Obama Targeted By Anti-Nuclear Protesters in S.C.

According to numerous published reports anti-nuclear protesters planned to disrupt presidential candidate Barack Obama's rally with Oprah Winfrey in Columbia, S.C., on Dec. 9. The activists hoped to draw attention to recent statements Obama made in support of nuclear power, including a comment favoring Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP). AAEA supports the GNEP. Evidently the demonstrators were relegated to a "free speech" holding area several blocks from the venue where Obama and TV personality Oprah Winfrey appeared. They urged colleagues to investigate how much money Obama is receiving from companies in the nuclear energy industry and to start a letter-writing campaign to Winfrey demanding that she take a stance against GNEP and for free speech.

These extremists were dealt with appropriately by the rally organizers. It is our opinion that these eco-extremists go out of their way to show extraordinary disrespect to African Americans who do not agree with them. AAEA experienced such disrespect last summer from some eco-hillbilly extremists. Note that they have not targeted Chris Dodd (D-Conn) or any of the Republican presidential candidates, all of whom support nuclear power. Senator Obama and Ms. Winfrey should aggressively engage them because these eco-extremists see them as targets to be particularly disrespected and to use for their own publicity purposes. AAEA is pronuclear and would be more than happy to provide a counterpoint to these extremists.