Secret Service to interview Ted Nugent

Kevin Winter

(CBS News) A law enforcement official told CBS News on Wednesday that the Secret Service plans to interview musician Ted Nugent over incendiary comments that Nugent made about President Obama at a National Rifle Association conference.

The official did not say when the interview will take place. Nugent told Glenn Beck on Wednesday that he expected to meet with the Secret Service tomorrow.

Nugent, the longtime NRA member and outspoken conservative behind the songs "Cat Scratch Fever" and "Great White Buffalo," told the conference on Saturday that "if Barack Obama becomes the president in November again, I will either be dead or in jail by this time next year."

"We need to ride into that battlefield and chop their heads off in November," he said of the Obama administration, adding that if his listeners can't "clean house in this vile, evil, America-hating administration, I don't even know what you're made out of."

The Secret Service told Hotsheet that it is "conducting appropriate follow-up" in the wake of the comments.

"We recognize people's rights of free speech, but we also have a responsibility and a duty to determine their intent," said spokesman Brian Leary.

Nugent has endorsed presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney, and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the Democratic national chairwoman, on Tuesday called on Romney to apologize. Wasserman Schultz deemed Nugent a "Romney surrogate," though Nugent is not formally tied to Romney's campaign.

"Mitt Romney surrogate Ted Nugent made offensive comments about President Obama and November's elections this weekend that are despicable, deplorable and completely beyond the pale," said Wasserman Schultz. "He called the Administration 'vile,' 'evil' and 'America-hating,' and said much worse. Yet what have we heard from Mitt Romney and the Republican Party, who should be outraged that someone representing them is using language like this to make a political point? Absolutely nothing."

Romney spokesperson Andrea Saul responded in a statement that did not specifically mention Nugent.

"Divisive language is offensive no matter what side of the political aisle it comes from. Mitt Romney believes everyone needs to be civil," she said.

Speaking to Beck on Wednesday, Nugent said, "The bottom line is I've never threatened anybody's life in my life."

"I don't waste breath threatening," he continued. "I just conduct myself as a dedicated 'We the people' activist because I've saluted too many flag draped coffins to not appreciate where the freedom comes from."

Nugent told Beck he would take the Secret Service investigation seriously and be as "polite and supportive as I possibly can be, which will be thoroughly."

On a different radio show on Tuesday, Nugent stood by his comments to the NRA and again denied making a threat.

"I will stand by my speech," he said on the Dana Loesch radio show. "It was 100 percent positive. It's about 'we the people' taking back our American dream from the corrupt monsters in the federal government under this administration and the communist czars [that Obama has] appointed."

Nugent added that he is like "a black Jew at a Nazi-Klan rally."

"There are some power abusing corrupt monsters in our government that despise me because I have the audacity to speak the truth," he said.

In the 2008 campaign cycle, Nugent attacked then-candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in an onstage rant while holding a pair of machine guns.

"Obama, he's a piece of s***. I told him to suck on my machine gun," he said, adding: "Hey Hillary, you might want to ride one of these into the sunset, you worthless b****."

[tribalscribe]

If he were just the buffoon he always looks like no one would care what he says, but given his violent theatrics and incendiary comments I'm thinking he might qualify for terrorist sympathizer. If some similar knuckle-dragger had made such remarks about Bush back in the day he would have gotten more than a visit from the feds.

[rsamps1]

Willard Mittens Romney seeked the endorsement of this washed up rock lunatic. This is typical of Romney's style- vile slander, repulsive, undeserved criticism of our President, no policy substance to offer.

Romney is not leadership material, & certainly not presidential.

[joedamico34]

Why don't we ship Ted Nugent to Afghanistan, sounds like he would fit in better, he is no real American. See how tough he is in Afghanistan and how his tough comments from that pie hole last, they would have him for lunch..

[american247]

TED NUGENT! A REALITY BASED,PLUGGED IN,LAND OF THE FREE,HOME OF THE BRAVE,AMERICAN! HE'S OLD SCHOOL! HE STILL BELIEVE'S IN APPLE PIE,CHEVY,THE NRA AND LET YOUR YES BE YES AND YOUR NO BE NO!!!HIS VERY SOUL IS SOAKED IN AMERICAN SOIL!

[TimeToEvolve]

I hope he gets his wish for next year.

[ISITSTILLBUSHESFAULT]

God bless America our president and Ted Nugent, our nation has bigger issues and this is what you all focus on. Try dedicating fifteen minutes of yourself serving lives to make our nation better. You enjoy the fruits of our nation but what are you willing to do to improve our country?

[TimeToEvolve]

We are questioning the system of inequality, especially toward women and minorities. We are planning massive non-violent direct action across the country since our elections don't help the 99%.

[TimeToEvolve]

Nugent is covering up his insecurity by trying to be a touch bully. It comes off as a cowardly, arrogant, brainless, entitled jackass. He is the perfect poster boy for the American Tea Bagger.

[H_Ali_Tosis]

Isn't the last manifestations of syphyllis that you become a legend in your own mind??....just askin'

[audemus]

I like rock & roll, and I don't believe it's a damaging influence, however, in this case, I think it has rotted the brain of Mr. Nugent.

How is, "chop off their heads," or saying "suck on my machine gun," not a threat ?

[occupy_cbs]

Good points of the obvious threats spewed by the nuge.

[TimeToEvolve]

That's the real problem is the wackos who were their nodding their empty ditto heads. Like when O'Reilly got someone to kill that women's health doctor in Wichita or when Bachmann got one of her operatives to do that massacre in AZ.

[Spmuse1]

Nugent is a draft dodging chickenhawk and serial child molester, a perfect spokesman for the Repugs.

[occupy_cbs]

Wonder if he's also a mormon, since their founder started this religion because of his need to molest young girls.

[Spmuse1]

Nugent is a draft dodging chickenhawk and serial child molester, a perfect spokesman for the Repugs.