tricks that will be coming from the Kerry Kamp over the next 2 months will make Dick Nixon blush. I wouldn't be surprised that they find some guy that looks like GW Bush and have him rob a liquor store (after making sure the surveillance cameras work).
Gee...where I have I seen this tactic before. Liberal democratic Union worker attacks conservative protester for speaking his views. Sounds a lot like what happened to Don Adams to me.
Reporters who followed Russell outside to try to talk with him were ordered by Kerry campaign staffers to return inside immediately or risk not being allowed back in to hear the speech."Comrade Reporter-sheep -- HERE ARE THE OFFICIAL FACTS! REPORT THEM!
Kerry campaign spokesman David Wade told reporters that the heckler was Mike Russell, who is listed as a spokesman for the anti-Kerry group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.And all the good little Reporter-sheep Comrades did EXACTLY what they were told. AND LOVED IT!
As for the first part of the story, it is tit-for-tat. Our boys did it at the RNC, and now they got us back, in others words don't start none, won't be none. You have to be prepared for this stuff in todays politically charged atmosphere. As for the second part, it just shows what a low life scum kerry and his minions are.
Wow absolutely disgusting and stalinistic.
Did you hear Bush say about the heckler at the convention that Dims like to do these kind of things? No he didnt because Bush is a far better person than Kerry ever will be.
This does not excuse what the Kerry campaign did afterwards with their threats to the press (who were free to stay outside and ask questions if they wanted just the same) or trying to peg this guy as a Swiftie , or any physical harm done to the man...it's just that he was very unwise. If he had fought back and hurt the other fellow, he would be the one charged.
We can't have a double standard for this type of thing. What the guiy did was wrong IMHO.
The Bush team loves to disrupt? Ummm sKerry, you king Rat of all Rats....I recall a few DISRUPTIONS by your followers at the GOP convention!!!!!!!
Union thugs, ambulance-chasing trial lawyers, and assorted other fringe interests make up the dimocrap party. Nice group.
Heckler from Kentucky interrupts Kerry speech
Doesn't have the "real" Mike Russell's quote.
That Kerry team was sure quick to spin a lie! Desperate. And those reporters must be peeved too.
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