VIDEO – John Quinn, heckler, REGISTERED REPUBLICAN, interrupts Obama event from press riser
AP coverage here. UPDATE – PD reports the man is John Quinn , of Parma, jquinn@sunartist.com.
UPDATE x2 – According to the Ohio Secretary of State voter records, John Quinn is a registered Republican, last voting May 8, 2007.
As Barack Obama began his remarks in Berea, Ohio, at Baldwin Wallace College recreation center, this man shouted “Sir, may I be heard!” from the press riser. He then demanded that the crowd say the Pledge of Allegiance. Obama asked if he was press, but the man wouldn’t answer. Obama asked if the man would lead the crowd in the Pledge. The crowd then said the pledge of allegiance.
Then this man began taking photographs. As Secret Service began to hover, numerous reporters, including myself, asked the man repeatedly who he was and who he worked for, and the man never answered. He was allowed to keep photographing. After the event ended, the man was surrounded by about 10 reporters and cameramen who kept asking who he was and who he worked for. He never answered.
I must say, this event really made me nervous. In the current environment, when a man shouts at Barack Obama from the press riser, in this way, over the Pledge of Allegiance, from a place reserved for media who are told not to disturb the event, that is troubling. Heckling from the crowd is standard – heckling from the press riser is almost never heard of. Then to watch the man go about lifting his camera to point it at Barack Obama, my heart skipped a beat.
In the hall, you could tell that tension rose. It was palpable. People kept looking at the press riser while Obama resumed his remarks. Press started to look at each other in confusion. And everyone nearby seemed relieved when the Secret Service became more visible in the area.
My impression after this episode is that this man was sent there to do just what he did by someone. He had a lot of equipment, he was prepared, took a lot of photos, and he didn’t shrink from the confrontation at all. And he was NOT going to tell anyone who he was, or who he worked for.
As I left the event he was being interrogated by Secret Service. Good. At least they know this man’s name. It would be useful if his name was released by the Obama campaign, as they should have a list via which he was credentialed. And my suggestion to the Obama campaign is to tighten things up so this never happens again. You are simply not permitted to be in this area without disclosing your name and media organization. If someone can remain in that area after being asked who they are and refusing, that is a problem.
Tags: barack obama, berea, heckler
August 5th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
If you are not able to identify yourself you should be escorted out. Period. Big problem.
August 5th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Perhaps the Secret Service should have turned this FReeperesque tool… er, ahem, I mean our intrepid press photographer over to the Department of Homeland Security under provisions of the USA Patriot Act for a leisurely debriefing at Camp Guantanamo.
Wonder how his confederates would feel about that little scenario?
August 5th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Shalom Tim,
Did Dimora make the event?
B’shalom,
Jeff
August 5th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
wow. that’s both creepy and heartbreaking.
August 5th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
FYI. No sign of Dimora or Russo… not sure about J Kevin Kelley though. He could be anybody.
August 5th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
… and contact information! Wouldn’t surprise me in this age of free long distance if he’s already getting an earful.
August 5th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
So how did he acquire press credentials?
August 5th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
It didn’t seem to phase Obama….I think he handled it very well. If it didn’t bother him why would it you?
I think you are worried more about Obama than he is…..
God forbid a man takes pictures of a Presidential candidate! How DAAARE the dirty republican!
August 5th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
A GOPer. I’m SHOCKED!
August 6th, 2008 at 12:17 am
this clown – John Quinn – needs his own page on Dickipedia [www.dickipedia.org]. If ever I’ve listened to a DICK, this is one.
It reminded me of the fake TV news crew (I’m not talking Fox News) who murdered Ahmed Shah Massoud in Afghanistan in 2001.
The Secret Service appears to have blown this clown’s vetting – big time. I suspect heads will roll.
August 6th, 2008 at 7:40 am
To be perfectly honest, I’m now a registered Republican. I voted an issues ballot on March 4, but the BOE marked me down as voting Republican, and apparently, Republican I’ll stay until the next chance I get to vote in a primary…2010. :-p
August 6th, 2008 at 8:44 am
Tim: the link to Quinn’s site contains a period that makes it go 404. But when you remove the period it goes to an under construction page.
Hmmm. Why doesn’t Mr. Quinn, the brave Republican tool, want to take credit for his coup? Love the PD photo of Quinn. All that’s missing is the brownshirt and the Horst Wessel leider.
I want to know what everyone else wants to know:
1. How did he get credentialed?
2. Who greased the skids to get him into the event?
3. What was the result of the Secret Service interrogation? Is he banned from being at other Obama events?
August 6th, 2008 at 9:25 am
The mirror of his sunartist.com homepage can be found at http://web.archive.org/web/20071024114911/http://www.sunartist.com/
The Google cache of his bio is at
http://74.125.45.104/search?q=cache:sab8×1aAOYkJ:www.sunartist.com/about.htm+about+John+Quinn+site:sunartist.com&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us
Both are now being uploaded to the MetaMirror Archive for indexing
August 6th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
http://www.americanphotojournalist.com/Viewpost.php?id=406
This is John’s words from some time ago. Read the last sentence. You’ll be amused.
August 6th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Shows how anyone get “credentialed.”
When you say you “witnessed” him being “interrogated” did you mean you saw him being questioned or do you mean water-boarded?
August 7th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Phone number is not the right guy. People have been calling J Quinn of Parma who is not a photographer. Took off my post. Suggest same here.
August 8th, 2008 at 11:28 am
Phil,
I think both the last sentence and Quinn’s sign-off were interesting.
“Good journalism exists when the photographer finds the right moment and captures it without interference.
The Mighty Quinn ”
Without interference indeed. “The Mighty Quinn” – a little self absorbed are we?
September 25th, 2008 at 1:54 am
what rock did this turd crawl out from under? i haven’t said the pledge of allegiance since i was in 2nd grade and that’s over 30 years ago…and don’t ya just love the irony: “you gotta start a meeting that way, with the pledge – but then he says its a “free country”…whatever…what a jerk, hope he’s in a jail cell somewhere cooling off…
October 8th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
Same John Gerard Quinn whose daughter accused him of molesting her?
Quinn v. Roach, et al
http://www.websupp.org/data/EDTX/4:06-cv-00120-102-EDTX.pdf
October 9th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Good job Please contact the Secret Service I am worried about Nuts like this. Go Obama
October 9th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
This is really disturbing. How in the *hell* did he get press credentials? He is obviously a disturbed individual. I just thought of something regarding the Pledge: Todd Palin couldn’t say that pledge when he was part of the secessionist party in Alaska for 7 years. I wonder how this guy would have reacted to someone telling him that? “Indivisible”? Not for Sarah Palin’s husband. More should be made of the people SHE has “palled around with”. Seems like the only parts of the pledge they care about are the “FLAG” and “UNDER GOD”, but the “INDIVISIBLE” and “LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL”, are just meaningless words.
October 11th, 2008 at 7:40 am
I thought it was hilarious! The guy is obviously a few quarts short of a gallon but its not every day people get to see a Republican exhibiting typical left-wing moonbat behavior.
October 11th, 2008 at 7:41 am
I thought it was hilarious! The guy is obviously a few quarts short of a gallon but its not every day people get to see a Republican engaging in what is standard left-wing moonbat behavior.
October 11th, 2008 at 8:12 am
That’s definitely one of my favorite political side show moments. The top was undoubtedly watching the Democrats turn Paul Wellstone’s memorial service into a partisan political rally, the second was 1996(?) when delegates on the floor at the Democratic convention booed a troop of Boy Scouts and third was when Obama bundler Jodie Evans tried to storm the stage during Sarah Palin’s convention speech. But this vid is definitely up there!
October 11th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
totally creepy.. thanks for exposing this guy and giving a wakeup call to security.
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/8/566/963 johns linkedin page
Here is an interesting answer he’s posted back in 2001.
I wonder what political party he’s worked for as a stringer? Hmmm.
http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=004KFH
“Hello Jessica,
I would hignly recommend that you check with your political party and see if they need a photographer, stringer. A continuim of schooling could be very costly and I personally believe that unless you have bounds of cash for education, a grant, etc. I would highly recomend that you sharpen your craft by actually taking photographs. Photography may actually be a great aid with your Poly Sci degree via working for your political party. As for schools, the web is the best place to find that answer particulary dependent on your geographical area. Good Luck, John Quinn Sunartist.com
– JQuinn (jquinn@sunartist.com), January 08, 2001. ”
more
http://www.creativeshake.com/profile.html?MyUrl=JohnGerardQuinn
Spooky, his name even sounds like an assasin..
October 11th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
John in a room full of guns.. talking about how he does his best work from a perch amongst lots of guns and ammo..
http://www.creativeshake.com/zoom.html?User_number=johngerardquinn&imagecount=4
“This editorial feature was for the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The challenge here was to capture daily life of two homicide detectives in Cleveland. This photograph was the lead image in the feature. It depicts the two dectectives in the weapons confiscation room. This room was packed with evidence, all guns and ammo; it was cramped. So, I decided to stand up on the file cabinet and capture a compelling portrait. This is where I work the best. I like a story that has profound impact and spectacular writing.”
October 11th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
“This editorial feature was for the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The challenge here was to capture daily life of two homicide detectives in Cleveland. This photograph was the lead image in the feature. It depicts the two dectectives in the weapons confiscation room. This room was packed with evidence, all guns and ammo; it was cramped. So, I decided to stand up on the file cabinet and capture a compelling portrait. This is where I work the best. I like a story that has profound impact and spectacular writing.”
photo will creep you out…
http://www.creativeshake.com/zoom.html?User_number=johngerardquinn&imagecount=4
so he does his best work perched amongst guns and ammo ?
October 12th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
What an ugly excuse for a human being. Sounds like the Freeper board in person. Republithug hecklers have minds that are lower than the regurgitated filth of vultures
October 14th, 2008 at 2:52 am
If you bothered to watch Obama’s speech from the television feed focused on Obama, not just the camcorder footage of Mr. Quinn shot by the convicted sex offender, Tim Russo, you’d see where Barack personally thanked Mr. Quinn for reminding him to do the pledge. So, Obama wasn’t upset and did not consider this man a threat. I guess it’s just like he doesn’t consider William Ayers to be a threat either, Huh…
October 14th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
That guy had every right to do what he did… At McCain and Palin Rallies, not a single word of their speeches is uttered until AFTER the National Anthem is Sung
October 15th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Meghan Says:
October 14th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
That guy had every right to do what he did… At McCain and Palin Rallies, not a single word of their speeches is uttered until AFTER the National Anthem is Sung
Great. Another right-winger who doesn’t know the difference between the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance. The guy was weird. He looked like he was ready to go berserk, and he wouldn’t answer questions from the press about who he was. He should have never gotten press clearance to have a camera in that place. Meghan, if you were working alone at night at a 7-Eleven, and a guy came in that was acting all agitated like that, would you feel safe?
October 20th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
At me such question
I can not change the menu in Windows, it looks on new why that….
Help to adjust… At me of a Window 98
November 1st, 2008 at 8:51 am
Dear Asshats.
All Town Hall, City Council, township meetings, borough meetings etc…Begin with the Pledge. It just goes to show that most of the idiotic posts here reveal their true Anti-American sentiments.
How dare a lowly plebe interrupt the Obamessiah and agitate the interrupter himself. Go ahead, make up your own rules and proclaim the man guilty. And from the choir loft of the Obamessiah! Didn’t he know he’s supposed to worship the Obamessiah and provide lip service not give lip? Gasp! Don’t worry, he won’t be let on the plane, like the three newspapers that were kicked off His Holiness’s Obama One yesterday.
What most of the posts here are saying is “Fuck the 1st Amendment and burn this warlock at the stake”.
Fascists.
November 2nd, 2008 at 5:43 pm
“Dear Asshats.
All Town Hall, City Council, township meetings, borough meetings etc…Begin with the Pledge. It just goes to show that most of the idiotic posts here reveal their true Anti-American sentiments.”
Zomg someone doesn’t kick off a town hall meeting without saying a symbolic bullshit pledge that has been forced into our heads daily k-12 and now he’s an evil person. Bahahah, what a stupid fucking reason to go apeshit for. I pity the stupidity of people that can’t get passed something like this, it makes me want to arm myself with a m249 to protect myself from numbskulls like this. Wheres the sanitarium when you need one?
November 2nd, 2008 at 5:44 pm
LOL?
Dear Asshats.
All Town Hall, City Council, township meetings, borough meetings etc…Begin with the Pledge. It just goes to show that most of the idiotic posts here reveal their true Anti-American sentiments.