In case you haven’t had a chance to see the news this weekend, President Bush, at the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Chile, had to wade into a scrum to rescue his Secret Service agent (video).
As the President was entering some function, in full view of the cameras, the Chilean security closed ranks behind him and wouldn’t let his agents through. Pushing and shoving ensued and the President turned around, waded into the crowd, and pulled his agent through by the lapel.
I guess it’s not a real big deal, but I think it says something about the character of the man, as well as the relationship that can develop between a president and his detail. I know that after Reagan left office, his chief of the protective detail continued to work for him and then, after he retired, became a close friend of the President.
As for Bush’s character, it says that he’s not afraid to do what has to be done in any situation, to take charge, and that he sees the people who work for him not just as servants, but as important in their own right. I can’t picture Bill Clinton (or John Kerry, for that matter) doing the same thing. Remember, it was Kerry who called one of his agents an SOB in front of reporters when he fell down skiing last winter. Another indicator of why I’m glad Bush beat Kerry.
It’s generally a bad idea to surprise the Secret Service detail guarding the President.
The world press reaction was predictable calling the President a cowboy, American exceptionalism, etc.
And you forgot Hilllary’s routine humiliations of her Secret Service detail – ordering them around like personal servants.
What were these Chilean morons thinking? The President of the United States is not going to be escorted by his own security detail?
And of course, the problem is “this American cowboy president”, not the arrogant morons in Chile. Oh, brother.
The President’s Secret Service detail deserves kudos for not taking these security amatuers down the moment they stepped between the Secret Service and the President.
Maybe Bush should try out for a spot on the Indiana Pacers.
This was a deliberate attempt to separate Bush from his protection. The Chileans also wanted to forego any metal detectors. You can put two and two together.
I read that in the end a whole state dinner was cancelled.
The Guardian newspaper in England has been openly calling for the President to be killed.
The liberals are just mad that the assassination attempt failed….oh well, back to the drawing board for them.
I’m glad the President is okay, and I’m proud of the President for having some guts. He’s American and he acts like it, and that’s good.
When countries are in trouble, they can’t wait for us to bail them out with OUR men and OUR money. We freed Europe from Hitler by the narrowest of margins 60 years ago and we’ve supported them and defended them ever since and that includes snotty old England. If we had been meek and mild then, the Guardian today would be in German. Thousands of American men shed their blood on the beaches of Normandy to protect the British Isles and turn the war around. They would do well to get down off their high horse and remember who they OWE for everything they have, starting with their very language.
They think that was a mistake? They don’t like us anymore? Then let them defend themselves for a change. And let them do without trade status and tourism. (Read American $$$$$).
The Chilean government, banana republic that it is, deserves to have its collective economic butt kicked. What a bunch of arrogant hicks they are to think they can stand between the President and his security detail.