Ted Nugent is notoriously… what's the word I want? Oh! Crazy. He is notoriously crazy, and he's well known for making comments that most people would consider far beyond the pale no matter their political leanings. (Exhibit A.) But his most recent inflammatory remarks have drawn the scrutiny of the Secret Service, because, well, they sound like a death threat against the President. Nugent was speaking at the National Riffle Association in St. Louis when, amidst the rest of his wackadoo ramblings, he told the crowd of gun-lovers that if Obama gets elected in November, he (Nugent) would be "dead or in jail by next year."
Here's a video:
Look, I get that the Secret Service needs to take all precautions when it comes to the President's safety, and they need to treat all possible threats seriously, but guys: Ted Nugent is not going to assassinate President Obama. (Of course, there was probably some dude who said "No one is going to attack Lincoln in the middle of a crowded theater" back in March of 1864.) And it's pretty clear to me that Nugent means he'll be in jail because he has, like, all the guns and Obama is in favor of gun control.
It doesn't seem like the Service is pulling out all the stops for this one, unsurprisingly. After some raised an eyebrow at Nugent's words, a spokesman for the agency told New York, "We are aware of it, and we'll conduct an appropriate follow up." So Nugent probably shouldn't be too concerned. But I think the lesson here is that after you compare the President and his administration to coyotes that need to be shot — which he also did — maybe just be a little bit more careful with your word choice?
