A pretty funny take of a stand-off between reporters covering President Obama in Chicago and followers of the Nation of Islam. An excerpt from the pool report:
Eventually a dozen “Fruit of Islam” agents arrived. As each casually dressed man arrived, he exchanged elaborate handshake/hug/double air-kisses with others. Two walked by a reporter, chanting “Islam.”
The men filmed and photographed the reporters, the van and its license plates with their cell phones.
One came and stood close to reporters and the secret service agent. The secret service agent asked if he could help. The man did not answer. The agent asked again. The man said, “No.” The agent said, “Secret Service — please move away from this group of people.”
The man did.
The agent asked the reporters to go back into the press bus, which they did.
Before they did, some asked the Nation of Islam crowd if they could use the rest room in Farrakahn’s home.
No offer was made.
Rev. Gary Hunter, a Baptist minister in Detroit who writes and blogs for the Detroit Times, told reporter Jackie Calmes of the New York Times that he called Farrakhan and his son and asked them to have the Fruit stand down: “I told him you were good people . . . He said he didn’t know you all were just waiting for the president.’’