Secret Service: Slack Security at Obama Events Common

A Star Telegram report "Police concerned about order to stop weapons screening at Obama rally " tells how Dallas police were worried at the sudden slackening of security at an Obama campaign event Friday. 

Excerpt:

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 [Secret Service] who were in charge of security at the event.

"How can you not be concerned in this day and age," said one policeman.

After a little talk with the feds the S-T virtually changed the story (though acknowledging doing so and linking to the old report) in "Secret Service defends security at Obama rally in Dallas ".

Excerpt: 

The U.S. Secret Service on Friday defended its handling of security during a massive rally in downtown Dallas for Barack Obama, saying there was no "lapse" in its "comprehensive and layered security plan," which called for some people to be checked for weapons, while others were not.

... 

A report in the Star-Telegram that said some security measures were lifted during Wednesday's rally sparked a public outrage across the country, with most people saying they were shocked that a routine weapons search was lifted at the front gates of Reunion Arena an hour before the Democratic presidential candidate took the stage.

"This relaxed security was unbelievably stupid, especially in Dallas," Jeff Adams of Berkeley, Calif., said in an e-mail to the Star-Telegram, noting the assassination of President Kennedy in Dallas more than four decades ago.

Others said they had recently attended large political events, many for Obama, where security screening was halted. Jeremy Dibbell of Boston said in an e-mail that he attended an Obama event in Boston at which "the same thing happened there. We waited for hours in line as people were screened, and then suddenly everyone was just allowed in without going through any inspection at all."

 ...

"There were no security lapses at that venue," said Eric Zahren, a spokesman for the Secret Service in Washington. He added there was "no deviation" from the "comprehensive and layered" security plan, implemented in "very close cooperation with our law enforcement partners."

...

"It was never a part of the plan at this particular venue to have each and every person in the crowd pass through the Magnetometer," said Zahren, referring to the device used to detect metal in clothing and bags.

He declined to give the reason for checking people for weapons at the front of the lines and letting those farther back go in without inspection.

 Yeah, I bet they don't act that way when it's President Bush or John McCain.

tags: obama  campaign rally  metal detectors  dallas  texas  secret service  bush  mccain  2008 presidential primaries  2008 election  

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