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Paul Ryan heckled in Iowa
Politico
Juana Summers
8/13/2012
Excerpt:
"DES MOINES — Paul Ryan’s first solo campaign trip since joining the Republican presidential ticket was a little like baptism by fire, as he was heckled at the state fair’s legendary soapbox.
There was no easing into things with a tightly controlled campaign event like the ones typically held by Mitt Romney. Instead, Ryan was dispatched to the Des Moines Register’s soapbox here at the Iowa State Fair, a site where heckling is almost always expected, and where Romney himself last year had a terse exchange with an attendee over Medicare and Social Security, and made the infamous claim that “corporations are people.”
Within minutes of Ryan kicking off his remarks, a small but persistent group of protesters began to yell over him, at times drowning out his remarks. A few women took it a step further and attempted to rush the stage, climbing over reporters crouched in front of the stage to observe Ryan’s remarks.
Ryan, who wore a red-checkered shirt, jeans and cowboy boots, had just begun to address President Barack Obama — who was also campaigning in Iowa — when the shouts began.
“You know, I heard that President Obama is starting his bus tour today, and I heard he wasn’t going to come to the Iowa State Fair,” Ryan said as several protesters began to yell over him.
“You know what? It’s funny. It’s funny because Iowans and Wisconsinites, we like to be respectful of one another and peaceful with one another and listen to one another. These ladies must not be from Iowa and Wisconsin,” Ryan said.
Reporters observed two women — one carrying a cloth banner — attempt to charge toward Ryan and make their way onto the stage. They were taken out of the area by state police, as one of the women was visibly kicking and screaming.
“She just punched one of our volunteers,” a campaign staffer said to a local law-enforcement officer, referring to one of the protesters, as the women were detained. “Go, go, go get her,” the staffer then said."
Ryan managed to stay on message despite the chaos, barely missing a beat."
...................................
View the complete article, including video, at:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/79679.html
Politico
Juana Summers
8/13/2012
Excerpt:
"DES MOINES — Paul Ryan’s first solo campaign trip since joining the Republican presidential ticket was a little like baptism by fire, as he was heckled at the state fair’s legendary soapbox.
There was no easing into things with a tightly controlled campaign event like the ones typically held by Mitt Romney. Instead, Ryan was dispatched to the Des Moines Register’s soapbox here at the Iowa State Fair, a site where heckling is almost always expected, and where Romney himself last year had a terse exchange with an attendee over Medicare and Social Security, and made the infamous claim that “corporations are people.”
Within minutes of Ryan kicking off his remarks, a small but persistent group of protesters began to yell over him, at times drowning out his remarks. A few women took it a step further and attempted to rush the stage, climbing over reporters crouched in front of the stage to observe Ryan’s remarks.
Ryan, who wore a red-checkered shirt, jeans and cowboy boots, had just begun to address President Barack Obama — who was also campaigning in Iowa — when the shouts began.
“You know, I heard that President Obama is starting his bus tour today, and I heard he wasn’t going to come to the Iowa State Fair,” Ryan said as several protesters began to yell over him.
“You know what? It’s funny. It’s funny because Iowans and Wisconsinites, we like to be respectful of one another and peaceful with one another and listen to one another. These ladies must not be from Iowa and Wisconsin,” Ryan said.
Reporters observed two women — one carrying a cloth banner — attempt to charge toward Ryan and make their way onto the stage. They were taken out of the area by state police, as one of the women was visibly kicking and screaming.
“She just punched one of our volunteers,” a campaign staffer said to a local law-enforcement officer, referring to one of the protesters, as the women were detained. “Go, go, go get her,” the staffer then said."
Ryan managed to stay on message despite the chaos, barely missing a beat."
...................................
View the complete article, including video, at:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/79679.html