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News & ArtsSunday, January 18, 2009
Inauguration Not Good Enough
Posted by Dan Savage on Sun, Jan 18, 2009 at 9:51 AM
I just read that the glass enclosure built around the seats where Barack Obama and his family will sit to watch the inaugural parade—his inaugural parade—are "bullet resistant." What happened to bullet proof? And what's with hanging off the back of that train and waving to large crowds on your way to DC, Mr. President Elect? Are you trying to give me a fucking heart attack or what?
1
In this day and age, getting military-grade bullets is not an impossible feat. Bullet proof would be several inches of metal or concrete with a little slot for him to talk out of.
2
Why don't they make it out of that glass that reflects bullets at the exact angle they come in at, thereby killing the would-be assassins in their tracks?
5
Bulletproof is me after four double margaritas.
He'll be fine. There are more cops in DC than grains of sand on the beach.
He'll be fine. There are more cops in DC than grains of sand on the beach.
6
CNN was reporting that there were bullet proof (or resistent) barriers on the train. I couldn't see them but if Wolf says they were there who are we to dispute?
7
Chris in Tampa,
Excellent idea. Then our guy could chant "I am rubber; you are through! What you shot bounced back and killed you."
Excellent idea. Then our guy could chant "I am rubber; you are through! What you shot bounced back and killed you."
8
Fnarf! If we stop stressing out about it for even ONE SECOND, it'll happen. So please: he'll probably be fine. Because, yeah, there are lots of cops in DC with guns... basically lots of (mostly) white guys with guns... trying to make sure that no, um, white guys with guns get anywhere near Barack Obama.
Thank goodness cops are never racist haters or anything.
Thank goodness cops are never racist haters or anything.
9
Oh, Dan. He was traveling through bucolic Maryland. This isn't TX. We don't shoot presidents here. Plus the security around that slow-down spot and downtown Baltimore was crazy. Yet he and Michelle left the stage and greeted the people in the crowd. This totally surprised the local news people who were covering the event, and the person-on-the-street interviews they did afterwards with people exclaiming "I touched Obama!" were priceless. Baltimore ate this visit up.
I have to say, though, that I'm relieved he speaks on stages with bullet resistant glass barriers. This makes me feel better. But I still get queasy.
I have to say, though, that I'm relieved he speaks on stages with bullet resistant glass barriers. This makes me feel better. But I still get queasy.
11
Don't worry. It is part of my job to escort Mr. Obama from the Capitol to the White House. I have prepared an undisclosed location to take him to, if there's any trouble. I'm also bringing my shotgun along. So, don't worry about random threats, from the crowd, OK? The situation is fully under control.
12
Seriously, you're stressing me out now, Dan. I hadn't thought about it until just now and now I'm wondering. Quit fucking with my mind, it's early.
And for the record, I was just commenting to someone that I liked the train approach. It sends a signal: "A real president has arrived". He didn't need to do that, but he understood what the sub-conscious effect would be. I think it worked.
14
Dan, I know that being a Pomeranian is something in your psyche. One of the things that makes you tick, and one of the things I (usually) like about you, but I do wish you'd stop obsessing publicly about your fears regarding Obama's safety. If you don't find a way to deal with it, you are hopefully in for a long eight years.
My hope and prayer is that the inauguration will happen, Obama will be a great president, and that people in this country will figure out that it was no big deal to elect a black guy, and will maybe even rethink some of their more boneheaded assumptions about race. How about obsessing over something like that?
My hope and prayer is that the inauguration will happen, Obama will be a great president, and that people in this country will figure out that it was no big deal to elect a black guy, and will maybe even rethink some of their more boneheaded assumptions about race. How about obsessing over something like that?
15
What number three said. I don't remember what show it was on, NCIS maybe, but they talked about how the nomenclature had to be changed because the makers could prove that the material was likely to resist bullets but there was no guarantee that someone will come out with bullets that can penetratrate.
17
I also felt very nervous as I watched his train trip. I was imagining a terrible tragedy. very scary. When will my fear for his safety subside?
19
Plus, the used a decoy train.
Apparently, neither train ran over any of the fools who jumped out on the tracks.
Apparently, neither train ran over any of the fools who jumped out on the tracks.
21
I am not sure whether it was government regulations or a shift in phrasing within the industry, however as @3 there has never been such a thing as 'bullet proof'. Kevlar, glass, metal, whatever. There will always be some bullet that can penetrate some armor. A bible can stop up .38 special but not a .45, kevlar can stop a .45 but not and M16 and so on. Armor is rated by it's 'resistance' to firearms.
Security has much less to do with armor and bullet resistant glass and more to do with securing the area from legitimate threats. Or in other words, the glass he is protected by will more than protect him from any weapon that can get close enough to be fired.
There are better things to freak out about.
Security has much less to do with armor and bullet resistant glass and more to do with securing the area from legitimate threats. Or in other words, the glass he is protected by will more than protect him from any weapon that can get close enough to be fired.
There are better things to freak out about.
22
speaking of freaking out, what about the ricin scare last week? did you faggots already forget about it?
23
They call it bullet resistant because there's no guarantee some idiot with a really big gun won't find a way to stop it. If it doesn't, and they called it bullet proof, they can be sued. Bullet resistant is just what they call it now so they don't get sued if it fails.
24
Jesus, Dan, you really are being a nervous Nellie. Quit being such a Pomeranian (or is it a one-eyed miniature poodle?). There's no way anyone could ever prepare for every possible scenario. Even #1's bunker wouldn't help much if some raghead decides to drop a plane on him or light up a nuke. So you might as well sit back, have a drink or two, and stop worrying about this stuff.
25
@21: Interesting. My dad has a kevlar canoe. I don't know how bullet-resistant it is because he hasn't shot it yet.
I can pretty much guarantee that some day he will shoot it. Then try to set it on fire. Glad Obama's not in PA.
I can pretty much guarantee that some day he will shoot it. Then try to set it on fire. Glad Obama's not in PA.
26
Maybe I've imagined this because I'm just as nervous, but I always think to myself that he's wearing a bullet proof vest under his suit. If not, then I hope his confidence in himself and his trust in the American people don't become his downfall.
27
If an assasin can get at Obama, we might as well close down the Pentagon and go home. I mean really, they know only too well all the racist morons with guns this country has. That is unless it's an inside job.
28
"Bulletproof" is hubristic, and invites challenge. (e.g. "unsinkable")
"Bullet-resistant" is bluntly descriptive and discourages testing. (e.g. "civilian suppression")
"Bullet-resistant" is bluntly descriptive and discourages testing. (e.g. "civilian suppression")
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