Secret Service clears Nugent after interview
(CNN) - The U.S. Secret Service said Thursday that it has resolved any questions regarding rocker Ted Nugent, whom its agents interviewed after he said he would be "dead or in jail" if President Barack Obama were re-elected.
"The issue has been resolved," and the agency "does not anticipate any further action," Secret Service spokesman Brian Leary told CNN after the interview.
Earlier Thursday, Nugent issued a statement of his own, writing, "I met with two fine, professional Secret Service agents in OK today." The musician was in Ardmore, Oklahoma, to perform a concert.
Nugent described the as a "good, solid, professional meeting concluding that I have never made any threats of violence towards anyone. The meeting could not have gone better. I thanked them for their service, we shook hands and went about our business. God bless the good federal agents wherever they may be."
The interview came amid outcry over comments Nugent made at the annual meeting of the National Rifle Association, which took place in St. Louis, Missouri, this past weekend.
"If Barack Obama becomes the president in November again, I will either be dead or in jail by this time next year," Nugent said, according to a video that the NRA posted on YouTube. "If you can't go home and get everybody in your lives to clean house in this vile, evil, America-hating administration, I don't even know what you're made out of."
The video has since been removed.
Many have questioned whether Nugent was alluding to violence against the president.
U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, solicited donations from supporters using the comments, calling them "despicable, deplorable and completely beyond the pale."
A U.S. official said Wednesday that Secret Service policy is to acknowledge every American's right to free speech while still determining an individual's intent.
Nugent's comments sparked particular furor because the musician and activist has endorsed GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Romney campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul responded to comments from Nugent on Tuesday, saying "divisive language is offensive no matter what side of the political aisle it comes from."
"Mitt Romney believes everyone needs to be civil," she added.
CNN's Jason Morris, Jessica Yellin, Javi Morgado and Kevin Liptak contributed to this report.
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Ted Nugent. Pardon me while I laugh. He is probably performing at county fairs nationwide, along with Wild Cherry. Actually Wild Cherry at least had one decent hit.
Someone should make Nugent suck on a machine gun. Someone should decapitate his family.
It's fine for me to say those things, apparently, since he got away with making the same comments.
I am pretty sure "little Nuggets" the draft dodger, was "horse laughing" prior to his meeting with the SS.
Now, I am guessing his anal sphincter is tightly around this throat.
I like 2 advice Nugent 2 b mindful of his words. Politics ought not 2 b a do or die affair.
The nuge is nothing but a GOP stooge. Of course he didn't mean what he said, the man is a coward. The stooge thinks he's tough because he can shoot a gun. Well guess what stooge, an 80 year old woman can shoot a gun. Actually an old woman is probably tougher than this phoney. Like some camo and a gun make you tough, what a joke! I just love these right wing "patriots" that have never done anything to serve the country other than shoot off their loud freakin mouths.
Whether Ted dodged the draft or not is not the issue. I proudly served my country but every individual has to make decisions and then live with their choises. I don't believe in violence but I do believe in free speech and I say "GO TED". The Liberals and Obama have destroyed this country. They have even tried taking God out of everything. We have always been a God fearing and Respecting nation. If you don't like it just leave. I will help you pack your stuff. Anyone that knows Ted Nugent knows that he is a good and descent man. Find something else to do with your time. The Secret Service looking into this threat is a joke, just like our leader.
Since Ted is such a nice RepubliKlan, I think he should be waterboarded to prove how innocuous it is.
The Nuge is a little too right wing for me!
It's obvious what he was insinuating. Anyone who tries to hide behind a different meaning is just as much of a coward as Ted is. If your bold enough to make a statement then be man enough to admit to it, otherwise you have no honor. I would have like to have been in the room when he whimpered and appologized for his actions.
me138
breaking news Nugent never made any threats towards anyone. Only buffoons who cant understand words thinks he did
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Breaking news for you ...it was enough to get hauled in by the Secret Service. And they would not have bothered if they did not consider it significant.
didn't Ted ditch the war? But now he's a freedom lover? Classicly American.
Romney needs more open minded morons like Ted backing him up. They will all seal his demise in November.
The Secret Service went to interview him and came out 15 minutes later saying to each other, "oh right! It's Ted Nugent... We knew he was nuts... Why did we come here again?"
Wen Dee happens to be the only one here making a worthwhile point. How can we expect other nations to respect us when we as a nation are so divided as to show disrespect to our own leadership? I didn't like W, but I respected his office and never would have even made any allusion.
I think the people who really need to be reminded what it is to be an American are the ones, both left and right, who cry foul and speak ill of the people who hold office. You don't have to like them, you can disagree with them until the cows come home, but to speak so disparagingly of them only serves to make America look like a whiny teenager who doesn't like his parents rules.
Don't like someone in office? Vote against them, argue against them but speak civilly and maturely. Everyone's forgotten that we're still part of the same country. All they see now is disrespect.
You people disgust me.
-A real American.
Ted Nugent says "I have never made any threats of violence towards anyone."
2. “And in my mind, I’m going why can’t I just shoot this [Hate Krishna] guy in the spine right now; shoot him in the spine, explain the facts of life to him. — WRIF-FM, Detroit, Ted Nugent as guest D.J., Sept. 28, 1990
Guess his memory is fading as fast as his mind
God bless Ted Nugent!! I hope Obama does not get re-elected. He is the biggest criminal in this country right now.
People like neugent are a blight on all society. He needs to be arrested, his tongue cut out and his lips stapled, then sewn shut!! What has he ever done for his nation?
Teddy is a pu s s y. He couldn't say what he wanted to their face. He just choked up and put his tail b/t his legs and said, Yes Sir like the good dog he is...
He is a T E R R O R I S T like David Koresh.
His comments really really makes me vote and work for the election of Obama.
I am in favor of his first promise.
He fell in line just like he was supposed to do. No way he would have the guts to say what he meant to the SS guys.
"It certainly sounds to me as though Nuggets is stating that 6 months after President Obama's election, he, Nuggets will be dead because of a failed assassination attempt or in jail because of a successful assassination attempt."
Someone may misinterpret one of your rants someday and "think" you meant something that you didn't. Nugent was polite in this article to show that it was no big deal. And I think the secret service has their own issues to work out right now anyways.
This is just the dems deflecting attention away from the giant defecit and crap economy. Travon Martin isn't making enough headlines anymore apparently.
That's some fast talking TED – Too bad you can't just say it in front of them Huh.... We all know what you meant... Sad there is no respected for the First Black President
I bet he left a puddle in the interview room.
im sure writing a check to his attorney hurt more than having to be chastised by two ss agents...im sure theyll be listening to his words–he'd be wise to shut up and go hang out with mttens at the country club...