Posted on 09/08/2005 10:46:06 PM PDT by Cougar66
Thursday, Sept. 8, 2005 11:49 p.m. EDT Secret Service Mum on Mary Landrieu Threat
The U.S. Secret Service won't say whether it's investigating Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu after she threatened to "punch" President Bush earlier this week during a fit of anger over Hurricane Katrina.
"She might have been joking," Secret Service spokeswoman Lorie Lewis told NewsMax on Wednesday, after being told of Landrieu's comments on ABC's "This Week."
"If one person criticizes [Louisiana officials], or says one more thing, including the president of the United States, he will hear from me - one more word about it after this show airs and I - I might likely have to punch him - literally," Landrieu railed to host George Stephanopoulos. The Secret Service was provided with a full transcript of the ABC broadcast, including Landrieu's incendiary remarks. Spokeswoman Lewis promised to find out whether the agency intended to launch an investigation after reviewing the transcript.
In the two days since, the Secret Service has declined to return two phone calls or respond to an email inquiring about the disposition of a possible Landrieu probe.
The agency took a tougher stance on Senatorial threats in 1994, when then-North Carolina Sen. Jesse Helms joked that President Clinton "had better watch out if he comes down here. He better have a bodyguard."
After a media firestorm erupted - with some pundits complaining that Helms had committed treason - the Secret Service swung into action, launching a full blown investigation into whether Helms' statement indicated that someone in North Carolina planned to assassinate the president.
"We have followed up on the comments and [have] spoken with the senator's staff," a Secret Service spokesman said at the time.
Ms. Landrieu's much more explicit threat to "punch" Bush, on the other hand, has prompted no such reaction from the agency.
And the press, which rushed to condemn Helms, has pretended not to notice that Landrieu's outburst is part of a rising tide of hostility towards the Bush White House where normal boundaries of criticism have fallen by the wayside.
In recent days, Democrats have complained that the Bush administration response to Katrina was "criminal." On Wednesday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said the president himself was "dangerous" for the nation.
Surveying the storm damage on Thursday, Vice President Cheney was interrupted twice during an outdoor television interview by a man who shouted: "Go f - - k yourself, Mr. Vice President."
If the Landrieu case is any indication, however, apparently threats against the executive branch aren't taken as seriously as they once were.
"She might have been joking,"
She IS a joke.
When you come from a corrupt political crime family, you think your bms don't stink.
The Landrieu family is mega corrupt and the chips r gonna fall real soon. DID anyone else notice the 'nervous' facial tick little Mary had on her face the day after? WHAT was THAT? It looked wierd....?????
I wonder how would the President respond if this happened.
When did it become acceptable to threaten the PRESIDENT with bodily harm?
Oh, um, January 2001 ................... nevermind.
"The U.S. Secret Service won't say whether it's investigating Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu after she threatened to "punch" President Bush earlier this week during a fit of anger over Hurricane Katrina."
Good - I wouldn't want them to say anything; let the Honorable Goofball fret.
I still say Bush would clean her clock in a New York Minute. But being a gentleman, he would probably let Laura handle his light work.
Joking? Oh sure! Of course the SS won't tell you anything.
He would be a gentleman, as always
"I wonder how would the President respond if this happened."
Considering she probably has the punching power of an old blancmange, he'd just laugh in her face.
So should we all.
She is always so sweet and so forgiving.
I heard tonight she said Kayne West and Howard Dean were "DISGUSTING" for saying race is an issue in the rescue.
That is the strongest and most critical thing I have ever heard her say.
You should of heard Rush's show today, where he totally blasted her. There was the Corp of Engineers study on some water works project that failed engineering standards, putting the 200 million slated for LA. in jeopardy. It seems she sneaked in an amendment, making sure that study was reversed and put in an appropriations bill slated for the troops in Iraq. What happened to that money? People should be investigated down there. He also pointed out that LA is the number one funding priority for the Corp of Eng. of any state in the U.S.A, with CA (much larger population) was a distant second. He also pointed out that under 5 years of President Bush, LA. received more of this type funding, than under the same 5 year period of Clinton's administration. And finally, he pointed out that everyone knew that those levees were built to withstand only a CAT 3 storm, and what did she propose with Clinton in charge and Daschle the Senate Leader in charge of the purse strings. How does she come off today blasting President Bush on the Senate Floor today?
While they don't want to waste resources on an obvious flake of a woman, it also sets a bad example not to pursue the incident.
Somehow they have to balance those facts and decide what to do. I wonder what their policy is.
Your kidding right, another double standard in the Catrina Episode?
:-) And the media will say "It was a friendly punch!".
Rush Limbaugh literally ripped into Landrieu on his show today after he'd played a sound bite of her saying 'Saturday Night Live' character Mr. Bill was more informed than the President regarding the levee specifications.
I never laughed so hard in my life.
"The Landrieu family is mega corrupt"
Rush was ALL OVER this today. I mean ALL over it. KaPOW.
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