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According to report which, strangely, only seems to have hit Fox News among mainstream media --- or perhaps I should say, not strangely, as they are looking for ways to smear Obama --- two men dressed as members of the Black Panther Party were outside a Philadelphia polling location, intimidating voters.
Well, first of all, the Black Panthers or Black Panther Party was active in the United States from the mid-1960s into the 1970s. They're done people!
Second of all, if, as conservative bloggers and Fox News are trying to imply, this is some sort of intimidation campaign, why would Obama be involved? His strength is in the cities after all.
Finally, TPM has the dish on the so-called Black Panthers, having spoken to an Obama volunteer at the polling location.
But Jacqueline Dischell, the Obama volunteer, tells me by phone that that's false.
Dischell confirms that there were in fact two black panthers guarding the polling place, a nursing home on Fairmont Avenue in north Philadelphia, earlier this morning.
But she says one was an officially designated poll watcher (it was not immediately clear which municipal office had designated him in that role), and the second was his friend. The second panther, who left two or three hours ago, was the one with the nightstick, she says.
There's more info, but the point is: it ain't what the GOP is trying to make it out to be.
And here's one more point about the Black Panthers: some go around calling themselves as such, but the originals are long-gone, and those are the ones that Faux (Fox) News and others are trying to make a big deal out of.
Let's stick to the issues, folks, and get out and vote!
Posted November 4th, 2008 by Michael Santo
I apologize for sending a comment that was filled with so much anger at you for this blog post. I apologize for the insult. I should not have said that. You are certainly entitled to believe whatever you like. However, I was shocked by what I saw in the video and if I saw a scene like that at my polling place, I would have called the police. Thanks.
First comment.....dead on.
This wasn't a Republican or Fox news SMEAR...it was an ACTUAL fact, caught on video...with the thug holding the nightstick dressed in panther gear mouthing off to the reporter...
What is wrong with you? We can't stop the violence committed in all of our major cities if we don't acknowledge the few criminals that victimize the rest of us.
You are the worst thing to happen to race relations....right behind the panther cowards..
Um, this incident occurred in NORTH PHILLY, an overwhelmingly black neighborhood. The district went 96% to Kerry in 2004. People dressed as black panthers routinely patrol the streets there. White men in suits and news cameras would be far more intimidating to the average voter than a "black panther." The "black panthers" would be business as usual.
Unbelievable
Unbelievable... liberals continue to amaze me. Regardless of whether he was a black panther or not, a guy has a nightstick next to a polling place and that should be ignored? Did you even see the video? The "officially designated poll watcher" dressed in militant black panther regalia is giving the reporters the finger over and over. How would you feel walking up to an polling place seeing that? Secure? I think not. Continue to ignore the facts if you want. That would explain why you voted for Obama in the first place.