I really feel sorry for those in her District who did not vote for her in the last election. For those that did, enjoy the fruits of your labor.

There is no difference between electing her and electing a Klan member. Oh, wait, West Virginia already did that.

Nevermind.

If anyone thinks this racist POS will get arrested, I'm thinking you are in for a surprise.

She probably won't even apologize. Her party won't say anything because they pander to her.

She demands every cop memorize her face instead of wearing her ID pin like everyone else so she can scream racism when they don't. She's a crackpot liberal loon with a

Wonder if she was one of those self-assured bullies as a kid because she is certainly a bullie now.

VW

what happend? I do not trust the press so where can I get details?

In defense of the Congresswoman, Most women do not wear the congressional pin and she has apologized for the incident. That does not however, excuse her for her behavior which was inexcusable. Although I'm definitely not a supporter of some of her methods and policies, I wouldn't call her a racist. If people don't like her, maybe they should work to get her out of office. There is definitely another candidate running against her in the primary. I suggest you find out about the person and decide where to send your dollars

Javier, I don't know you so I won't be insulting, but are you out of your mind? Every comment she's made about the police always note that they're white police officers. She's as racist as the Klan, only in her district being a racist apparently doesn't disqualify you for running for Congress.

AP:
Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi called the incident "a mistake, an unfortunate lack of recognition of a member of Congress." She added that the police officer was not at fault.

"I would not make a big deal of this," said Pelosi, D-Calif.

An unfortunate lack of recognition, get that. But let me add, Ms. Pelosi does not in any way blame the officer who unfortunately did the recognition lacking. And of course Pelosi wouldn't a big deal out of this unless it happened to be any Republican.

Despite all the obvious points, no lapel pin, the officer was solo and distracted searching non-lapel wearing entrants - so that McKinney doesn't have the decency or respect to wait and get his acknowledgment while she gabbed on her phone, doesn't have the decency to put her phone aside a second and simply address the officer hollering for her...It's that she smacked him and carried on.

She didn't stop and apologize -- Oh Sorry I just hit you -- she had no respect.

I bet dollars to doughnuts that the Police Security rules demand they -- as a matter for routine and procedure -- stop every person not wearing a lapel regardless of they recognize the person or not and the pasting of the picture of McKinney is against these rules in order to placate her unwillingness to wear it or the big deals SHE makes when the follow the rules. All ego and entitlement.

In defense of the Congresswoman, Most women do not wear the congressional pin

Yes but IF STOPPED as a courtesy do they punch the Officers?

Jack's right. I live in metro Atlanta and it's impossible not to see her racist side on a semi-regular basis. And her father, a state senator down here, is even worse.

in the linked article above

McKinney says that government security officers often fail to recognize her, and treat her like a criminal suspect.

i.e. She's as rude and flippant as she likes, treats them like crap and when anyone roles out the rulebook she cries racism and claims she's treated her like a criminal suspect. and blames them for her bad behavior.

Nice. We don't like it when our children act this way to adults, but go out of our way to accept from a Rep. in Congress.

I hate to scream racism at every turn. but.... Does anyone posting on this blog really believe that if it were a white congress person they would have been treated the same way?

If you do, I have an ocean front home to sell you in Nebraska.

And by the way, she was also wrong, she should have taken the high ground and acknowledged the officer by producing proper ID. Instead, she chose to lash out and give her detracters ammo for their attacks.

Only in America, if you poll black people 90% will say she right. If you poll white people 90% will say she was wrong. United we stand. Gotta love it.

You are crazy to think that "most female" members do not wear their pin...That is a blatent lie. As a matter of fact most house members do wear their pin so they are not hasseled. The major majority of house members realize(black, white, male, female) that there are 435 of them and understand that every officer/staff member may not reconize them by face. There may have only been five recorded instances with this lady but there are numerous where people turn their cheek. Something should be done about this terrible behavior.

ohhh boohoo that nasty racist cop grabbed me ! ohh boohoo. it comes across loud and clear does,nt it.

I hate to scream racism at every turn.

Then don't.

but.... Does anyone posting on this blog really believe that if it were a white congress person they would have been treated the same way?

Uhh... yes, without a doubt. First of all, with well over 500 members of Congress (both houses), there is no way that any individual security guard is going to recognize every single one of them.

Secondly, we white folk seem to have our share of whackos in our midst who pull stupid, dangerous, and violent stunts.

So no security team at our nation's capital is going to let some random soul pass without proper ID just because he/she is white.

And finally, we're talking about someone assauting a cop. That's no small matter whatever your skin color is.

So, my answer is yes, she would have been treated the same. And you can keep your ocean front property.

How was she "treated" ? She did not wear her Congressional pin. She bypassed the existing security structure, and ignored the police office, who is tasked with the security of the Capitol complex. It seems to me like she was treated incredibly well. She could have wound up face down on the floor with a gun trained on her head.

Anybody care to take bets on whether or not she actually apologizes for her actions in the press conference tomorrow? care to take bets on how long it takes her to make this issue about race ?

MCG, I will try to be civil -even though you were not with me- My first question to you is this; have you ever been to capitol hill? If you have not, you cannot give an honest contribution to this debate. I have, and I know for a fact that most congressmen and women do NOT wear their pins throughout the day.

And while I wil acknowledge that their are wackos all around us -black & white- and that we all have to put up with inconveniences on a daily basis. You cannot honestly believe that race had nothing to do with this incident. Or maybe you can, people are products of their experiences, and if I had to guess, I am going to say that you are a middle aged white guy from a red state right?

Just a hunch.

Oh by the way, may I interest you in a brige?

Does anyone posting on this blog really believe that if it were a white congress person they would have been treated the same way?

Treated what way? Um excuse me, can I see you're ID is mistreating?

My mother is a flight attendant afforded front of the line status, that does not mean she glides right through, she still has to stop and see that the guard acknowledges her badge before she can continue.

Has nothing to do with race, has everything to do with the fact she didn't have the decency to put aside her phone one second and wait so that she could see that the SOLO officer who was at the moment involved with others acknowledge she would be walking on through.

Instead she paid no attention to him and chances are he just noticed A PERSON BREEZING right past with nothing identifiable and so he did his job.

Everyone is ready to give her the benefit of the doubt, but it would be nice if everyone would consider the officer was BUSY working and only doing his job. I would take her apology if she would acknowledge--pretty hard to recognize someone doesn't even stop to let and let it happen.

I will also add, the cell phone most likely was the biggest part of the problem.

People have forsaken all modicum of decency in public because of them.

I see people make a cashier transactions take three times as long because the can't just tell the person on the other end to hang on a moment and it is enormously rude to the cashier trying to assist them and the other people in line -- no matter what race.

field-negro, don't be too rough on the Wizbang Irregulars. Whether a black lady or a white man would be treated the same post-9/11 is arguable. The point is, she's just another windmill in their quixotic struggle against the effects of Bush Performance Anxiety Syndrome. (And I DO remember Sens. Kennedy and Dodd sandwiching a waitress at an up-scale D.C. restaraunt 10 years ago, so you may be right!)

and I know for a fact that most congressmen and women do NOT wear their pins throughout the day.

field-negro, are you a Capitol Police Officer that mans the secure entrances? If not, you can not give an honest contribution to this debate. The fact of the matter is, she went through a designated secure entrance for Congress and wasn't wearing and did not show the proper ID. As far as I'm concerned this woman should have been tackled and restrained. There is no doubt in my mind this officer showed restraint.

You cannot honestly believe that race had nothing to do with this incident.

Only those who see racism around every corner will say racism played a role in this.

Most members of Congress (perhaps 434 of them, anyway), black or white, would have stopped when the security guard hailed them, apologized, identified themselves, and moved along without incident.

What would make field-negro think that McKinney was stopped because she was black?

So field -- what does race have to do with it?

Maybe she was stopped because she's an asshole?

If the tape shows the officer had his head down digging through someone's purse when she breezed right past him, then that's going to be a problem.

Wow, Bryan, those are some good points you bring up. Way to stay on topic.

And as far as an apology is concerned, come on. Like I said here last night, there is no way this woman would be humble enough to apologize. Nothing is her fault. There is a better chance of Al Sharpton becoming a Republican tomorrow than Cynthia apologizing at her press conference!

For the love of God,

It's the fucking capital and it's the place where our elected representatives, the core of our government meets. To think that stopping someone who cares little for security in such a crucial institution is race related is a fucking idiot. Well fuck then, let's just let everyone who's black through. We'll just hope there's no bombers there taking advantage of race bating by Cindy and her follow asshole black caucus who just might want to paralyze this Country with a big ass bomb.

Not that I think this particular piece of shit is beyond sneaking her own bomb in, but that's another discussion.

Wavemaker you might be right, maybe she is an asshole; and I agree, she should have reacted differently after she was stopped. But again, neither you nor I can say for sure what was in that officer's mind. Based on my experiences -and no, I don't look for racism in my every day life- I just happen to think it was a factor. You, on the other hand, happen to have another opinion.

I could be wrong, and so could you.

It's just amusing to see these posts of all my friends in the majority population who just know that race was not an issue here.

By the way, blacks are guilty of this type of behavior too. I have been shaded more often by black security guards in upscale stores than by white ones. So I am not trying to pass judgement on white people. But a little honesty would be nice.

But a little honesty would be nice.

Then why do you automatically attribute that race played a part in the officer's motives? Is that honest?

Especially when all the facts, as we know them:
- She was not wearing or showing proper ID
- She hustled through the Congressional Entrance without acknowleding the officer
- The officer grabbed, as his job dictates he does, her to determine who she was and why she passed.
- She turned and struck the officer while breaking free, then showed her ID

more than show that the officer was just doing his job, she over-reacted and assaulted the officer for no other reason than violating her ego.

It's just amusing to see these posts of all my friends in the majority population who just know that race was not an issue here.

I think it's more unfortunate that you do think it's an issue.

J.R., before you come to your conclusions, wouldn't it be nice if you knew if this officer treated everyone "husteling" through without stopping to show proper ID the same way?

I don't want facts to come in the way of a good argument, but it's a fact that many if not most congressmen pass that metal detector in similar fashion, and are never stopped. Now it could be that because McKinney recently changed her hair style she was not recognized by this officer. I don't know and as I stated earlier, neither does anyone else posting here.

But I must wonder if he had to grab her. I could be wrong and I will await the video tape, but I bet you two dollars to a donut that he did not even try to talk to her before he grabbed her. If the video proves me wrong, I will be the first to post an apology to all of my white friends posting tonight.

But again,. somehow I don't think I am.

We will see.

MCG, I will try to be civil -even though you were not with me-

You have got to be kidding me. Don't feed us that crap. Taunts like "If you don't agree with me, I have oceanfront property in Nebraska to sell you" is no more civil than my response. Get a grip.

My first question to you is this; have you ever been to capitol hill?

Yes.

If you have not, you cannot give an honest contribution to this debate.

Well, then it would seem that I can.

I have, and I know for a fact that most congressmen and women do NOT wear their pins throughout the day.

For one thing, one person on this thread has directly contradicted this claim, so I frankly don't know what ot believe. Secondly, it's irrelevant. I expect the security forces to make sure that everyone who enters my nation's capital building has appropriate reasons to be there---which means, if you don't wear your pin, you get stopped. Period.

And while I wil acknowledge that their are wackos all around us -black & white- and that we all have to put up with inconveniences on a daily basis. You cannot honestly believe that race had nothing to do with this incident.

Yes I can. And I do.

Or maybe you can, people are products of their experiences, and if I had to guess, I am going to say that you are a middle aged white guy from a red state right?

Wow, this is rich. I am from California, in a county that voted over 70% Kerry. Nor I am even near middle aged. Oops, you got me though, I'm a white male. Still, with that batting average, I don't recommend you head to Vegas any time soon.

Oh by the way, may I interest you in a brige?

From you? No thanks. Perhaps from someone with better judgement.

But I must wonder if he had to grab her.

He didn't have to do it, no. But even if he did it wouldn't make your charges of racism any more valid.

Now, on the other hand, if he had said, "Hey, little lady, get that fat black ass of yours back here," you might be onto something.

But I must wonder if he *had to grab* her.

Your comment applies to this too

I don't know and as I stated earlier, neither does anyone else posting here.

Arrest her ass, haul her off in hand cuffs, then change the frickin policy so EVERYONE goes through security. She's probably packing a shiv anyway.

I don't want facts to come in the way of a good argument, but it's a fact that many if not most congressmen pass that metal detector in similar fashion, and are never stopped.

And how do you know this? What makes you more knowledgable than anyone else here? Like I asked you before, are you a Capitol Police Officer? If not, you offer as much to this discussion as I do.

Now it could be that because McKinney recently changed her hair style she was not recognized by this officer.

Are you kidding me? Don't tell me you buy that bullsh*t she is peddling? Or maybe it was that the officer was busy, saw a woman he didn't recognize who wasn't displaying the proper ID go through an entrance limited to Congressional delegates.

But I must wonder if he had to grab her. I could be wrong and I will await the video tape, but I bet you two dollars to a donut that he did not even try to talk to her before he grabbed her.

Well, if what is described is true, she was too busy gabbing on her cell phone to be bothered to adhere to an officer's call for her to stop.

Bottom line is this, the officer was simply doing his job, while Miss McKinney was taking advantage of hers. The officer didn't violate her civil rights, he violated her ego.

If the video proves me wrong, I will be the first to post an apology to all of my white friends posting tonight.

But again,. somehow I don't think I am.

You see, I don't see race here, but you do. In fact you seem to be very sure of yourself that race did play a role. So answer me this, who's the racist, you or me?

There's no reason whatsoever to assume that she got stopped because she was black.

And the reason that white people (excuse me very much) are resistant to agreeing that because a black person said it was racism it must be racism, is because when *we* get stopped, or detained, or not served at Denny's, or asked to pay at McDonalds before we get our food, we don't have the option of deciding that racism was involved and have to find other reasons.

And we hear a story about this and we think, "Yeah, like that never happens to white people."

An unfortunate incident. I hope she wasn't singled out for her comments and questions regarding *Iraq war profiteering*, *missing Pentagon trillions*, and the *US war games involving hijacked planes attacking buildings, conducted by the Pentagon simultaneous with the attacks on 9/11*? Did she also mention *insider trading on the airlines hijacked on 9/11*? She's on the side of the people, people.

(cue Twilight Zone theme)

The more a think about this lady, the more convinced I am that (like too many other politicians, black or white), her first reaction is "do you know who I am?!?"

Imagine the ignominy of being a Member of Congress and not being recognized! After all, there's only 435 of them.