Anyway, I couldn't help but notice my new favorite White House Homeland Security Advisor getting very irritated with Paula Zahn. By this, I mean, here we had news yesterday of the busted terrorist plot and the British and U.S. intelligence coming together to thwart a plot that could have resulted in the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians and Paula Zahn kept asking my new favorite Homeland Security Advisor babe about past problems and criticisms of Homeland Security and the TSA.
Transcript:
ZAHN: Is it safe for the American public to fly?
FRANCES FRAGOS TOWNSEND, WHITE HOUSE HOMELAND SECURITY ADVISER BABE: You know, it's natural that the American public would have that question.
And -- and the honest answer is, because we're taking these measures, these extraordinary measures that do cause inconvenience and delay, they can feel secure about flying. I have two small kids. I know it's an inconvenience. I know it's a burden. But this is -- this is a temporary measure we have got to take to ensure that our enemies, terrorists who want to blow up planes, can't get the essential components that they need through screening and on to a plane, so they can blow it up.
ZAHN: You say extraordinary measures are being taken, but how can the American public feel safe, when the TSA's own research, along with "USA Today," says that only 10 to 20 percent of carry-on baggage is actually tested for explosive material?
TOWNSEND (BABE): Well, all of it is screened. Let's -- let's be clear. All of it is looked at. All of it is screened. All of it goes through the magnetometers.
And the screeners are looking for anomalies, if you will. It's not just the explosive testing. They then have the ability, where they see anomalies, and they suspect something, to use more -- more specific explosive-detection methods.
But it's all looked at, and it's all screened.
ZAHN: But you have got Representative John Mica out there, who happens to be the chairman of the Transportation Subcommittee, saying that the system that we now have in place is farcical, and that the failure rate to detect explosives is just disastrous.
TOWNSEND (BABE): There's no question, Paula, that the Department of Homeland Security works with industry to push the technology, so it improves. And they have gotten greater explosive-detection equipment, with greater reliability.
And we will continue to work with industry and push them, and get the state-of-the-art equipment, and have it deployed in airports.
ZAHN: Is this fair criticism, on his part, because Representative Mica goes on to say that billions of dollars have been spent on this very specific kind of equipment you're talking about, that would detect explosives, but, in many cases, it's sitting on shelves and not even being used.
TOWNSEND (Noticeably Irritated but still a BABE): You know, Paula, this is the first I -- I'm hearing of Representative Mica's criticism.
I can tell you, having worked with Kip Hawley, who's the head of TSA, and with Secretary Chertoff, there is no higher priority than ensuring that this equipment is timely deployed, that the screeners have the adequate training, so they're using it properly, and ensuring that we get the maximum advantage of that equipment and the money that we're spending on aviation security.
ZAHN: You say you're hearing some of Representative Mica's criticism for the first time.
And, yet, there was a pretty stinging GAO report that came out at the beginning of the spring, suggesting some major deficiencies in how the TSA was operating. Has anything changed? Have things gotten better since that report came out?
TOWNSEND (BABE ready to reach through the camera and grab Zahn by the throat): You know, I -- I can tell you, I know that Secretary -- having spoken to him, Secretary Chertoff and Kip Hawley made a priority out of going through the -- working with the inspector general, going through that report, and ensuring that changes, specific changes, to their -- to the findings were put in place.
-End Transcript-
Although my new favorite Homeland Security Advisor babe was noticeably irritated, she did handle the interview with grace. This was a day to be cautiously optimistic about the strides we are making toward domestic security and all my new favorite Homeland Security Advisor babe was hit with was liberal whining and criticism.
She's a sweetie-pie, don't cha think?
