Much ado about nothing I think. However, I'm glad I don't have sharp objects in my hand when I debate sometimes *LOL*
Usually I think things like this are much ado about nothing. In this case I'm not sure.
The electorate is inflamed. Advertisements compare President Bush to Hitler. Farenheit 911 demonizes the President. Over at DU the President is treated with utter disrespect. There is an upcoming fiction book about killing President Bush.
I think that it is astonishing and repugnant that airplanes are required to make emergency landings because someone writes a word on a food tray or a bathroom mirror, but the Democratic candidate, weapon in hand, is joking about shooting President Bush at a Presidential debate on national television. Rather than calming the electorate down, Sen. Kerry is inciting them. Remember his comment toward the beginning of the campaign, when he said that Republicans "are the lowest, the most vicious..."? At that time he was embarrassed and tried to deny that he meant what he said.
I think that Kerry is certifiably nuts, and it is starting to come out. His midnight meltdown was the most blatant example, but comments like this one are an additional window into his mind.
This is a big problem.
You're right that this really isn't a big deal. It's just something Kerry said on the spur of the moment, probably trying to be funny. But if GWB had said it you just KNOW it would've been front page news.