So . . . . we flew from the east coast to San Francisco today . . . . . .

[Stinky The Clown]

. . . . on Southwest. Changed planes at Midway in Chicago. While in line two odd events happened. First, a TSA dude and a TSA dudette rechecked everyone's ID and boarding pass. Next, a man got wanded down by a third TSA agent right where the boarding pass taker was stationed. Then the wanded down man was escorted on the plane by a man the gate agents referred to as a sky marshal.

The wanded down man and the sky marshal occupied the first row of the plane with an empty middle seat.

The wanded down man was Howard Dean.

I think its a very good thing that, even as he has no right to government protection, the government is doing what it can to protect him.

We sat way in the back of the plane. I knew the flight was near full but not completely so. I saved the middle seat between us by using the old barf bag trick. You sit in your seat looking ill and hold the barf bag to your face. A bit of squirming is okay if you don't overdo it. No one takes the seat next to you. When they close the cabin door, you spread out and relax.

[madfloridian]

1. Very interesting, Stinky.

So you are sure they were protecting him? Not harassing? You seem to think the former.

Interesting flight. I like your tactic for keeping the middle seat empty, BTW :D

[Stinky The Clown]

3. No, very clearly they were protecting him.

The sky marshal sat on the aisle and he sat on the window. They were keeping his personal space clear. We wanted to say hi or even shake his hand but the sky marshal looked everyone in the eye as they boarded and Dr. Dean kept his eyes on something he was reading. The whole message was "keep moving". When we go off some passengers who were up front near him remarked how cool it was to see him but how they whisked him off the plane and down the stairs outside the jetway.

It was clearly a VIP thing, not harassment.

[madfloridian]

7. That is reassuring.

Thanks for sharing.

[whathehell]

23. But why would they "wand him down" ?..I assume he'd already gone through security.

Love the Howard...Don't want to seem him harassed.:-(

[gkhouston]

27. It may be SOP for air marshals that they don't sit next to someone unless

they're damned sure that person is unarmed...no exceptions. :shrug:

I'd be more afraid of being debated into the ground by Dr. Dean, myself.

[whathehell]

29. Good point, lol.

[lapfog_1]

9. no, he wasn't being harassed, he probably didn't wait in the TSA

line and had direct access to the gate, where they did a minimal check.

I saw the same thing on a Southwest flight from San Jose to Tucson. We stopped in LA but no change of planes... after boarding was over (the first row had a stewardess was guarding it to make sure no one sat there), a black SUV came up to the place accompanied by a single CA highway patrol cruiser. A few people got out and two women climbed the steps up to the jetway and sat down in the reserved row. A air marshal set down in the seat in the same row opposite of the women.

One of the women I immediately recognized.

It was Maria Shriver.

Made the local Tucson news that night, she was attending a charity function in Tucson.

Fairly low key, and not the private jet you might expect... just a row of seats on southwest.

BTW, I got an invite to go see Dr. Dean at a fundraiser here last night in Palo Alto for Jerry McNerney. Unfortunately, I couldn't go.

-Alan

[LiberalAndProud]

2. Wow. I'm starstruck that you got to fly with the good Dr. Dean.

Sheds a sympathetic light on the TSA too. Thanks for sharing.

[Stinky The Clown]

6. Yeah, I'm a big NON fan of the TSA, but this was good.

Not sure if sky marshals are part of TSA or a separate agency. I found it odd that they made a big deal of the guy being a sky marshal, but they were openly talking about it at the entrance to the jetway.

[cwydro]

21. Sky marshals are not supposed to be identified.

The gate agents were out of line in telling people that.

[Art_from_Ark]

4. So how is "wanding down" Howard Dean protecting him?

Did anyone else get "wanded down"?

[Stinky The Clown]

8. Everyone gets wanded or otherwise searched. It seems like he just "appeared" at the jetway .....

.... but we think he got driven on a golf cart. The implication is that he never passed regular security screening so they did it at the gate (not unusual, they spot check all the time). The sky marshal, however, stayed on the plane with him. Not sure you'd call that "protecting" him or just screening him from stupid people who might want to shake his hand - like us!

[whathehell]

24. I saw John Edwards boarding first class from Chicago to Philadelphia...and I got to speak to him

I told him I was sorry he had dropped out of the race as I had wanted to vote for him..He put his hand on my arm and thanked me.

This was before his unfortunate "fall from grace" of course.

[KamaAina]

26. That sums it up in a nutshell.

John Edwards flies first class.

People Powered Howard flies Southwest.

[catzies]

34. Nice.

And an "Oh, SNAP!" :)

[jobycom]

28. The wand sprays MPD, or Magic Protection Dust.

Here's the Chief Scientist now, with her wand!

[Hawkowl]

5. Shit!

I missed Dr. Dean? I was flying in and out of SFO all day today!

[Duer 157099]

10. Welcome to the Bay Area!

Of course you know by now about that big explosion a few miles from SFO, in San Bruno, yes?

I've been wondering if someone important was flying into SFO today (explosion was at 6:15pm) and maybe this was some sort of terra attempt. Turns out there WAS someone important flying in today! YOU! Well, and Dr. Dean.

What time did you arrive?

Going to visit wine country while you're here? :hi:

[Stinky The Clown]

17. Yup. I have business in Sonoma, then we're going over to Napa, too.

[AsahinaKimi]

11. Welcome to San Francisco

I hope you enjoy your stay..


Hope you get to visit my favorite place here in the city
(Try the sushi at Kushi Tsuru its fresh and yummy!)

Nihonmachi (Japantown) On Post between Filmore and Gough streets.

[stranger81]

31. Ditto -- welcome to the Best Coast, Stinky!

Great weather on tap for you this weekend.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Paper Roses]

13. Huh?

[eShirl]

14. old friends?

:rofl:

[LostinVA]

15. Oh JFC

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

16. WTF?

:rofl:

Dude, put the bong down and back away slowly. Seriously...

:rofl:

[liberalhistorian]

32. Oh, damn, why

do I always seem to miss the fun around here, lol!!! Sometimes I wish the mods would let the crazies hang around for just a bit longer, so we could enjoy having some fun with them. Now I'm wondering just what he said?

I saw the good doctor speak in Rapid City, SD, in 2006. He was speaking for our county Democratic group at the local Radisoon. Cool thing was that it was a short walk from my then-apt., and it was in a fairly small room at the hotel, so I got to sit right in the first few rows not that far away from him at all. Great experience!!!

[End Of The Road]

18. Thanks for the barf bag tip!!

I'm going to remember that one!

[lonestarnot]

19. I wondered why I haven't been seeing you around here.

:evilgrin: Out cohorting/jetsetting with my good Dr. Dean.

[LynneSin]

20. I'm recommending this thread if only for that barf bag trick

Gonna try that next time I fly.

[mopinko]

22. stinky, you are a born bad boy.

barf bag trick. :spank:

[Stinky The Clown]

25. C'mon. You *know* you love it.

For what its worth, the trick was suggested to me by a ...... wait for it ...... flight attendant.

:)

[mopinko]

35. i only think it is cute because you're not mine.

sparkly is entitled to the highest realm of heaven.

[Bluenorthwest]

30. SF and points north, nothing could be better...

Napa, Sonoma, you can not go wrong, the navel of the guru, the best of places. Enjoy to the fullest.

[Ignis]

33. Enjoy your visit to the Bay.

Give us a little advance warning next time, and we'll bake you a cake. :D