Party Crashing at the Pres's House

At a Glance


Who: Michaele and Tareq Salahi
What: Official gatecrashers
When: Obama's first State dinner
How: Secret service/security failure
Mother's Conclusion: "I think they need a spanking," according to Christina Lamb, Times Online reporter.


How do you get your picture taken stroking the chest of the vice-president of the United States at a by-invitation-only affair at the White House? Walk in looking like you belong.

According to an early report by Times Online reporter Gates Withell, a former cheerleader and her wine-lover husband pulled off the stunt despite the fact that we are post 9-11, with a president who has repeatedly had death threats.

The desperate housewife donned her sari, her husband donned his dinner jacket and waltzed right past every security checkpoint.

People have commented "There was a breakdown between the social office and the secret service." Are you kidding?

Initially the Secret Service said president was never in danger. I guess they do not consider a handshake is close enough for "danger."

Others said said it was a comedy of errors. Hmmmmm.

I find it incredible that two people, who were not listed on the official guest list, not only gained entrance to the event in the White House, they made contact with most of the highest people in our government.

Had they chosen to do harm, this country could have been without its president, vice-president, white house chief of staff and whoever else the Sahali's came in contact with--not to mention the possibilities of harm to India's prime minister and his wife.

What this incident did more than anything, as far as I am concerned, is show the world how easy it would be to get inside the security circle that should be around our president, our White House. I am especially concerned since it has been reported that the Sahali's are offering their "how we did it" story to the highest bidder.

After all, the hijackings of September 11 did not begin on September 11.

Then, there are the people don't want this couple punished.

Strange.

If someone entered my gated community, got past the guards at the door, and my private body guards, crashed an RSVP-only party at my house, then brazenly played "show-and-tell" to the world about how they breached my security, I would want them punished along with the people who allowed them access to my home and my family.

And I'm not the president of anything.