We are not in Pakistan! Right?

Because if anything happens to him, nobody in the world is EVER going to trust this country again. You want to see a depression? That would do it. World would pull out on us en masse.

Report: Security relaxed at Obama speech

Published: Feb. 21, 2008 at 6:27 PM

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DALLAS, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- The Secret Service told Dallas police to stop screening for weapons while people were still arriving at a campaign rally for Barack Obama, a report said.

Police stopped checking people for weapons at the front gates of Reunion Arena more than an hour before the Democratic presidential hopeful appeared on stage Wednesday, the Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram reported.

Police said the order to stop using metal detectors and checking purses and laptop bags constituted a security lapse, the newspaper reported.

Dallas Deputy Police Chief T.W. Lawrence -- who heads the department's homeland security and special operations divisions -- told the Star-Telegram the order had been intended to speed up seating of the more than 17,000 people who came to hear the candidate speak.

Lawrence said he was concerned about the large number of people being let in without being screened, but that the crowd seemed "friendly," the newspaper said.

Several Dallas police officers -- speaking on condition of anonymity because the order came from federal officers -- told the newspaper it was worrying to see so many people get it without even a cursory inspection.

The Star-Telegram said the Secret Service did not return a call seeking comment.

in the US Secret Service gave this order? Were additional measures w put in place to deal with the chaos that would ensue in the event that some tragedy occurred? If so, what were these measures? If not, why not?

as recently as January 7.

Wash TImes

Update: Yep, same thing happened here. Responsibility? Still looking.

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The police yelled out instructions like 'hold your jackets open' or something about looking for weapons, etc. No metal detectors after awhile, etc.. I don't know WHERE precistly it came from - Secret Service, the Boise police. The Obama campaign was what I heard. I'll ask at our little Idaho blogosphere.

I'm not buying into any paranoia about over-protecting or under-protecting leadership in this country (legislators). That's one of the reasons there's such a gulch between 'us and them.' I see my state senator driving around our area in his Honda with 'Senate #--' on the plate. As it should be - they're to be approachable.

since when do they screen people to attend rallies anyway? this didn't happen for obama or edwards back in NH. it's fucked up that they stopped screening. it's also fucked up that they started. are they doing the security thing for hillary too? is this in response to specific threats?

I always got the impression that many on this site disliked it when police checked people's bags in crowded public places that might be targets, and used devices like metal detectors in public buildings, on erosion of civil liberties grounds. Just so I understand: it's ok with you to do both at a political campaign rally to protect somebody special?

Zahren rebutted suggestions by several Dallas police officers at the rally who thought the Secret Service ordered a halt to the time-consuming weapons check because long lines were moving slowly, and many seats remained empty as time neared for Obama to appear.

JACK DOUGLAS Jr. | FORT WORTH | Feb. 22, 2008

Star Telegram - 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. ...