Gatecrashers Part 2 - Another major breach of Security at the White House!

[Soul Crusher]

AP Exclusive: Tourists enjoy White House breakfast
Dec 16, 12:52 AM (ET)
By BEN EVANS
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WASHINGTON (AP) - It wasn't a state dinner, and they didn't crash it on purpose.

Still, a Georgia couple who showed up at the White House a day early for a tour somehow wound up at an invitation-only breakfast with President Barack Obama and the first lady. It left the White House once again explaining how people who were not on an event guest list wound up being ushered into the presidential mansion anyway.

The improbable adventure of Harvey and Paula Darden, Obama supporters from Hogansville, Ga., took place on Veterans Day, two weeks before Virginia socialites Tareq and Michaele Salahi infamously crashed the Obamas' state dinner for the prime minister of India.

The Dardens mistakenly showed up a day early for a tour scheduled through their congressman.

The White House and Secret Service both said the Dardens went through the appropriate security screenings and were allowed into the breakfast as a courtesy because there were no public tours the day they arrived.

That explanation was news to Harvey Darden, 67, a retired pharmacist, who said he and his wife never were told about the breakfast. They thought they were simply starting their tour until they were ushered into the East Room, offered a buffet spread and told they'd be meeting the president.

"The further we got into the White House, the more surprised we were," Darden told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "My wife looked at me and I looked at her, and I said, 'You know, I don't know if we're in the right place.'"

They approached a White House aide with their concern that they had veered off course but were told to "just go with the flow," Darden said.

"I felt kind of funny because I was the only man in the room that wasn't dressed in a coat and tie," he added. "I was just a plain tourist."

Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan said agents performed the same screening procedures on the Dardens that were used for other breakfast guests: They checked the Dardens' names and did a criminal background check - steps that were not taken for the Salahis at the Nov. 24 state dinner.

Because the Dardens were able to pass Secret Service vetting, they were allowed to attend the breakfast for veterans as a "nice gesture," White House spokesman Nick Shapiro said. He added that it's not unusual for White House staff to take people who are cleared in for tours to other events if there is space, including Marine One arrivals, East Room events and Rose Garden ceremonies.

Shapiro said the White House Office of Public Engagement, which Obama created to engage citizens in White House activities, was responsible for clearing in the Dardens, as well as the other breakfast guests. The social office handled admittance to the Indian state dinner.

On the morning the Dardens showed up, security officials working from a list of names began letting people inside. When the Dardens reached the checkpoint, they said they were told their names weren't on the list and were asked to present photo identifications and other information.

After waiting for agents to check their information, they were allowed in and directed into the East Room, where about 200 people were gathered for the breakfast.

The Dardens approached an aide who was mingling with guests.

"I told him, 'I don't think this is part of the White House tour,'" Darden said. "He said, 'No it's not. It's an invitation event for veterans.'"

The official, whose name and title Darden didn't remember, asked whether Darden was a veteran. Darden told him he was a Navy veteran, and the aide suggested he stay, Darden said.

So the Dardens served themselves at the buffet, and took their seats. Shortly thereafter, Barack and Michelle Obama arrived and began talking and getting photographs with guests at each table. Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, also stopped by.

Darden said it was "quite a treat" to meet the Obamas and the Bidens. But he remains puzzled about how he was escorted into a private breakfast - and he grew a little anxious after the Salahi episode exploded in the news.

The couple's only regret, Darden said, is that they haven't received a copy of that picture taken with the Obamas.

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Associated Press writers Julie Pace and Eileen Sullivan contributed to this report.

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WWTTFF? 

[Skip8282]

Being nice to people is now a security breach?     

This reminds me of people trying to help out other people in accidents and then getting sued for it.  Slick lawyers find ways around good Samaritan laws.  

[BM OUT]

Being nice to people is now a security breach?     

This reminds me of people trying to help out other people in accidents and then getting sued for it.  Slick lawyers find ways around good Samaritan laws.  

Really?I wonder how the media would have reported it if it was Bush that was president.

[Soul Crusher]

Being nice to people is now a security breach?     

This reminds me of people trying to help out other people in accidents and then getting sued for it.  Slick lawyers find ways around good Samaritan laws.  

Skip - this is not being nice.  Come on now. 

This is ridiculous and absurd to the nth degree.   

[Skip8282]

What would've happened under Bush is neither here nor there.  They showed up at the wrong time, the SS put them through all the checks and vetting that they gave to the regular guests, and then, instead of telling them to go pound sand, they let them dine with the Prez.

They didn't access secret information, they didn't go any place that jeopardized national security, and there's no indication they are dangerous individuals.

[BM OUT]

What would've happened under Bush is neither here nor there.  They showed up at the wrong time, the SS put them through all the checks and vetting that they gave to the regular guests, and then, instead of telling them to go pound sand, they let them dine with the Prez.

They didn't access secret information, they didn't go any place that jeopardized national security, and there's no indication they are dangerous individuals.

And yet little old ladies at the airport have to take their shoes off before boarding a plane.They certainly dont seem to be a danger either.These people were right near the president.Its another outrage ESPECIALLY for an administartion that would have you believe threats to Obama are up 400% over that of Bush[a proves lie].

[Soul Crusher]

What would've happened under Bush is neither here nor there.  They showed up at the wrong time, the SS put them through all the checks and vetting that they gave to the regular guests, and then, instead of telling them to go pound sand, they let them dine with the Prez.

They didn't access secret information, they didn't go any place that jeopardized national security, and there's no indication they are dangerous individuals.

Skip - this is not a joke.  What if they were not well intentioned and would have attacked the president ala Berlusconi?

 

[Skip8282]

Skip - this is not a joke.  What if they were not well intentioned and would have attacked the president ala Berlusconi?

 

I'm not saying it is a joke.  I work on a restricted base.  People try to do things or find themselves in wrong areas all the time.  It's called being human.  That doesn't mean the base is under attack 24/7.  That doesn't mean a national security breach.

If security copped an attitude every time a civilian made a mistake the backlash would be epic.  And, given the millions of visitors to Washington every year, I have no doubt that security has to deal with innocent mistakes on a daily basis.

They did not get near the President without receiving the same scrutiny as the other guests.  You can make the "What if" argument for every guest there.

[240 is Back]

If the President and first lady decided to just randomly select a nice couple from the tour and treat them to breakast, it's their business.

They're obviously safe - you don't get into the white hosue without being checked, and secret service was probably all over that meal.

but if the president decides that talking to guests will give him a better feel for what random americans feel, so be it.

These folks could have been turned away.  Isntead, they decided to let them have a nice breakfast.  In any other business, this would be called EXCELLENT customer service.

[Soul Crusher]

I'm not saying it is a joke.  I work on a restricted base.  People try to do things or find themselves in wrong areas all the time.  It's called being human.  That doesn't mean the base is under attack 24/7.  That doesn't mean a national security breach.

If security copped an attitude every time a civilian made a mistake the backlash would be epic.  And, given the millions of visitors to Washington every year, I have no doubt that security has to deal with innocent mistakes on a daily basis.

They did not get near the President without receiving the same scrutiny as the other guests.  You can make the "What if" argument for every guest there.

Getting lost is one thing.  These people literally brought it to the attention of the WH and they shuffled them in to this thing. 

Its all well and good now, but when someone takes a shot at him like the shoe thrower in iraq, no one will be laughing. 

[Soul Crusher]

If the President and first lady decided to just randomly select a nice couple from the tour and treat them to breakast, it's their business.

They're obviously safe - you don't get into the white hosue without being checked, and secret service was probably all over that meal.

but if the president decides that talking to guests will give him a better feel for what random americans feel, so be it.

These folks could have been turned away.  Isntead, they decided to let them have a nice breakfast.  In any other business, this would be called EXCELLENT customer service.

Did you read the article? 

[Skip8282]

They brought it up to security, security put them through all the checks, determined based on the same criteria as all the other guests that they were not a threat, and graciously offered them a free breakfast.

There's a difference between not liking Obama's policies and just being a decent human being to confused guests.

[Soul Crusher]

They brought it up to security, security put them through all the checks, determined based on the same criteria as all the other guests that they were not a threat, and graciously offered them a free breakfast.

There's a difference between not liking Obama's policies and just being a decent human being to confused guests.

Skip - so were the the Zalaheig's.  And they declared Executive Privilege over that mes.

Something does not make sense in this WH.   

[240 is Back]

"They brought it up to security, security put them through all the checks, determined based on the same criteria as all the other guests that they were not a threat, and graciously offered them a free breakfast."

I'm okay with this.  Old couple traveled across the country, maybe they had a plane trip home and were going to miss the tour.  Quick background check (which i'm fairly sure the secret service can do) and they were invited as guests.

Again, 33, this falls under the category of you bitching about ANYTHING Obama does.  If he would have told the old people to piss off, they would have flown home and told their local paper that they were sad about the trip, etc, it cuold haev been a PR black eye too... and ya probably would have bitched about that too


Your threads on "WTF is obama doing inviting people to breakfast" and "Why I don't like to have sex with ugly lib women" really detract from the VERY ACCURATE posts you have on healthcare, cap/trade, and other issues.  I don't understand why you do that.

[Soul Crusher]

"They brought it up to security, security put them through all the checks, determined based on the same criteria as all the other guests that they were not a threat, and graciously offered them a free breakfast."

I'm okay with this.  Old couple traveled across the country, maybe they had a plane trip home and were going to miss the tour.  Quick background check (which i'm fairly sure the secret service can do) and they were invited as guests.

Again, 33, this falls under the category of you bitching about ANYTHING Obama does.  If he would have told the old people to piss off, they would have flown home and told their local paper that they were sad about the trip, etc, it cuold haev been a PR black eye too... and ya probably would have bitched about that too


Your threads on "WTF is obama doing inviting people to breakfast" and "Why I don't like to have sex with ugly lib women" really detract from the VERY ACCURATE posts you have on healthcare, cap/trade, and other issues.  I don't understand why you do that.

Ha ha.  point taken. 

Do you want one of my shirts?