Security Around Obama Alarms Some VIP Donors

[RamboLiberal]

Source: Washington Post

Downtown Washington resembled a militarized zone last week for the inauguration of President Barack Obama, but some major contributors who had direct contact with Obama said they were surprised to find what they viewed as porous security surrounding the president-elect and vice president-elect.

Three contributors who raised $300,000 or more for the inauguration said they were never asked to show identification to retrieve dozens of tickets, including VIP passes that allowed them and their guests to meet privately with Obama. One of the three said ticket checks were so lax that no one noticed when, after a breakfast for contributors, a friend whose name hadn't been submitted for a background check tagged along into a VIP room to take pictures with Vice President-elect Joseph Biden.

And a half-dozen said that after a screening to sit in a ticketed area near Obama for his swearing-in, they mingled with public crowds but were never again checked for firearms or explosives.

"I was surprised," said online retail executive Alfred Lin, who attended most of the events for major donors in the days leading up to the swearing-in. "It was less strict than going through airport security."

To be sure, presidents mingle in public with people who have not been screened, and some donors said they were not troubled by the level of security in place last week. Ed Donovan, a Secret Service spokesman, said the agency's security measures are not always visible. "We take a layered approach to security and don't rely on any one countermeasure to ensure that a site is safe," he said.




Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...

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With all the whack jobs out there the Secret Service damn well better do their jobs and protect President Obama, his family and VP Biden and his family!

On edit reading this article really disturbs me. If nothing else I would've expected security to tighten around Obama. We all hear the nutjobs and racists out there railing against and threatening Obama's life. And the Secret Service and FBI reporting threats against him have risen dramatically. WTF is the Service doing? Remember there were reports during the primary on how security was lax at a TX rally(was that Dallas or Houston?).

Having lived through the assasinations of JFK, MLK and RFK I do confess that this awful thought crosses my mind a lot and tempers my happiness. I'm not all that religious but I swear I almost pray daily for President Obama's safety. Especially when I hear the crap that some wingnut callers and emailers on radio spout.

[Idealism]

1. Is it not entirely possible that the SS knew who the donors were?

I mean, they are paid to know that type of thing, right?

[TheWraith]

2. Yeah, I've got to suspect that the security was a lot better than it looked.

One of the hallmarks of good "inner circle" security is that you don't notice it's there. That's as opposed to things like the motorcade, where you want a visible security presence to insure no stupid people do something crazy.

[Idealism]

3. I tend to agree

If the SS is visible, there is a problem- in some cases.

[RamboLiberal]

5. I don't call this good security

From OP article.

But after passing through a magnetometer outside the hotel, members of the group said they were directed to a public sidewalk and told to find their way across Ninth Street to buses waiting in a convention center parking lot. Along the way, they said they mingled with throngs of spectators streaming toward the Mall. The VIPs were not screened again or asked for identification, they said.

Suzi LeVine, a former Expedia executive, said volunteers lined her path to the buses. Even so, she said, "I was definitely thinking, 'Is there a way that people could be infiltrating this group?' "

I didn't attend any Obama rallies but I noticed lax security toward the end of the Kerry/Edwards campaign at an event where I wasn't screened or passed through a metal detector. And I ended up only feet from Edwards.

[TheWraith]

6. Which doesn't mean they weren't screened and IDed without knowing it.

They can do a lot these days with cameras and biometrics. Just saying.

[Politicalboi]

10. Yes but a gun just takes a second

I don't get it. I don't care how good they think they are this is crazy. If you go back to a crowd you should be screened again.

[TheWraith]

29. Assuming somebody with a gun can even get within sight of Obama.

Assuming that there weren't concealed metal detectors in all the doors, concealed thermal cameras or backscatter X-ray devices watching the crowd, facial recognition on anybody who came near Obama, and a dozen agents lurking in that crowd.

[Posteritatis]

11. Betcha a few members of that throng were agents (nt)

[rpannier]

13. If you go through airports in Japan and China

you are being screened in places and are totally unaware of it

This most likely happened here as well

[Wizard777]

17. Even a nightclub doorman has to know the regulars and big spenders.

I think the SS should give them some reassurances that Barack is indeed safe. Make the complainers miss the next event due to body cavity searches. Then X-ray them until they glow in the dark.

[BlooInBloo]

4. Hopefully it's just their perception, and not reality.

[Merlot]

7. I prefer to think the security people know more about their job

than the people who criticize. Those people may think they see holes in the security based on their limited knowledge of security procedures.

Of course, it may be possible that security was not as tight as it could be. More likely that the people have no idea what security measures are in place. And I'm sure the security prefer it that way.

[NM Independent]

8. That's a bit disturbing

I pray often that he stays safe. If something happens to him I can only imagine the repercussions.

[bdamomma]

22. I also want him to stay safe, there are alot of sick people out there.

there are alot of people out there who just can't accept change and will do anything in their power to see it squashed.

[MidwestTransplant]

9. I have a hard time believing those around Obama at inauguration weren't put through metal detectors.

It's one thing when you meet on the street and another where you are certain of the President's location and that you will see him and that he is stationary.

[rpannier]

12. Part of the job of security is to have a sizeable visible presence

and a sizeable non-visible presence as well

[dgibby]

33. How true!

My brother died recently, and his wife finally told the rest of us that he had been an undercover Secret Service agent since the early 60's! Talk about non-visible! We didn't have a clue. Still don't know exactally what his job was. She never asked and he never told. I'm still in shock!

[Muttocracy]

38. interesting! nt

[meowomon]

14. They must be dilligent.

We can't afford a national tragedy and the Obama family can't lose this wonderful husband and father. He is a national treasure now and his life is too precious to allow any chances. Sorry, but he needs to be in a bubble wrap from the crazies.

[No Elephants]

15. Talk about assassination must stop. It is not going to help anything and may do harm. Just stop it

[uppityperson]

26. Expressing concern over the possibility is doing harm?

I grew up during JFK/MLK/Bobbie Kennedy days and have read enough about people expressing desire for this to happen to not be concerned. Nothing wrong with expressing concern imho. Nothing wrong with pointing out that security may not have been up to snuff.

[No Elephants]

27. First, my post said "may do harm," not is "doing harm." Second, yes, it may do harm. the more

it's discussed, the likelier it is that some nutter will do something. The first thing law enforcement tells you when you have been threatened or are being stalked is NOT to say a word about it publicly.

Put another way, what GOOD can "expressing concern" possibly do? What is the point? If expressing concern cannot protect Obama and may hurt him, why not just put a cork in it? I mean, by all means, pray if you are so inclined, but stop talking about it. It's nothing but self-indulgent, at best, and harmful, at worst.

[RamboLiberal]

30. Gimme a break - it was the WPost that started the discussion

And like they're not discussing with more malice over in Freeperville. I don't see the harm at DU.

[No Elephants]

34. I don't care who started it . It should stop. BTW, DU is on the WORLDwide

web. This loose talk cannot possible protect Obama. The only potential from all this talk is harm. It should stop.

[RamboLiberal]

39. And the WPost can be read worldwide as well

And I'd bet it far outpaces DU in visitors. Discussing it here will cause no harm to Obama. And if any incident does take place I'd rather know that the threat was pointed out by the MSM.

Too damn bad we all didn't know what was in the PDB on August 6th, 2001 till some time after 9-11.

[uppityperson]

35. I disagree. Getting info out that he may not be protected can force more protection of him.

That is the point. Publicity can make change. If expressing concern can protect Obama and may help him, why not continue?

Regarding "don't say a word about it" and stalking, there is a difference between publicizing that you are being stalked by John Hinkley (to pick a name out of the air) and saying that you are not safe and need better police protection. The reason to not say a word publicly about a threat can be you may bollox their investigation. Saying you need more protection, the protection you have isn't good enough, that is FINE to publicize since publicity can get you protection.

[No Elephants]

37. These are theoretically big money donors. They had to go to the

news media with this to get Obama more protection? They couldn't just send him or someone on his staff? The purpose of this article is NOT to get him more protection. Please.

[Loudmxr]

16. I don't think I would be violating a national secret but he is wearing protection.

And from what I understand quite stylish protection. There is a whole new fashion industry that has sprung up dressing the "at risk" clientele.

Want to have that "killer look" without being killed? Try on our new bullet proof top coat or windbreaker, They are making suits and all sorts of stuff that looks like designer clothes but gives that "extra" sense of protection.

Dry clean only.

[cosmicone]

18. Yeah but you can't protect the head with a suit n/t

[atreides1]

21. True

But only someone who was trained would go for a head shot, and that would be from a distance. Most of the wannabe morans would fire for center of mass(torso)!

[bertman]

25. I think that's a gross generalization, atreides1. No one knows what body part a wannabe

would shoot for.

[FedUpWithIt All]

19. There is better security getting into some high schools.

This has to be changed. These are dire times.

[Celebration]

20. True Story

Our high school had a Presidential limo pass in front of it from the airport to downtown, and our whole 1600 member school stood outside to wave. When we went back to English class, one kid said, gosh security was so lax. I could have shot him.

The English teacher said "That couldn't happen. Security is everywhere. You just couldn't see them."

Two days later: November 23, 1963. Our English class was very quiet that day. Nobody even mentioned the earlier conversation.

Better listen to the common person.

[Karenina]

28. You seem to have an inconsistency with the date...

[izquierdista]

23. The fascist training is complete

When the left can agree that having the Gestapo perform redundant security checks really is a good idea.

[Terran]

24. "Gestapo"

How quaint. I'd prefer my president be kept alive, thank you.

[RamboLiberal]

31. Same here - sorry but's it's the times

Nothing gestapo about keeping Obama safe from the likes of the Freeper crowd. You know over there a segment would be cheering if anything happened. And the only reason another segment wouldn't be cheering is they wouldn't want him to go down as a martyr.

Wasn't just Obama - I feared for Clinton as well when the nutcases spent every waking moment villifying him and wishing him harm.

[izquierdista]

36. Go ahead

Revel in the displays of security, security everywhere. Call for more uniformed officials to cordon off areas and inspect people's underwear. Forget there ever was a 4th amendment and inspect everyone, everywhere, all the time.

All that heavy security means the fascists are in control and nothing about the safety of anyone in particular. Sadat had all of Egypt's top security around him when he was assassinated, and the Gestapo didn't keep von Stauffenberg from planting a bomb.

[RamboLiberal]

40. Oh grow up - I don't expect security every where

But I damn well want it around this President. Especially with all the racist looney tunes out there who don't want this nation ruled by a black or by "an Arab" as crazy McCain lady put it.

And Sadat was murdered by people within his own friggin' military. Hitler's assanation plot was also by some sane members of his military who saw he had taken Germany down a horrendous road.

[Posteritatis]

32. LOL, presidential bodyguards are "the Gestapo" now? (nt)