Bush comes to aid of Secret Service agent

AP ^ | 11/20/2004 | AP staff

[wjersey]

President Bush stepped into the middle of a confrontation and pulled his lead Secret Service agent away from Chilean security officials who barred his bodyguards from entering an elegant dinner for 21 world leaders Saturday night.

Several Chilean and American agents got into a pushing and shoving match outside the cultural center where the dinner was held. Bush noticed the fracas after posing for pictures on a red carpet with the summit host, Chilean President Ricardo Lagos and his wife and first lady Laura Bush.

[Jean S]

Wow! Very neat.

[Squantos]

I was watching him arrive this afternoon and was wondering how the USSS and the chest thumpers in Chile were getting along....always a problem with those peckerwoods.

[Mo1]

Abandoning the other three, Bush walked over to the agents, reached through the dispute and pulled his agent from the scrum.

No game playing for him .. He takes care of thing head on

[tubebender]

And what's so endearing is that it's such a "normal guy" diplomacy. :-)

Diplomacy...the art of telling someone to got to Hell and making them look forward to the trip.

[bd476]

Secret Service agents are supposed to protect the President and protect in a manner which will not bring embarrassment to the President. That President Bush had to intervene on behalf of the Secret Service agent might say to someone higher up within the ranks of the Secret Service that the agent gave the appearance of not doing his job.

Now I'm wondering if the agent will be reprimanded or blamed in any way by his Secret Service supervisors for any part in the disagreement with the Chilean security. It is my hope that he isn't, but those guys in the Secret Service have very rigid rules and regs to follow.

I am very proud that we reelected an honorable and real man to lead our country. God Bless President Bush.

[JanetteS]

"I love W..."

Me too. We're so lucky.

I feel almost as smug now as I did after election night!

I'm even changing my tag line to commemorate the occasion.

[Samwise]

My kind of President!

[baseballmom]

Do NOT Mess with Texas.

I love my President. Go GW !!

[Paperdoll]

Now there's a Real Man for you! Lucky Laura, lucky us!
GO DUBYA!

[WestCoastGal]

Don't see any pics with "W" yet.

[proudofthesouth]

Add me to this list. The more I see of him the more I admire and love him. :~)

[Pharmboy]

...or maybe they have just run out of people to torture.

[DBeers]

LMAO -kickin some Chilean bootie!

[StayAt HomeMother]

From Reuters:

"Chilean security stopped several agents and a pushing and shoving match ensued. ... When the president noticed the confrontation, Bush ... hauled the lead agent away from Chilean security. For a second or so it appeared Bush met resistance from the Chilean officers. Bush was seen shaking his head as he walked away."

http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=624677&section=news

Bush hauls agent from Chile guards
Sun 21 November, 2004 00:06


SANTIAGO, Chile (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush pulled a Secret Service bodyguard away from Chilean security officers after they stopped him from accompanying the president at a dinner.

Chilean security stopped several agents and a pushing and shoving match ensued as Bush was entering the Mapocho Station cultural centre on Saturday for an official dinner of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

APEC's summit television showed the incident.

When the president noticed the confrontation, Bush stepped away from his wife, Laura, and Chilean President Ricardo Lagos and his wife, and hauled the lead agent away from Chilean security.

For a second or so it appeared Bush met resistance from the Chilean officers. Bush was seen shaking his head as he walked away.

The White House had little comment.

"Chilean security tried to stop the president's Security Service from accompanying him. He told them they were with him, and they issue was resolved," White House spokeswoman Claire Buchan said.

[OldFriend]

Thank you for the 'rest of the story'.

Didn't really want to comment until I had all the facts!

[halfright]

Just a REAL AMERICAN HERO in his own right....Freeing 50 million was the big job...This was a piece of cake. This was loyalty to the ones who would take a bullet for him and don't underestimate what kind of moral booster that is to the Secret Service Guys....You can bet your posterior that President will never be out of protection from "his guys". Nothing they wouldn't do gladly to protect the boss.

Lord, Thy will was done....Thanks for agreeing with us :-) We have 4 more years of security in America.

[RandallFlagg]

Bookmarking.

I hope someone finds some.
Do we have any FReepers who live there?

[Paul C. Jesup]

Just one more reason to respect Bush for the person he is.

[marmar]

I know that this sounds crazy but.......I think he has a certain class to him.........Maybe it is just his character and integrity. Or the way he really loves this nation.............