sonshine
PLC06 Applicant
I guess they never heard the saying, "Don't mess with Texas."
SANTIAGO, Chile (Nov. 21) - Hours after President Bush dove into a fracas to rescue his lead Secret Service agent from a confrontation with Chilean security officials, word surfaced of another security dispute. This time, an elaborate state dinner Sunday night was the casualty.
The dinner planned for Bush and 200 others by Chilean President Ricardo Lagos was reportedly scrapped after Chile was unwilling to accept security measures sought by the U.S. Secret Service, including a demand that all guests pass through metal detectors.
Leading Chilean newspaper El Mercurio reported that the disagreement led Bush and Lagos to instead hold a small "social dinner'' with a handful of aides from each side.
On Saturday night, Chilean security barred Bush's bodyguards from accompanying the president into a dinner for Asia-Pacific leaders. As a pushing and shoving match ensued, Bush strode over to the melee, reached into the group and pulled mustachioed agent Nick Trotta out by the lapel and into the dinner.
Bush was seen shaking his head and muttering under his breath as he walked away. The president straightened his shirt cuffs as he went into the dinner.
"Chilean security tried to stop the president's Secret Service from accompanying him," said White House deputy press secretary Claire Buchan. "He told them they were with him and the issue was resolved."
Trotta has been taking good-natured ribbing for having to be rescued by the man he's charged with protecting.
"The president is someone who tends to delegate, but every now and then he's a hands on kind of guy,'' Bush press secretary Scott McClellan said.
As for the dispute over Sunday's dinner, the White House remained mostly mum, merely confirming the event had been downgraded.
McClellan refused to discuss the matter further, referring reporters to the Chilean government.
SANTIAGO, Chile (Nov. 21) - Hours after President Bush dove into a fracas to rescue his lead Secret Service agent from a confrontation with Chilean security officials, word surfaced of another security dispute. This time, an elaborate state dinner Sunday night was the casualty.
The dinner planned for Bush and 200 others by Chilean President Ricardo Lagos was reportedly scrapped after Chile was unwilling to accept security measures sought by the U.S. Secret Service, including a demand that all guests pass through metal detectors.
Leading Chilean newspaper El Mercurio reported that the disagreement led Bush and Lagos to instead hold a small "social dinner'' with a handful of aides from each side.
On Saturday night, Chilean security barred Bush's bodyguards from accompanying the president into a dinner for Asia-Pacific leaders. As a pushing and shoving match ensued, Bush strode over to the melee, reached into the group and pulled mustachioed agent Nick Trotta out by the lapel and into the dinner.
Bush was seen shaking his head and muttering under his breath as he walked away. The president straightened his shirt cuffs as he went into the dinner.
"Chilean security tried to stop the president's Secret Service from accompanying him," said White House deputy press secretary Claire Buchan. "He told them they were with him and the issue was resolved."
Trotta has been taking good-natured ribbing for having to be rescued by the man he's charged with protecting.
"The president is someone who tends to delegate, but every now and then he's a hands on kind of guy,'' Bush press secretary Scott McClellan said.
As for the dispute over Sunday's dinner, the White House remained mostly mum, merely confirming the event had been downgraded.
McClellan refused to discuss the matter further, referring reporters to the Chilean government.
