Woman who shot the Meyer taser video said Kerry tried to stop the police

[zulchzulu]

Link to video interview:
http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2007/09/witness_defends_kerry_response.html#comments

The woman who videotaped Meyer (after he handed her his camera to videotape himself) was interviewed on CNN and said this:

"John Kerry did try to interfere with the police. at one point, police where holding on to Meyers. Kerry got to a point where he almost lost his composure and said officer guy. you, let him go. i do want to hear his question, i do want to hear to what he has to say. i do want to answer him. that was at the point the officers said will pull you aside to ask your question. but as he was attempting to ask his question. the officers themselves appeared to me to make themselves clear not allowing him to stay and hear the question and yelling into his ear."

So much for blaming Kerry...

More on the Meyer kid:

An avid prankster and politico, Meyer is a regular at local Gainesville political events. In the past, he has stood on a major street corner with a sign proclaiming "Harry dies" in the final book of the Potter series. His personal website lists interests that include "getting wasted." (http://www.theandrewmeyer.com /)

Moments before publicly berating Senator Kerry - who was gracious enough to allow the question beyond the allotted time available - he gave his own video camera to a complete stranger nearby, simply to ensure that the incident would be recorded. There are also some who have said that he was warned of his impending arrest, though he repeatedly asks "Why are you arresting me?" while it was happening.

One can reasonably assume that the goal of this action was publication. Meyer's personal friends have publicly stated otherwise.

Now, reports are coming forth that Meyer himself told police, "You didn't do anything wrong," once cameras were out of sight. As one of the first to see him in the downstairs lobby of the UF Auditorium, I can say that he was visibly calm and collected - until a crowd began to form.

http://news.google.com/news?client=safari&rls=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&tab=wn&ncl=1120931376&hl=en&btclp=1&scoring=r

[Clintonista2]

1. Wow, I can't believe I've actually recommended TWO Zulchzulu posts!

What is the world coming to?

[rinsd]

2. The saddest thing is some DUers will still slam Kerry even knowing the whole story (nt)

[TwilightZone]

3. Move along, nothing to see here. Doesn't fit the agenda.

Besides, Kerry was supposed to dive off the stage and fight off the fifteen cops that were torturing this poor guy.

[Buzz Clik]

4. It's not Kerry's fault? The cops did nothing wrong? Shit! Well, then, it's Hillary's fault.

[Wildewolfe]

5. naw...

...have to get through the clenis before you can blame hillary... (there is another joke there I am absolutely sure of it and don't think I'm going to look for it...

[durrrty libby]

6. Each and every jackass who berated Kerry over this, needs

to publicly apologize

They won't though, because they are a bunch of classless slugs

Yes, I have nothing but contempt for them. They Suck!

[lateo]

7. See this thread.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1845185

Kerry didn't do squat to help this young man. He even made a joke right before the guy got tazered "I'd answer him but he isn't here to swear me in as President". This is said about 5-10 second before he gets tazed. He made a fucking joke at that man's expense.

[Tellurian]

8. I have one question if anybody knows...

Were the officers college security or regular police officers?

[lateo]

9. Regular cops.

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[durrrty libby]

10. They work for the school

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/19/student.tasered/

[Tellurian]

15. Thanks, dl...

[rinsd]

11. That is not true

Starting at about 2:55 mark

Kerry says something about it should not come to this. He then says "I want to answer his question"

Kerry seems to be responding to someone in the audience and says "yeah, its unfortnate he isn't here to swear me in as President" He does not seem to be referring to the guy.

Though I am not shocked that people are again mischaracterizing what happened.

First it was Kerry said nothing, then the truth came out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIYTJ75U4NU&mode=related&search=

[zulchzulu]

13. So the person WHO WAS THERE AND SHOT THE VIDEO is lying?

You'd rather ignore the obvious evidence from the person who shot the video and was there and spin it into your little world of...ah forget it. Bye.

[rinsd]

14. ZZ, the video the other poster is citing doesn't even support his argument (nt)

[Divine Discontent]

22. that wasn't a JOKE at the man's expense

there was frustration in the way he said it... pathetic attempt to bastardize the way he said it, and those aren't the exact words he used either, it was something more like I wish he could come up here and swear me in - because Kerry feels horrible that he didn't become president and were stuck with shrub!

and finally - I am a little surprised that he couldn't here the guy screaming in pain when they tazed him, but then again, he probably thought it was just from them arresting him - I don't fault Kerry. He tried to answer this very angry young man's questions (I saw his personal video on CNN, he looks crazy and ignores when Kerry tells him he owns and has read the book), he did more than most every congressperson would've done... the kid, despite being a bit outta control, was already ON the ground, the big african american officer didn't need to tase him, the 2 white officers might have had to because of their size (females), but they had him pretty much under control, I acknowledge that, they need suspended for going ahead and tazing him. end of story for me.

[Apollo11]

31. Oh but it certainly WAS

"unfortunately he's not available to come up here and swear me in as President"

That was very obviously (at least to me) a joke directed Andrew Meyer.

I guess if Kerry had more time to explain the joke, it might have gone something like this:
"Can you believe this guy? He just said I won the 2004 election by 5 million votes! Just because he read it in some book by some so-called investigative journalist. I mean - you can't believe stuff you read in books. If I had won that election do you think I would be standing here talking to you? I'd be sitting in the Whitehouse right now. So if that's where this guy thinks I should be, maybe he would like to come up here on stage and swear me in as President. I'll take the oath of office right here and then I will be President of the United States! Of course, he's under a pile of cops right now. It's kind of hard to see. He's almost 50 feet away from me. You know I can't see so good anymore."

Do you understand Kerry's joke now?

PS - I know it's not easy to get Kerry's jokes. I still don't understand his joke about getting stuck in Iraq. That one was so not funny on almost every level I can think of.

[Divine Discontent]

33. you're just anti-kerry, and I can respect that

I certainly question how he could not have heard the screams of the guy after getting tazered, but he was talking on up there, and perhaps just thought it was screaming that he was already doing from the get go of being drug away. I think the guy should have peacefully walked out of the room and said, "OK fine, I'll leave I wanted to ask my questions, I'm not sure why I can't stay and listen but I'll leave", but then again, he seemed so hot headed, and is known for antics, that when Kerry started talking (like he did to him) this guy would have started being combative back and talking over Kerry. I'd like to see the exact circumstance without someone that was a bit of a nut, is all, and then I'll condemn Kerry if he did the same - this guy that got arrested was disturbing the peace, but the tazering was lawsuit worthy imo.

[Adelante]

12. Of course, he did

Of course, he would. This place is fucking asylum quality some days :crazy:

[smoogatz]

16. Settles it, for me.

That sounds like pretty much the correct response, as far as Kerry's concerned. I still can't believe that cop actually tasered the kid after he was cuffed. Ugly.

[durrrty libby]

17. You are mistaken. They could only get one cuff on. The guy

would not cooperate, thus the tase, then the other cuff
Voila...asswipe under control

[smoogatz]

19. That's not what I saw in the video.

The kid was face down on the floor under a cop dogpile, both arms behind him. If not fully cuffed, then certainly subdued and under control. Those are not the circumstances under which police are supposed to use tasers on citizens, I'm pretty sure. Tasers are potentially deadly weapons.

[Vektor]

20. Thank you. Thank you very much.

For the straight story WITHOUT the Jerry Springer sensationalism.

[Vektor]

21. Kicking for truth.

Because we need more of that.

[Apollo11]

23. Kerry stood and watched while the cops went over the top

I have studied closely all the video and audio material I could find online.

The police were already trying to grab the guy while he was still asking his questions.

As soon as he had finished talking, they would not let him listen to the answers.

They tried to physically force him out of the room.

They failed to inform him if or why he was being arrested.

Some people applauded, a few people asked the cops what they were doing.

Kerry kept droning on while the cops had the kid pinned to the ground.

"I'm sure if everyone calms down the situation will sort itself out" (in other words - let the police do whatever they want)

"Unfortunately he is not available right now to come up here and swear me in as President" (a hilarious attempt at ironic humor while the kid was being tasered at the back of the room)

I completely and utterly understand that Kerry's people want to spin it like Kerry was trying to stop the cops from hassling this unarmed civilian who had not threatened anyone.

But the video evidence that I have seen does not support the claims that some of Kerry's supporters have made here on DU.

[zulchzulu]

25. Are Senators now empowered to act as law enforcement officials?

The person THERE said that Kerry tried talking to the police. That's all a citizen can do at that point. Are Senators now cops and have the clearance to join in the fray?

That's not to say that the police overreacted. They did. But they also had followed him into the hall and saw him take a microphone out of someone's hand who was asking a question and start rambling rhetorical questions without allowing for a response to the questions. After he resisted arrest and then started flailing his hands and screaming, it was GAME OVER.

Anyone with their wits about them who have ever been to rallies or protests knows that if you resist arrest or engage in fighting with the police, you are 99% guaranteed to get thrown to the floor and handcuffed.

The woman who was there and said Kerry was trying to stop the action has a lot more credibility than someone typing into a text field on a computer far away from the time and place of the event.

[Inuca]

26. The video "evidence"

does not tell the whole story. I confess I do not know the video details, I watched one clip and I had enough. But I read many of the accounts of people that were there, like the one in the OP. I do not say that they weugh more than the video, simply that they matter. A lot.

Moreover, your interpretation is biased and unfair. "Kerry kept droning" vs. Kerry kept talking in an attempt to keep the situation undet control. Same facts, different interpretation. Which one is correct? I cannot know for sure, and neither can you.

[BreweryYardRat]

24. Kicked for truth.

[frogmarch]

27. How could anyone

think that Kerry's "swear me in as president if he were here" remark was referring to Meyer? That doesn't make sense. Meyer wasn't qualified to swear Kerry, or anyone else, in as president.

Meyer appears to be a rabble rouser who's out for all the attention he can get, no matter what he has to do to get it.

[Apollo11]

28. How could anyone not?

"unfortunately he's not available to come up here and swear me in as President"

That was very obviously (at least to me) a joke directed Andrew Meyer.

I guess if Kerry had more time to explain the joke, it might have gone something like this:
"Can you believe this guy? He just said I won the 2004 election by 5 million votes! Just because he read it in some book by some so-called investigative journalist. I mean - you can't believe stuff you read in books. If I had won that election do you think I would be standing here talking to you? I'd be sitting in the Whitehouse right now. So if that's where this guy thinks I should be, maybe he would like to come up here on stage and swear me in as President. I'll take the oath of office right here and then I will be President of the United States! Of course, he's under a pile of cops right now. It's kind of hard to see. He's almost 50 feet away from me. You know I can't see so good anymore."

Do you understand Kerry's joke now?

PS - I know it's not easy to get Kerry's jokes. I still don't understand his joke about getting stuck in Iraq. That one was so not funny on almost every level I can think of.

[frogmarch]

32. Even if Kerry's remark

was meant to be a joke, how would it have been a joke at Meyer's expense? I see no insult against Meyer in your interpretation of what Kerry meant.

[Sandaasu]

29. Makes sense

Kerry said quite clearly, "That's alright, let me answer his question." There did seem to be some disappointment from him about what was happening too.

[Apollo11]

30. I agree - "some disappointment"

Just like when Bush stole the 2004 election, I sensed "some disappointment" from Kerry's side.

Like when my coffee went cold before I had finished my cup. That was "some disappointment".

Almost made we wanna get out of my chair and go make some fresh coffee!! B-)