to worry that Barack Obama might be assassinated

[CoteDAzur]

Am I?

I am sure he thinks the same and most likely has got extra protection.

With out a doubt there will be plenty of attempts on his life but I really want him to win.

I've seen the various US ethnic groups' voting preferences discussed on Brit tv. Ok, only Sky News as that's the only UK prog we get in Nigeria, so I can't comment on BBC etc but it has been discussed. I also gleaned that my ds's IL's are likely to be voting against the grain of the Jewish vote. All interesting stuff.

You need to find something to do Cote, worrying over something like this is a waste of time. If it happens it happens, there is not a lot little ol you can do about it over here. Crikey haven't you got something a little more important to worry about that. If we spent out lives worrying about complete strangers getting murdered we would never get out of bed every day.

Never once seen it discussed here, Sued, even on Sky. Especially not by the BBC.

And I have news on pretty much all day.

They don't seem to recognise ANY other ethnic groups and make it all out that it's all like hte Deep South which is utter bollocks.

Yes, racism here never occurred like it has or does there - no Orangeman parades, no sectarian violence, no 'no blacks, no dogs, no Irish', no lack of massive Jewish communities, no raiding of India or other imperialist ventures, no carving up Africa like it was a blank canvas, no Asian and black gang racial tenions, etc. etc.

Yeah, right!

Hispanics and their voting tendencies have been talked about quite extensively on French TV, if it's any consolation.

the French always do it better, though, Cote.

i was disappointed in the media when i moved here after living in France .

i'd move back there like a shot if it were any possibility. always been more a francophile myself.

Daphne - Some of us care/worry about people and events that have an effect on our lives, although they might live/take place outside our immediate vicinity.

It surely is a possibility but god I hope not

I am not American and won't pretend that I know what is best for America, but I personally can't bear the thought of another Republican presidancy.

Surely there is racism between all ethnic groups everywhere. I wouldn't go as far to say it is human nature but it is partially due to the fear culture that is evident in the US and Britain. Doesn't make it right, it is one of the biggest scourges on our planet racism and intolerance.

You only have to read headlines in british tabloids that claim immigrants are taking all the taxpayers money to see the fear that is spread and manipulates people.

I will be watching the elections eagerly!

In terms of racism in the US election process I saw an interesting quote by Joe Bageant along the lines of whilst 10% won't vote for him because he's black another 10% will vote for because he's black, it's the 80% in the middle who make the difference. More anecdotally, various media outlets over here (e.g. The Time, Guardian, BBC) are seemingly spending time in what are perceived as "traditionally" racist areas of the US, e.g. the Appallacians - seems like the overwhelming feeling is that the vast majority of people in these areas couldn't care less whether the next President is white, black or green so long as he finds a way to let them keep their jobs and homes.

And in terms of the assassination, I find it hard to credit that any fledgling US terrorist groups pose anything close to the same level of threat to the President as established Islamic terrorist groups.

DH just did his postal votes (not easy intrsauctions to follow and he was quite cross)
I lived in Virginia and the racism was much more overt than here. People weren't ashmed to say it out loud!

Yes, but Daphne is right that really worrying about it ie losing sleep is a pointless waste of energy as if you're not American you can have no control over the outcome. But it is quite right and natural to be concerned over such a world-changing event as the US election. I believe it's inevitable there'll be an assassination attempt but like expat my real fear is McCain winning, which I think he will, and then popping his clogs.

Eeurgh.

less unreasonable more unstable me thinks hmmmmmmm!!!!!

My DH have been talking about this since he secured the nomination. I am a liberal democrat and I voted for him in the primaries (even though Hill wound up taking Pennsylvania; stupid electoral system if you ask me). He is a thoughtful, intelligent man who doesn't overeact or make rash decisions. He wants to make lots of changes to the rank and file in DC. Of course he is an assination target. There are small radical groups in the US who are quite content with the status quo who have the power (and fire power) to attempt that. I am optimistic that the Secret Service are going to take extra precautions. I am even more optimistic that Senator Obama will be president. He seems levelheaded, which is something we have been SEVERELY lacking in leadership in the US. I wish I could vote more than once!!

I wish I could vote more than once, too. Although it won't really count for much, thanks to the electoral system, either. Obama should win here by a good amount. I wish I lived in one of the battleground states.

I admire your optimism, but don't share your confidence that he'll be president. Here's to hoping.

I don't think he will be assassinated, I think people have moved on enough. I think it's a danger for any president, white or black.

I really hope he wins though, he seems like a really good politician (and cute too...am I the only one who thinks so )

God, I really hope not - but there seems to be an implication in this thread that a political assassination such as this might happen in the US because of a racist element in that society.

If my memory serves correctly a recent political assassination happened in the good ole liberal, progressive Netherlands.

Just saying it could happen anywhere that is politically volatile/controversial - which isn't the point the OP was making of course!

The US media don't seem overly concerned about assassination threats. Certainly it's not something that has been discussed recently, even with the Palin rallies yelling out "Kill him". The concern seems to be more about raising racial tensions rather than direct threats to Obama. This is probably because he is well protected, but the average man on the street is not, and that's probably where any threat is likely. Although it was thought that the comments made by John Lewis comparing Republican rallies to sectarian events in Alabama were a little extreme (there was significant violence, including church buning) I think he had a valid point. Some issues should not be ignited, and all this "Pro-American" stuff is fairly appauling.

this is an unsubstantiated fear.many public figures have some scary bampot stalking them

doesn't necessarily mean it will happen

it could
but Mel B could also release a good song
shit happens

no point worrying about imponderable what if's

The US media in general don't seem to believe that the rest of the world exists as far as we have experienced. Granted I've only been here six months, but I have been a SAHM for that time and watched far too much TV, a large proportion of it news channels. Nothing on Europe (apart from shares and bank resues), about 5mins on the Canadian election, nothing on South America. News seems to be much more about opinion than events here, because little seems to be happening outside of the election and the Dow Jones (exept when the weather is bad), which seems surprising. I guess more news might be reported on local news stations (local papers are certainly much more political than the UK, with so many public positions elected). It certainly is different. We are just about to move to Canada, so it will be interesting to see how insular things are there (certainly Canadian news rarely makes it to the outside world).

Hmm YANBU to think it might happen (it was the first thing that occurred to me as he gathered popularity.

Proabably being unreasonable to actually worry about it, unless there is some kind of defence plan you could put into operation. (Which I'm presuming not, elevated though MN contributors sometimes are.)

God, 'bampot' - I've lurrrrved that expression since the first time I heard it. I don't use it enough, must make an effort to do so in future.

To OP only - slightly odd preoccupation imo

Only read OP and YANBU.

DH wondered last week whether they would assinate Obama before he took the oath or after.

He has just finished reading Obama's book "Audacity of Hope" and says he hopes Obama survives as he thinks he'll make a fantastic president.

I watched the West Wing (all 7 series!) so consider myself an expert Although there was a programme on BBC 4 showing the paralells between this race and the presidential race in the last series of the WW when an outsider Hispanic candidate gets elected. Apparently Jimmy Smits who played the candidate met Obama (years ago) as part of preparing for his role!

I did do an honours paper in American politics (many years ago now) and am still fascinated with the process and the absolutely ARCANE way the presidential election system works.

Expat is right that there has been little coverage of the huge hispanic vote and how the candidates have courted it.

And the assassination.....quite possibly. I hope only an attempt rather than reality. The alternative is chilling. I do not think McCain is a bad man; I just don't think he is the right man for this time...and Palin scares me. I would have prefered Obama to have a few more years experience under his belt, but he seems fiercely intellegent and measured so will hopefully pick a strong team to support him in the role.

Nooka you are correct that very little World News is broadcast on the major networks. You can find little bits here and there on CNN, but rarely. I get my world news on the internet; usually British newspaper websites:-)

And Palin is BEYOND scary! I just hope Tina Fey keeps doing those impressions of her because it seem to be helping in discrediting her; not that she really needs too much help. She does it on her own everytime she opens her mouth. "You betcha!" Ugh, GAG!!