The Secret Service Is Slippin' Big Time....

The Secret Service has been slipping way too much in the past year or two. We had the slow reaction to the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at Dubya. Now this incompetent lapse in security: the Secret Service may pursue a criminal investigation of the Virginia couple who crashed the White House state dinner. Jim Mackin, an agency spokesman, said the possible turn toward criminal charges is one reason the Secret Service has kept mum about what happened when Michaele and Tareq Salahi arrived at the checkpoint on Tuesday. They were not on the guest list for the dinner honoring Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife. Federal law makes it a crime to knowingly and willfully falsify statements on matters within the federal government's jurisdiction. It was not even known that there was a security breach until after Michaele Salahi posted photos from the dinner on her Facebook page:



The Salahis lawyer, Paul Gardner, posted a comment on their Facebook page saying, "My clients were cleared by the White House, to be there." He said more information would be forthcoming. Bravo Media has confirmed that Michaele Salahi is being considered as a participant in the upcoming "The Real Housewives of D.C." program and on the day of the dinner was being filmed around Washington, D.C. by Half Yard Productions, the producer of the program.

Attorneymom, a conservative blogger, writes: "Sidebar: Thank God for Facebook otherwise we would not have know that there was a security breach during the State Dinner. If their azzes were Black they would not have gotten to the White House gate."

Dr. Wilmer Leon argues that it's a case of racial profiling: "All that this couple needed to gain entrance into a state dinner at the White House was a tuxedo, traditional Indian evening wear, attitude, and white skin. When they arrived at the Secret Service checkpoint without a printed invitation and without their names on the official guest list, they were not detained nor questioned. No telephone calls were made; no further inquiries were needed; just white skin, blond hair, the expectation of admittance, and a pretty smile. Had this occurred at an airport the Salahi[s] would have never made it past airport security. This is the latest example of the privilege and expectations of privilege that comes with white skin. Had the Salahi[s] been African-American, or any other ethnicity with a darker skin tone, the Secret Service agent or Marine on duty would have never allowed this couple on the White House grounds simply based upon a '...what do you mean our names are not on the guest list...this is a travesty...obviously your list is not up to date...blah, blah, blah...' or some other self-righteous retort."

Kenneth Durden, a libertarian-conservative blogger, writes: "The White House released a photo of the publicity-seeking trash who crashed an official state dinner and actually got to meet the president. Someone should have been fired by now for this complete collapse in security. These people need to be prosecuted and sent to prison. If it is learned that a television network is involved in anyway, everyone involved should also go to prison."

Booker Rising response: I gotta agree with Attorneymom and Dr. Leon. I bet they let them through because they went for the blond chick's tall tale, while playing with the president's life. I've dealt with the Secret Service on two occasions, when I coordinated two separate conference luncheons featuring then-First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and then-Vice President Al Gore for my former employer. I had to supply Social Security numbers, date of birth, and photos for every single person who was going to be within 500 feet of Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Gore (i.e., reserved tables at the conference luncheons and their associated receptions). You weren't on the list, you didn't so much as sniff perimeter security much less penetrate the two additional inner layers of security. Was there no one from the White House Social Secretary's office at these checkpoints, as there should have been? What if the Salahis had wished to do harm to the First Family or Second Family? Or the Indian Prime Minister and his wife? Luckily it was publicity-whoring wannabes, and not a terrorist cell. If I was President Obama or Mrs. Obama, I'd be extremely concerned here. This is a huge security breach, and some folks need to get fired.