Unwitting tourists attend White House breakfast

[louis-t]

Source: AP

White House officials say the couple mistakenly showed up a day early and were allowed into the breakfast because there were no public tours available. They say the couple, Harvey and Paula Darden of Hogansville, Ga., were properly screened for security.

Harvey Darden, however, said there appeared to be a mix-up. No one told them about the breakfast, he said, and the Dardens thought they were starting their tour until they were ushered into the East Room and offered a buffet.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091215/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_white_house_accidental_tourists

---

Hoo Boy!

[monmouth]

1. Why am I sitting here laughing my arse off? I mean, god bless the

Dardens. Trying so hard to be honest here, trying to do the right thing. What the hell, a nice breakfast buffet? Oh the heads that will be rolling is just funny..sorry...

[DesertRat]

2. Another couple not on a guest list mingling with the First couple

So all you have to do to get in to see the President is ring the White House door bell?

:crazy:

[JDPriestly]

14. It does not take much to do a security check these days.

Thanks to the ubiquitous surveillance, that is the God's truth of the matter. This couple probably went through a more thorough security check than they realized.

I think this is rather nice. The president and his family cannot live in a lead cell. They need to be able to mix with people.

[Brother Buzz]

3. "Son, as my old pappy used to say...

if you're ever served a rare steak that is intended for someone else, don't bother with ethical details - eat as much as you can before the mistake is discovered." - Beauregard 'Pappy' Maverick


The Dardens will be talking about this for years!

[chill_wind]

4. !! LOL!

eom

[Ian David]

5. They were also allowed to use the good hand towels in The President's private bathroom. n/t

[Solly Mack]

6. Sounds like fun

[high density]

7. Sounds nice to me

If they can pass a background check and the White House doesn't mind them eating some food, I don't see the problem.

[chill_wind]

8. I agree. Reminds me of something that could have been

written into a few minutes of script for an old episode of West Wing. THEY WILL be talking about that for years :-)

[whistler162]

19. Big block of cheese day.....

[superconnected]

9. Told ya the secret service wasn't going to protect him. I'm surpirsed he made it a year.

[BlueJazz]

10. I think it's great. The couple pay taxes and what's the harm in them getting...

...to see the house of the President. :)

[superconnected]

12. Yes, I am glad that we do not have an administration of fear now. It is fun to read how these people

were let in for breakfast since their tour was canceled.

[Mr. Sparkle]

11. While this is a funny antidote, it is also highly dangerous.

Surely the head of the secret service is now going to get fired over this. Twice, in the space of a few weeks .... is an Epic Fail.

[chill_wind]

13. From the article-- they were screened and then some,

same, it sounds like, as the 200 other guests already there....it was a veterans' breakfast

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.

Sounds like S.S had it covered.

[Mr. Sparkle]

15. Your quite right, it was more of an administration mix up rather than the secret service.

still though, i fell someone's head should roll for the same blunder after last week.

[whistler162]

20. still though.......

you didn't bother reading the story!

[Mr. Sparkle]

34. touché !!

I had just read the quoted part above. After reading the full story it turned out to be a good one.

Props to the Prez it was a nice move, the kind of touch that has been missing from the white-house over the last 8 years.. And boo's to the Ap and OP(the part quoted wasn't representative of the actual story).

[truthisfreedom]

16. The couple made a mistake, and the WH accommodated them. They were already scheduled to be on the

premises, the next day. Who cares? The WH staff was nice to them even though they made a mistake.

[FarCenter]

17. Since they were slated to visit the next day, they would already have had background checks

and been slotted into the harmless retired pharmacist from Georgia bin.

[louis-t]

18. I visit homes on the Detroit riverfront that have security.

Condos, high-rises with panoramic views, townhouses, etc. For the last couple of years I have been making a joke that it would be easier to get into the WH than get through security in some of these places. Prophetic.

[Renew Deal]

21. Uninvited Tourists Get Big Surprise at White House

Source: Sphere

WASHINGTON (Dec. 15) -- 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.
<snip>

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

Read more: http://www.sphere.com/nation/article/uninvited-tourists-harvey-and-paula-darden-get-breakfast-with-obama/19283398

---

Party at the White House. Everyone is invited. :party:

[MercutioATC]

22. It's better than Denny's...

[Cha]

23. Yeah, hard to bash that news.

[lapfog_1]

24. At this rate, those folks might be his only supporters left

after a year in office.

[Renew Deal]

25. Nope, there's plenty of supporters

Though I'm sure you hope your fringe fantasy comes true.

[cutlassmama]

26. I still support Obama.

[lapfog_1]

29. Not my fringe fantasy...

Look at the polling today.

HCR without a public option or Medicare expansion... well under 50%.

Presidential approval is dropping like a rock.

You folks need to pay attention.

[treestar]

27. That was nice of them

Under the previous administration, they would have been suspected of terrorist intent for showing up at the WH on the wrong day.

[high density]

28. dupe...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4185759

[27inCali]

30. I think the Secret Service is trying to get him killed

a lot of those assholes are there for the party at Bohemian Grove too and buy into that warped philosophy.,

[WriteDown]

33. Link to evidence

of that claim?

[Trajan]

36. Pffffffffffffft ...

[DWilliamsamh]

31. The question of how people "not on the list" ended up inside isn't open AT ALL>...

"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."

Why would they say the question is left open by this incident, and then write of the explanation? The question isn't open AT ALL. They were ushered in as a courtesy and had already passed the security check for admission to elevated access. There is no story here. Well no negative one - despite the attempt by Sphere to spin it that way.

[Dirigo]

32. The Darden's Received A Big Obama Welcome

I think it turned out wonderfully for the Darden's and I am sure the President and Mrs. Obama thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to meet them so casually and informally. Many surprises like this unfold everyday across America and I am glad to see it worked for the Darden's since they were sincere in their efforts. It is not uncommon for congressionally arranged visits and tours to be mixed-up. Who hasn't been screwed up by administrative snafu's? If there were several or more I am sure the SS would have escorted them out politely.

[question everything]

35. This is funny (nt)