White House Crashers Met the President
EmailABC News' Yunji de Nies and Jake Tapper report:
It turns out the couple who crashed the White House state dinner got a lot more access than previously thought. Michaele and Tareq Salahi met with President Barack Obama in a receiving line before guests sat down to dinner. The exchange was brief. The couple also greeted the Indian prime minister, the guest of honor that night. It is standard protocol at a state dinner for the president to introduce guests in the receiving line to the visiting head of state.
The White House released this photo of Michaele Salahi meeting President Obama on its Flickr site: The White House would not comment on the meeting between the reality-tv-seeking couple and the leader of the free world, other than to confirm it happened. White House spokesman Nick Shapiro said the Secret Service has the confidence of the president.
“The United States Secret Service said they made a mistake and they are taking action to identify exactly what happened and they will take the appropriate measures pending the results of their investigation,” Shapiro said.
Indeed, tonight in a written statement Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan said his agency is "concerned and embarrassed" for allowing the Virginia couple to slip through their security.
"The preliminary findings of our internal investigation have determined established protocols were not followed at an initial checkpoint, verifying that two individuals were on the guest list," Sullivan said, "Although these individuals went through magnetometers and other levels of screening, they should have been prohibited from entering the event entirely. That failing is ours."
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ClimateGateCrashers!
Posted by: Barry Christmas | November 27, 2009, 6:26 pm 6:26 pm
Bad bad bad.
Too scary for the Obamas and the Singhs.
Posted by: MayBee | November 27, 2009, 6:34 pm 6:34 pm
He is only leading by example. Look he allows unwanted guests into this country everyday so im sure he only wanted to show us all that he allows unwanted guests into the white house. Keep up the good work!
Posted by: tb | November 27, 2009, 7:20 pm 7:20 pm
Joke. We should trust OBAMA and his buddies to secure our national security.
Posted by: talk from sf | November 27, 2009, 7:21 pm 7:21 pm
Wow, tis the BEST PHOTO OP OF THE YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you, President for keeping your frontyard so safe.
Posted by: talk from sf | November 27, 2009, 7:26 pm 7:26 pm
It’s the social secretary’s fault as well. The SS shouldn’t be the only guys held responsible. They are a great organization and extremely professional.
Posted by: nada | November 27, 2009, 7:46 pm 7:46 pm
Disturbing that lax security not only endangered potus but also the Indian PM. Horrible if this happened to our pres in some other country. Hope India forgives us.
Posted by: Elle | November 27, 2009, 8:04 pm 8:04 pm
Glad nothing happened to Obama, but I can’t help but laugh at the whole thing. Pretty funny and clever stuff. I hope these people are not prosecuted.
Posted by: Huh | November 27, 2009, 9:08 pm 9:08 pm
Jimmy Carter and George Bush have GOT to feel pretty good about their presidency when compared to Obama.
Unbelievable the things going on in that administration–amateur hour.
Posted by: tyler | November 27, 2009, 9:33 pm 9:33 pm
this is no big deal. Why should we expect guests to be able to be screened and pass a basic governmental background check when there are serious doubts that Obama himself could pass one with his history of travels, different names, associates, fundraisers, mentors, residencies, and so forth!
Posted by: Ed | November 27, 2009, 10:17 pm 10:17 pm
Phony meets phony. Both are impressed.
Posted by: Terry | November 27, 2009, 10:17 pm 10:17 pm
Everyone was safe because–no one messes with Joe.
Posted by: millie | November 27, 2009, 10:34 pm 10:34 pm
Some heads will probably roll at the U.S.S.S. Uniformed Division, the guys that man the gates at the WH.
As the article states, the gate crashers did go through appropriate physical security screenings after that initial screening to see if they we invited guests.
The President and Indian P.M. were not in any increased danger. The U.S.S.S.’ Presidential Protection Detail (PPD) is the best in the world at protecting dignitaries.
Posted by: James Patrick Miller | November 27, 2009, 11:48 pm 11:48 pm
Unbelievable the things going on in that administration–amateur hour.
_____________________________________
Do you mean how both Russia and China both just came on side to back the United States against Iran in the nuclear issue.
Excellent work, excellent diplomacy Mr. President.
Posted by: tierra | November 28, 2009, 12:04 am 12:04 am
both Russia and China both just came on side to back the United States against Iran in the nuclear issue….
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The Russian and the Chinese are a lot like the Democrats….
Posted by: Terry | November 28, 2009, 12:10 am 12:10 am
Maybe we could bring all the troops back home now to secure our own country from foreign and domestic. Do ya think??
Posted by: VietNamVet | November 28, 2009, 1:36 am 1:36 am
Not only did the couple get in without hindrance, they also left early without hindrance, before the dinner.
When (unknown) people are free to leave early, without record of their departure, you’re asking for trouble….
Posted by: dave | November 28, 2009, 6:12 am 6:12 am
Oh now it is known that the couple was face to face with POTUS – It is sadly obvious that many of you are too young to know how the pain of having a president killed in office. YES this incident is a big deal, and YES it shows problems in securing the safety of our fist family and honoured guests. Tell me would your reactions be as laissez faire – if it had been LBJ, Nixon, Ford, Bush, Reagan, Bush? hmm I think not. Botom line our president (if you like him/her or not) deserves the highest form and best protection in the world. Wake up those in charge of protection and protocals—- someone is selling a bill of goods and too many people are buying.
Posted by: Chandler Prescott | November 28, 2009, 8:16 am 8:16 am
china backs the usa against iran—-the chinese own us here in the usa—ask wallmart
Posted by: rodney | November 28, 2009, 8:26 am 8:26 am
tyler;
Jimmy Carter and George Bush have GOT to feel pretty good about their presidency when compared to Obama.
Unbelievable the things going on in that administration–amateur hour.
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Sad but true. The three worst in history given all the damge they have done.
Posted by: nothing to see here folks | November 28, 2009, 8:39 am 8:39 am
Wow. Even I have to say that it disturbs me that these two were able to get in and shake hands with the president. They could have been spies for the Taliban. But then the government is against profiling so these people look pretty harmless and starstruck. I hope the taliban and the terrorists aren’t taking any notes.
Posted by: Jenny | November 28, 2009, 9:20 am 9:20 am
this never would have happened to Cheney, as he was always hiding in a bunker somewheres….
Posted by: Peepers | November 28, 2009, 10:28 am 10:28 am
“White House Crashers Met the President.”
Like most of us, I am sure they were under-whelmed.
Posted by: ceeLeelee | November 28, 2009, 12:23 pm 12:23 pm
“When (unknown) people are free to leave early, without record of their departure, you’re asking for trouble….”
They werent unknowns.
google canadafreepress and party crashers
“Party Crashers” had five-year relationship with Obama before state dinner / former member of The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP).
Posted by: Karl B | November 29, 2009, 11:10 am 11:10 am
Uh oh!
Posted by: ceeLeelee | November 29, 2009, 11:13 am 11:13 am
ATFP has removed Tareq Salahi from its website’s board of directors page.
Posted by: Karl B | November 29, 2009, 11:24 am 11:24 am
…and of course, the lame MSM will not investigate to get the true facts.
Somebody tell those folks under the Obama bus to make room for two more bodies.
Posted by: ceeLeelee | November 29, 2009, 11:37 am 11:37 am
I would like to see our media stop rewarding people for poor behavior. I am sick of reality show wannabes.
Posted by: Marco McGee | November 29, 2009, 3:15 pm 3:15 pm
Don’t be tardy for the party!
Posted by: Real Housewives of DC | November 29, 2009, 7:23 pm 7:23 pm
At the end of Obama’s four years I image he will blurt out, “As a one term senator with no real-world work experience and substantially no laws to my name we were nervous about our family’s future and Michelle thought we needed a boost so she asked me to run for President to support her efforts to be accepted for Bravo’s pending Real Housewives of Chicago. I mean, I had no experience! I didn’t think you’d actually vote for me! Now she’ll definitely get on the show! This really is unprecedented!”
Posted by: Glenn | November 30, 2009, 11:41 am 11:41 am
Wow. Many angry people here. Whether you like the pres or not, he is your pres and do deserve some respect. I think it’s funny that you are not annoyed that someone has the audacity to do what this couple did. Grow up people!
Posted by: wallace | December 1, 2009, 12:07 am 12:07 am