October 1, 2009 11:26 AM

Child was Behind Facebook Poll on Killing Obama

By
Brian Montopoli
Topics
White House
(AP / CBS)
Updated 12:24 p.m. ET

When a poll was posted to the popular social networking site Facebook asking if President Obama should be killed, the Secret Service launched an investigation.

Today they announced the results: Turns out a kid was behind the poll. And no criminal charges will be filed against him or his parents, according to the Associated Press, citing a Secret Service spokesman.

The poll, posted to the site over the weekend, asked, "should obama be killed?" The possible answers were "yes," "maybe," "if he cuts my health care" and "no."

At least 730 people took the user-generated poll before it was removed by Facebook. Results were not available because the third-party application used to post the poll was disabled.

Facebook said at the time that the person behind the poll had been banned from using the service.

Secret Service spokesman Edwin Donovan did not identify the child who posted the poll or release his or her age. He said agents had determined that he or she was not a threat to the president.

"Case closed," Donovan said, according to the AP. "I guess you could characterize it as a mistake."

In an email, Barry Schnitt, Facebook Director of Policy Communications, said, "we commend the Secret Service on their quick and thorough action and have complete confidence in whatever conclusion they have reached as a result."

Add a Comment See all 59 Comments
by bpai99 October 4, 2009 3:58 PM EDT
This is no different from when gang members use juveniles to carry out crimes, knowing they cannot be punished to the same degree and will get a slap on the wrist. It would be interesting to know who put the child up to this.
Reply to this comment
by tonyatq October 2, 2009 3:55 PM EDT
I believe one of the parents were responsible for this when the realized the consequences they put it on the child.
Reply to this comment
by MICdunson October 2, 2009 7:29 AM EDT
The movie about killing president Bush was made in England. The last time I checked we don't have control over what the Brits do.
Reply to this comment
by erasmus111 October 1, 2009 9:04 PM EDT
by ToolMangler1 October 1, 2009 6:23 PM EDT
You are selling this kid short, I haven't been a kid in over half a century but at the age of nine, I was more than capable of doing this without adult prompting. I was already reading and enjoying Edgar Rice Burroughs, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and all the popular authors of the day.



I doubt that we are selling him short, ToolMangler. Things are no longer the way they used to be. Kids are no longer the same. If he's spending his time on facebook, making up polls about killing Obama, I doubt he's reading any good books or researching anything intelligent.
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by bradkt1 October 1, 2009 5:39 PM EDT
When this story was first reported on the CBS website, I wrote a post that said that, as reprehensible at this "poll" was, I didn't think that a crime had actually been committed and that without more, the Secret Service probably wouldn't take any action. I mentioned the example of a college professor trying to measure the climate of hostility in the country. It actually turned out to be a kid.

I do think that things like this happen as a result of the political climate in this country and that those who promote the divisions between us are being very reckless and irresponsible. I do not advocate or endorse acts of violence and I do fear that if this continues, the groundwork is being laid for acts of violence to be committed.

Everybody...everybody...needs to just step back for a moment and take a deep breath before they write their next post or make their next speech.
Reply to this comment
by willow013 October 1, 2009 5:39 PM EDT
by erasmus111 October 1, 2009 4:11 PM EDT

"Maybe even put these students in special schools to teach them to love and respect their government above anything else? Perhaps have children report parents and teachers to the police for espousing hate toward the government?"

Now you are being silly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Barack Hussein Obama...Um, Um, Um....Sound familiar?
Reply to this comment
by erasmus111 October 1, 2009 9:23 PM EDT
by willow013 October 1, 2009 5:39 PM EDT
by erasmus111 October 1, 2009 4:11 PM EDT

"Maybe even put these students in special schools to teach them to love and respect their government above anything else? Perhaps have children report parents and teachers to the police for espousing hate toward the government?"

Now you are being silly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Barack Hussein Obama...Um, Um, Um....Sound familiar?



I always tell myself that there can't be that many paranoid,racist, whacko, nutcases living in the U.S., but everyday I'm proved wrong.

So you are telling me that Obama is having kids go to special schools to teach them to love and respect their government?

He's having them report parents and teachers to the police?

Is this about him visiting kids at school and telling them to stay in school and get an education? This is about dimwits like you, thinking that he's spreading his "liberal agenda"?

I can see that you are one of the "sickies". You need to get a grip on reality before it's too late.
by paapaa2000 October 1, 2009 5:30 PM EDT
if its true he or she is a kid will possibly become home grown terrorist. He must be look after very very closely
Reply to this comment
by ladyang October 1, 2009 4:50 PM EDT
gaurantee - it was a white kid from a red state! The secret service is not taking these threats seriously enough.
Reply to this comment
by saturn05 October 1, 2009 4:48 PM EDT
Where did the child get this idea?? Parents maybe?
Reply to this comment
by timdgrim October 1, 2009 4:26 PM EDT
His parents probably forced him to listen to their leader Rush Limpnuts and this was his or her indoctrination project. Heil Rush, Heil Hannity, Heil Bill O the Clown!!!!
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