This morning at about 2:00 a.m. while several volunteers were in the facility, a brick bearing nasty messages warning of “false hope” and “social warfare” was hurled through the glass door into the Obama campaign headquarters at 31st and Gillham. A second larger pane of glass was shattered as well.
It is the latest act of campaign violence in Kansas City. Last month, similar incidents happened at both the Obama headquarters and the Republican Party headquarters in Independence that is serving as campaign space for McCain volunteers. In that incident a laptop and a purse belonging to a campaign volunteer were stolen.
Melissa Nitti, spokesperson for the Obama campaign said this sort of thing goes with the territory. “You know, this is a sad part of politics that happens sometimes,” she said. “The republicans, I think, dealt with this in Independence about a month ago. It’s unfortunate, but we’ve been pleased not to deal with ramifications of vandalization in the past.”
Homeowners displaying the large 4×8 campaign signs in their yards along the toney Ward Parkway residential area south of the Country Club Plaza have had “USSR” and hammers and sickles spraypainted on the signs. I have seen three such instances of vandalism, but been unable to convince the bus drivers to stop for a moment between stops so I could photograph the evidence.
Sweet Jesus – is it Tuesday yet?