"Extra Scrutiny" at Albuquerque Airport for John Edwards

[mourningdove92]

Edwards' Pocket Knife Flagged at Airport
1 hour, 51 minutes ago


ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Sen. John Edwards (news - web sites) had a penknife confiscated as part of a stepped up security search that caused a one-hour delay for the Democratic presidential candidate and others boarding his chartered plane.


Albuquerque security officials gave extensive screenings to those traveling with the senator, including hand inspections of everyone's luggage and carry-on bags.


"We must look dangerous," joked the North Carolina Democrat, who was forced to go through a metal detector along with other passengers, and to have all his bags X-rayed, before being allowed to board his campaign plane.


A small knife was confiscated from Edwards' luggage. "It was a pocket knife," Edwards said. "I didn't even know it was there." He said he was told it would be returned to him later.


A pair of scissors, tweezers and assorted small tools used by photographers and television cameramen also were confiscated. The extra scrutiny, which was not explained, caused Edwards to be an hour late for his next scheduled appearance, a speech at a union hall in Oklahoma City.

[windansea]

1. dupe

[ShaneGR]

2. Hmmmm, the DHS?

Seems odd, perhaps they got targeted by the Department of Homeland Security? They used it in Texas. Just seems really odd for a private campaign plane.

[bobbieinok]

3. ???? Has this happened to other chartered planes?? candidates??

Wasn't Mondale's plane delayed so he was late to a speech in 2002??

[WilliamPitt]

4. So unsurprised

Clue Phone Calling: Security at airports is way way way tighter than it was two years ago. I've been flying a lot, and I've gone barefoot through every major airport in America. Edwards had a knife in his stuff, and it got flagged. The security guys aren't going to say, "You're John Edwards. Screw my federally-mandated security procedures! Go on through!" No, they're cops, basically, and they're going to follow procedures.

Moral: Don't have a knife in your stuff when you're trying to catch a plane to a rally.

Or, as I like to put it, "Duh."

[Lori Price CLG]

5. Detaining Democrats is not that unusual...

Actually, Gore campaign volunteers in 2000 were traveling to Michigan with campaign signs and they were stopped by the Michigan State police (Their vehicle had campaign signs on the window.)

The police trumped up a 'speeding' charge (which was later dropped) in order to make them late for the rally. The volunteers were released as soon as it was over. Source: a Clark campaign worker who was a Gore staffer during s-election 2000.

Cheers,

Lori R. Price
Citizens For Legitimate Government

[WilliamPitt]

6. But did any of them have a knife on them while boarding a plane?

[Lori Price CLG]

9. Well, it's not as if they didn't know who Edwards was, <g>.

Perhaps the person wielding the tweezers was more menacing than Homeland Suckyourity could allow... "Staffer Guilty of Excessive Plucking"

-Lori Price

[mn9driver]

7. Edwards' plane was a private charter: falls under FAR 135

instead of 121. Screening rules are different for 135, so it might actually have been unusual for a full "regular airport screening" to be done in this case. Hence his surprise at them finding his pocketknife-it might have been flying with him for the whole campaign up till now.

Chances are that the current wave of intelligence/paranoia has resulted in tighter security even for these private charters.

[WilliamPitt]

8. "tighter security even for these private charters"

Thanks for the clarification. Sounds like you're right.

[JohnLocke]

10. I agree. Funny Story Though.

:)