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.

[ThePythonicCow]

Not unreasonable. I can imagine him doing what he did either way, with or without that prior knowledge.

I'm glad he's well. And I'm glad he's President.

[FairOpinion]

Teh Chileans were trying to "stick it to us", putting our President in danger, for power play.

[Barlowmaker]

I'm going to look up that defenseman encroachment rule when I get a chance! ;^)

[Barlowmaker]

Yeah, but the Secret Service saw it coming. Didn't they? So, who is to blame here?

Look, my opinion is that it was no big deal. Bush was certainly not flustered by the silliness. He was grinning and jauntily shook some diplomat's hand with his roughed up pal in tow.

[lentulusgracchus]

.....and not informing the President of the threat?

Sounds like he was informed......his grep-and-grok elapsed time was approximately zero.

[lentulusgracchus]

Teh Chileans were trying to "stick it to us", putting our President in danger, for power play.

Colin Powell probably had the Chilean ambassador in his office five minutes later.

[Barlowmaker]

Then it wasn't a threat, was it?

[skybolt]

I read the Wash Times article and the explanation for the incident being a Chilean macho security issue does not wash.

Also the fact fact that this is not an isolated incident bothers me too.

Call me paranoid for my views if it feels good for you, I'm okay with it here.

[A Citizen Reporter]

"You're working a flame war on me

You're so cute.

"What is your problem?

Here, I'll try to sum it up:

Posted by Barlowmaker to FairOpinion
On News/Activism 11/20/2004 10:55:01 PM CST · 728 of 949

"Of course I do, but you, I and every other keyboard expert do not have the FIRST CLUE about the situational security scenario in that area at that time. But, if you look, now the thread is turning bitter that Bush is traveling, that his SS detail failed etc. It's just like clockwork here."

Posted by Barlowmaker to FairOpinion
On News/Activism 11/20/2004 11:27:52 PM CST · 767 of 949

"One thing to remember is that the First couple were inside that foyer with Chilean President Lagos and his wife. The Chilean guys were protecting THEIR Prez from assasination too. It was a miscommunication. W saw the altercation, went over to the group and said "they're with me" ... end of altercation. This storyline unfolds every night in the doorways of trendy nightclubs. ;^)"

Posted by Barlowmaker to Mad_Tom_Rackham
On News/Activism 11/21/2004 12:37:16 AM CST · 845 of 949

"I just hooked up my backup computer and watched the video. If the guys were hellbent on violence against President Bush, they could have taken him right when he walked through the door. I'm chalking it up to miscommunication between two hyper-sensitive security details. I can't even imagine the pressure of holding, and attending, an economic summit like that with all those anarchist freaks poised for trouble."

Posted by Barlowmaker to FairOpinion
On News/Activism 11/21/2004 12:42:22 AM CST · 851 of 949

"President Bush was reaching over the backs of the Chileans. They didn't know it was him. The woman in the red with the pigtail is another SS manager (I saw her at the debates) and she got in and defused the situation right before Bush got there. It wasn't anything ominous to me. It looked like one of those hockey scrums where all ten skaters converge as one to any confrontation before things get hashed out. No harm, no foul IMO. Regards."

I've rather enjoyed your happy-go-lucky viewpoint, but ALL OF A SUDDEN COMES THE DREADED THREAT!

"Posted by Barlowmaker to Mad_Tom_Rackham
On News/Activism 11/21/2004 12:53:02 AM CST · 866 of 949

"LOL. I am, however, worried about a visit to Columbia. They are excellent allies, but the lawless cartels and their Venezualen cohorts are still concerning."

And you said that after worrying about people doing that exact same thing earlier. I'm sorry Barlow, but you seem to be a cartoon.

It's a circular argurment, Barlow.

[Barlowmaker]

I said the kooks would show. Thanks for making me a seer.

[FairOpinion]

Well, I was really making good faith assumptions about Barlowmaker's viewpoint, but now that we have found more facts -- the video and more info in articles -- I am starting to conclude, that he/she is either hopelessly naive, is in denial, or just feels like being argumentative.

At this point, nobody in their right mind could dismiss the potential danger President Bush could have been in. Thank God, that nothing happened, but we can't tolerate some tid-bid countries to put our President in danger.

[ForGod'sSake]

SHEEESH! I can't believe I read through 700+ posts only to see a video of the event(s) that showed "W" and Laura being the only ones to try to have their own security enter at this door. Almost seems to me the most plausible explanation, since our guys had to know the protocol, is that it was an intentional flap. Diversion, test, whatever.

The only other HOS to enter without a spouse was Putin who maybe had a boy toy with him??? Kidding. Putin's companion didn't appear to be the security type, FWIW.

Thanks for the ping.

FGS

[A Citizen Reporter]

Don't like your own words? Who would have guessed!

[Ruth A.]

Wha he shoudl have done, when his access was blocked, was stop, stand still,and loudly call out.."Mr President, please do NOT enter the room sir.."

They have the radios at their cuffs and the earphone so that they don't have to shout out directions. Anyone could call out instructions, under your plan, and get the president to hesitate.

[Barlowmaker]

I will ask you again, in non-argumentative way: IF the Secret Service KNEW the Chilean security guards were going to stop the President's security detail in advance from entering that Hall, and either did not tell the President in advance or told the President and he decided to proceed anyway ... who are we supposed to be so damn agitated with?

Are we on the cusp of a FR "nuke Santiago" movement?

This place is nutzoid.

[Aracelis]

THAT is a leader men will follow.

Precisely the point. President Bush has proven time and again he's a take-charge man, willing to do the job himself. That is exactly the sort of man that people will follow...to hell and back if necessary.

Thank you, Mr. President, for showing us how it's done without appointing a comittee or taking a poll first.

[Barlowmaker]

I don't think our relationship is working out. For the sake of the viewers, let's call it a day.

[A Citizen Reporter]

"This place is nutzoid."

LOL, You are a cartoon!

[FairOpinion]

YOu are the only one who proposed "nuke Santiago".

The bottom line, is that there has been a major, deliberate security breech, by the Chileans. Whether it's because of a power play, or more sinister, we'll never know. But for you to blame it all on the US Security Service is not reasonable. The USSS agents were stopped AFTER Bush had entered.

You are deliberately misinterpreting the article. It did NOT say that the USSS knew they were going to be stopped. It said, that they were having arguments with the Chilean security service, who were clearly being unreasonable.

[bd476]

That's true, he is probably going to be in the clear on this one. The agent will probably be a bit embarrassed thinking how the man he is supposed to protect had to do a little diplomatic shuffle.