Remembering the "stop screening people" at Dallas rally....

[rainbow4321]

http://www.star-telegram.com/667/story/486413.html

Security details at Barack Obama's rally Wednesday stopped screening people for weapons at the front gates more than an hour before the Democratic presidential candidate took the stage at Reunion Arena.

The order to put down the metal detectors and stop checking purses and laptop bags came as a surprise to several Dallas police officers who said they believed it was a lapse in security.

Dallas Deputy Police Chief T.W. Lawrence, head of the Police Department's homeland security and special operations divisions, said the order -- apparently made by the U.S. Secret Service -- was meant to speed up the long lines outside and fill the arena's vacant seats before Obama came on.

Several Dallas police officers said it worried them that the arena was packed with people who got in without even a cursory inspection. They spoke on condition of anonymity because, they said, the order was made by federal officials who were in charge of security at the event. "How can you not be concerned in this day and age," said one policeman.

[SoonerPride]

1. And that it hppened in Dallas of all places raised many eyebrows

Yes, I remember.

[LSparkle]

3. Hell yes I remember ... raised eyebrows then and moreso now

Secret Service had better be on their toes ... especially
after recent remarks.

[gateley]

2. I referenced this in another post today --

but didn't have the facts at hand.

I was surprised at the time because the Secret Service (when I type SS it just doesn't seem right) has the rep of being so meticulous and well-trained.

I hope they got a lot of grief over it and never let it happen again.

[rainbow4321]

4. And WHAT did the Dallas Deputy Police Chief say at the time....

"Sure," said Lawrence, when asked if he was concerned by the great number of people who had gotten into the building without being checked. But, he added, the turnout of more than 17,000 people seemed to be a "friendly crowd."

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:


Fucking idiot....got 2 words for him...Zapruder video...

[gateley]

9. Two words --

You're fired.

I know - that's just crazy. Lucky for him and especially the Secret Service that they WERE friendly folks!

[HCE SuiGeneris]

16. wish I could recommend this 100 times...

[AuntPatsy]

5. This is news and not good, Why aren't the likes of CNN reporting on it?

Seriously, this is scary...

[gateley]

10. It was briefly covered, but dropped off the radar.

I'm sure the Secret Service wasn't thrilled about the "publicity", as minimal as it was.

[AuntPatsy]

13. Your answer confuses me, first I am supposed to believe that

the media is for clinton, then for Mccain, now I am hearing the are for Obama, now if this is true and they covered it up so quickly, why wouldn't the news people run with the story if they wanted to attack Obama as some believe they are apt to do?I think I got confused wow, long day, if they covered this up, this would be against Obama...


Why doesn't his base bring it out? This is really serious?

[gateley]

14. Did you mean this post to go to me?

Because your post and question makes no sense in relation to what I posted. I made no mention of McCain, Obama or Clinton.

In response to the question if the media was covering it, I responded they did when it happened -- briefly, and then the story dropped off the radar.

:shrug:

[anigbrowl]

6. There's two reasons for that

besides the obvious practical ones to do with time, someone planning a crime is likely to arrive early rather than show up late. I wouldn't make too much of it.

[unblock]

17. just because he survived the experience doesn't mean it wasn't a lapse in security

some crimes are crimes of opportunity, not planning; and others are crimes of conspiracy.

someone might have seen they stopped checking, then zipped home or to their vehicle for a gun and returned, knowing they weren't checking.

others might have heard by eavesdropping on the security communications. someone might even have been in on it. maybe there was even a threat involved (someone with control over secret service might have done it to show obama that they could do it).

worse, the fact that it's public exposes a weakness. now someone who might be planning something can try showing up armed late. if they're checking for weapons, they can turn away at the last minute and wait until the one event the get impatient with checking.

ultimately, it makes public that the secret service is human and capable of mistakes and lapses. we all do much better to make people think they're borderline superheros who are phenomenally good at their job.

[samdogmom]

7. I remember this clearly. I was very scared for Obama!

Thank goodness everything was okay!

But, come on, who decides to abandon security screenings? Was it the Obama campaign....or somebody else? And, if it was somebody else...who was it?

[gateley]

11. The article says it appears it was a Secret Service decision. nt

[samdogmom]

15. Thanks!

Who controls the Secret Service...it's Dubya isn't it? n/t

[rainbow4321]

20. Dallas police were idiots if they thought they wouldn't get blamed

Had ANYthing happened, that deputy police officer's comment (see post #4) alone would have the world come crashing down on the Dallas PD...then with any higher ups in the current regime pointing figures and covering up, it would all fall into the lap of local officials and not the SS/feds.

[Combative Democrat]

8. Are you trying to link that incident with the Clinton interview?

If so, enlighten me as to how the two events are related.

[dmr]

18. How about the "link" is in the timing and not anything anyone is insinuating.

Do you see something in the OP that I fail to see?

Your question is curious - is it your aim to start something?

If anything, don't you think the information in the OP is alarming?

[grace0418]

12. That was the first thing I thought of when I heard Hillary's comment.

If anything happens to him, I think I will have to just move to another country because this one will be lost.

[ellacott]

19. There is a discrimination lawsuit against the SS filed by some Black agents

They uncovered some racially insensitive emails including one that disparaged Jessie Jackson.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/10/washington/10inquire.html?_r=2&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin&oref=slogin