posted on March 2, 2001 09:24:08 PM
Since when does the Secret Service bail out drunken partgoers who are not members of the Foist Family?
"In a follow-up to a Fort Worth Star-Telegram story, (see below) the following details were added..."
"A college student claiming to be the boyfriend of President Bush's daughter Jenna was arrested at a fraternity party and released several hours later to a man whom deputies believed to be a Secret Service agent, a sheriff said Thursday...."We're not making any comments about this incident," said Noelia Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for first lady Laura Bush in Washington....Held at the county jail, Bridges was intoxicated and loudly insisted that he was dating Bush's daughter, Anderson said his deputies told him. When Bridges was allowed to make a phone call, he talked a few minutes and then handed the phone to a jail sergeant, who said a young woman on the line identified herself as Jenna Bush, Anderson said....William Ashe Bridges, an 18-year-old Texas Christian University freshman..., who was cited for public intoxication and underage possession of alcohol, was released after four hours' detention. A black Chrevolet Suburban with Virginia license plates arrived outside, and a man came inside to pick up Bridges,Anderson said....Jail personnel believed the man was a Secret Service agent. A deputy saw a woman in the vehicle but was not sure if it was Ms. Bush, said Anderson.Ms. Bush, 19, is a freshman at the University of Texas at Austin."
--AP, 3/1/01
Another report details that Bridges was NOT held for the customary four hour sober up period but instead was release to the black helicopter after less than three hours.
posted on March 2, 2001 09:27:40 PM
I read that story in my newspaper this morning. Clarified my understanding of what Bush means by the term family values.
posted on March 2, 2001 09:46:48 PM
Hmmmm. Maybe after so many generations the bail-out/cover-up becomes hereditary. Surely it's not a learned behavior.
posted on March 2, 2001 10:09:46 PMClarified my understanding of what Bush means by the term family values.
Silly, silly Antiquary, don't you know that when someone speaks of 'family values' they don't mean what they do with their family!! Of course, they mean what YOU should do with your family.
posted on March 2, 2001 10:17:20 PM
If you knew how the Secret Service unit assigned the Presidential detail functioned, and all the bases they are obligated to cover regarding security for the President and the President's family, you would know why it may have been the Secret Service who picked up the drunk and the process that would definately have followed.
posted on March 2, 2001 10:42:06 PM
Well, I'll try, but first I've got to encourage a family member to get in trouble so that we can decide how to cover it up. It's not as easy as it sounds, you know.
posted on March 2, 2001 10:54:02 PM
Oh sure. Within the responsibilty of the Secret Service falls the protection of every drunken person who knows a bush.
Today, the Secret Service is authorized by law to protect:
the President, the Vice President, (or other individuals next
in order of succession to the Office of the President), the
President-elect and Vice President-elect;
the immediate families of the above individuals;
former Presidents, their spouses for their lifetimes, except
when the spouse re-marries. In 1997, Congressional
legislation became effective limiting Secret Service
protection to former Presidents for a period of not more
than 10 years from the date the former President leaves
office.
children of former presidents until age 16;
visiting heads of foreign states or governments and their
spouses traveling with them, other distinguished foreign
visitors to the United States, and official representatives of
the United States performing special missions abroad;
major Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates, and
their spouses within 120 days of a general Presidential
election.
posted on March 2, 2001 11:06:40 PM
See Krs, here is the problem with what you just posted.....it doesn't say President of the US. So, if the kid was, say, President of his frat.....well, then.....
Maybe that is what sgtmike meant? Although, from the tone of his message it seems he could tell ya' but then he would have to kill you. Save yourself the trouble and watch the 'Behind Closed Doors' show which featured the secret service that way you can know all he knows without having to make such a sacrifice.
posted on March 2, 2001 11:09:02 PM
Antiquary: I'm shocked at you!! Don't you know all you have to do is give your kid a condom and he will go have sex? If that is to much trouble, just let the kids watch TV....that way they will become serial killers and you don't have to do a thing!
Copy and paste to your heart's content, you probably will never hit on the facts.
Here is a hint:
The protection of the intoxicated student, having charges dropped, or doing a favor for the Bush family, would not be the primary reason the Secret Service intervened, if they did.
In addition, it is highly probable that the local police (first) contacted the Secret Service regarding the actions and statements by the student, and that the Secret Service responded and processed the situation long before President Bush or his wife knew.
Also, regardless what the Bush's may desire, if the Secret Service fear, suspect, or determine a security risk concerning the student, they (Secret Service) will override the Bush's wishes if the wishes are in contradiction with best security measures and national security.
The President can be politely advised, that the protection of his life is actually a national security concern and that all actions necessary for national security will prevail. Meaning, if the Secret Service determines the student could be a risk to any degree, President Bush will be advised that Ms. Bush will be advised that she is not to associate with the student.
posted on March 3, 2001 12:08:07 AM
Where do you get such nonsense? The kid called Jenna using his call and his cell phone. There was no reason for the local police to contact anyone on the basis of a loud drunken claim, nor is there any evidence that they did.
Jenna got the call, went to get the guy and the SS complied with her insistence that it be done as though they are some sort of lackeys in a king's court servicing the princess.
But they are not that, and their authorized activities with the full scope of their duties is a matter of law and determined by the congress.
They should have dissuaded Jenna from such a foolish endeavor for HER safety, which is their only concern.
Here, since it seems you are unable to demystify the mechanisms of a search yourself, I've brought you the official website of the Secret Service within which you will find the authorization statement above along with many other interesting and no doubt new facts about the service in total: http://www.treas.gov/usss/.
Unfortunately there will be nothing to support your ridiculous statements, [sgtmike[/b]. Even I could not help with that.
posted on March 3, 2001 12:22:30 AM
What facts regarding the true reason for the Secret Service becoming involved and what the conclusion is or will be, do you deduce from that media blip?
posted on March 3, 2001 12:25:47 AM
My AP newspaper account says that "She [Jenna Bush] just asked when he could be released," he [Tarrant County Sheriff Dee Anderson] said. "No one asked for any special favors whatsoever."
Then the account of the SS agent pulling up to rescue him.
posted on March 3, 2001 12:31:34 AM
I can guarantee you, it would not matter if the entire Bush family and all the Bush relatives talked to the student on the telephone. If the media has accurately reported the intoxicated student's actions and statements he made, the police would have informed the Secret Service and the Secret Service's primary concern and actions would not initially honor Ms. Bush's desires.
Although the Secret Service fully realize the protection of the President and family is not an absolute, the Secret Service rigidly adhere to a "zero tolerance" rule regarding security of the President.
You can be sure, if there was ever a situation where saving the life of a family member of the President would possibly put the President at risk, the family member would be expendable.
There is common rule that governs most investigations and security measures..
"If it is not impossible, then it is possible. If it is possible; does the information and the circumstances make it probable?"
posted on March 3, 2001 12:32:21 AM
Right Dan, but I guess we should know by now that the actual statements of the involved police should not be considered to be factual if they are later relayed in the press. And what press anyway, right? Fox and Rush didn't have it, so it must not be true. Been there before and it's repetitious and shallow.
posted on March 3, 2001 12:37:10 AM
I don't know, Ken, it does sound like the SS personally consulted with Mike before they took action, and the article only sites the Tarrant County Sheriff, who didn't remember that he had called them, according to Mike. He was probably shaken up because the intoxicated kid that they had under custody was a "national security risk", according to Mike.
posted on March 3, 2001 12:38:35 AM"You can be sure, if there was ever a situation where saving the life of a family member of the President would possibly put the President at risk, the family member would be expendable".
What in the world are you talking about? The president wasn't there or even near, this happened at a frat party in Austin. Further, regardless the expendability of the president's daughter, this whole thing isn't about her. It's about some presumptuous and drunken kid trying anything he could think of to get out of the slammer, first, and then it's about the SS acting to get him out.
They just flat ain't supposed to do that. You just said so yourself.
posted on March 3, 2001 12:47:32 AM
Considering that it might be possible, until proven otherwise, that others (here) may have operational experience with the Presidential Secret Service Unit, and are privy to their mission and procedures, I'll sit back and read what they have to offer, excluding media info and information from unsubstantiated sources.
posted on March 3, 2001 12:48:10 AM
Dan, does this look like the report you got in your paper? It's from the Ft. Worth Star Telegram
FORT WORTH -- Secret Service agents who said they were escorting one of President Bush's daughters picked up a TCU student early Sunday from the county jail
after his arrest for public intoxication, Sheriff Dee Anderson said Wednesday. Anderson said William Ashe Bridges, 18, was polite and courteous, but also "very intoxicated" and
"very vocal" in saying that he was Jenna Bush's boyfriend. He was placed in a cell alone, to ensure his safety, for about four hours, then allowed to make a call from his cellular telephone,
the sheriff said. Anderson said jail officials believe that he called for Jenna Bush and her Secret Service escort. "A few minutes later, a black Suburban and some Secret Service agents
showed up," Anderson said, adding that jail personnel were told Jenna Bush was in the Suburban. Bridges, a TCU freshman, entered the vehicle and "they were on their way," the sheriff
said....
The White House...declined to discuss Jenna Bush's friendship with Bridges, or whether she was at a weekend party near Texas Christian University that was halted by
police and Texas Alcholic Beverage Commission officers. Claire Buchan, a White House spokeswoman, said: "We are not going to have a comment." Officers arrived at
the private residence in the 2700 block of Sandage Avenue shortly after midnight on Sunday after receiving complaints of loud music and beer bottles in the yard and the street, TABC Sgt.
Robert Cloud said. Cloud said he arrived at the scene and was told of reports that "Jenna Bush was there and the Secret Service was up the road." He said he didn't see the agents or
Bush. Once Bridges was placed in custody, Cloud said, "he asked initially if Jenna was all right. He told me they had gone to high school together in Austin and were friends." A young
woman was also arrested at the party, because her driver's license was thought to be fake, and a young man -- believed to be one of the party's hosts -- was taken into custody on a charge
of providing alcohol to minors, Cloud said. Jenna Bush, 19, a freshman at the University of Texas at Austin, could not be reached to comment....
Anderson said jail staff members notified him that they might have a close friend of the president's daughter in custody. "My instructions to them was to treat him just
like any other prisoner, [and] be sure to keep him safe," the sheriff said. Jailers were, at first, skeptical when Bridges described himself as Bush's boyfriend, Anderson said. They
changed their minds, however, once the prisoner made his call and the black Suburban pulled up. "I think they became fairly convinced fairly quickly that they [ the agents] were the real
people when they showed up," Anderson said. He said Bridges was kept in the jail for four hours, which he called plenty of time for the teen-ager to sober up. According to an offense
report, Bridges was officially booked in at 2:58 a.m. Sunday and released just less than three hours later, at 5:46 a.m.
In an interview in December 1999, early in the presidential campaign, George W. Bush acknowledged concerns about the privacy of his twin daughters Jenna and Barbara.
Barbara Bush is a freshman at Yale University. "One of my great hesitancies about making this race is I really don't want their lives to be affected by me, and I know it's going to be," Bush
said then. "It is something that troubles me because I love them and I can understand," he said." --Fort Worth Star Telegram, 2/28/01
posted on March 3, 2001 12:52:23 AM"You can be sure, if there was ever a situation where saving the life of a family member of the President would possibly put the President at risk, the family member would be expendable".
Where do I say that the above statement (directly) applies only to the drunk student incident?
posted on March 3, 2001 12:54:18 AM
No, not quite so detailed as that one, though the same basic facts. Sounds like the media is already on the ball. Thank God, otherwise, it would have been an easy cover-up. Also, thank God for the honesty of the county sheriff.
