Hope and Fail

Letting wannabe reality-TV stars crash a state dinner

A couple positioning themselves for a reality-TV debut on the Bravo network attended the White House state dinner honoring India’s prime minister — even though they weren’t invited.

From the Washington Post:

The White House said late Friday that Michaele and Tareq Salahi, the Virginia couple auditioning for a Bravo reality show, not only got past layers of experienced, executive-branch security but also shook the president’s hand in the Blue Room of the White House during the Obamas’ first state dinner. Late Friday, the White House also released a photo of Michaele Salahi’s audience with the president, with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh smiling nearby.

The security breach has caused hand-wringing inside the White House, bewilderment among Tuesday night’s guests — and late on Friday, prompted an apology from the Secret Service.

Also from the Post:

A White House official said the couple was not invited to the dinner, not included on the official guest list and never seated at a table in the South Lawn tent.

… While the White House offered no official explanation, it appears to be the first time in modern history that anyone has crashed a White House state dinner. The uninvited guests were in the same room as President Obama, first lady Michelle Obama and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, although it is unknown whether they met the Obamas and the guest of honor.

How is it that someone who is not invited to a state dinner get in? The Secret Service is taking the heat, but the White House changed procedure from previous administrations — pulling staff from the Social Office away from checkpoints where they used to cross reference guests’ names with those on the official invitee list. Instead, Social Secretary Desiree Rogers was at the state dinner as an invited guest.

From Politico:

Rogers’s office started taking heat last week after it was reported that the White House did not station staff members at the security checkpoint to help the Secret Service screen guests at the state dinner for Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, as has been customary in previous administrations.

Indeed, the White House says it will go back to the old way of doing things in a memo:

After reviewing our actions, it is clear that the White House did not do everything we could have done to assist the United States Secret Service in ensuring that only invited guests enter the complex. White House staff were walking back and forth outside between the check points helping guests and were available to the Secret Service throughout the evening, but clearly we can do more, and we will do more.

Beginning immediately for all official White House events:

• White House staff will be stationed physically at the check points with the United States Secret Service.

• Guests will be checked off of the list by White House staff and the Secret Service will continue to ensure that all guests have been properly cleared before entering the White House.

• Guests whose names are not on the guest list will be assisted by White House staff present at the check point for appropriate resolution.

• As always, the Secret Service will provide security and remain ultimately responsible for controlling access to the White House complex.

Thank goodness the crashers were just socialites. Not only did pulling in the social staff put the president in danger, but also the prime minister of India.