Cops Bust 2nd Obama Protester With a Gun

Secessionist group included among his MySpace friends

(NEWSER) - William Kostric, the man who showed up to protest at Obama’s town hall meeting yesterday with a loaded gun strapped to his leg, told Chris Matthews that he wasn’t affiliated with birther groups. But a web user by the same name has left a digital trail that proves otherwise: "William Kostric" is listed as a “team member” of We the People, a right-wing group that joined a lawsuit challenging Obama’s citizenship, reports Joan Walsh for Salon. More»

Tells Chris Matthews it's no big deal

(NEWSER) - The man who showed up at President Obama's town hall today with a gun defended his right to do just that when grilled by Chris Matthews on his show tonight, reports the Huffington Post. When Matthews asked why he showed up with a weapon strapped to his leg, William Kostric answered, "That's not even a relevant question. The question is, why don't people bear arms these days." He also got cute when he acknowledged the gun was loaded. "Who'd be silly enough to carry an unloaded firearm?" More»

(NEWSER) - To listen to the Obama camp and the liberal media, the anti-Obamacare protesters at last month’s town halls are a grave threat to our way of life, Mary Katharine Harn writes in the Weekly Standard. But “the climate of paranoia and violence that enveloped our political system this August was largely a creation” of the people who railed against it (think Olbermann and Matthews). In more than 400 meetings, “there were fewer than ten documented incidents that could be described as violent.” More»

(NEWSER) - An anti-reform protester who showed up near President Obama's town hall event in Phoenix with a semiautomatic assault rifle did so as part of a staged radio event, reports Talking Points Memo. The man who conducted the seemingly random interview with the gun-toting "Chris" is conservative talk radio host Ernest Hancock. He appeared on CNN today and said he and Chris have known each other for two years as Ron Paul supporters. While the interview was staged, he said the sentiments expressed were sincere. More»

Man brings assault rifle, pistol to health-care rally

(NEWSER) - President Obama's appearance at a VFW convention in Phoenix today was marked by yet another appearance of a man with a gun, the Arizona Republic reports. As separate crowds of protesters for and against health care reform rallied outside the Phoenix convention center, a man with an AR-15 rifle and pistol on his hip could be seen milling about with the pro-reform demonstrators. Asked why he was armed, the man responded: “Because I can do it. In Arizona, I still have some freedoms." More»