Mike said:Taster prolly has to be special kind of person cause all he eats is ribs, fried chicken, collards greens, and watermelon?
Traveler said:Is there a history of other Presidents doing this? Seems very arrogant.
What seems clear is that when the president eats somewhere other than 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., tasters — in the form of Secret Service agents or military personnel — are likely to be involved. According to a Washington Post article from July 1990, George H.W. Bush ate out at Washington restaurants a lot by presidential standards, about once a month, and when he did he brought along his own condiments, bottled water, and a taster. On at least one occasion the taster was seen to personally wash all of George and Barbara's tableware before use and subsequently monitor its whereabouts, sample the food, supervise its service, and uncork and taste the first couple's wine.
Reports from early in Bill Clinton's first term suggest inconsistent taster use: a March '93 Post account of an impromptu dinner with the Gores at a restaurant in Alexandria, Virginia, has a trio of Secret Service agents scrutinizing the preparation of Clinton's food but not actually trying any. But an "official" food taster (described as a "veteran of three presidencies") turns up in a local paper's feature on a Clinton get-together with Silicon Valley types in Los Gatos, California, a month earlier. And lest you think tasters are deployed only when the president ventures off government turf, a detachment of navy culinary specialists did the tasting (per the New York Times) at a congressional lunch held at the Capitol during George W. Bush's inaugural festivities in 2001. One presumes security has gotten tighter since (a) the 9/11 attacks and (b) the descent of W's approval ratings to depths previously plumbed only by hostage-crisis Jimmy Carter and athlete's foot.
The presidential food safety team's responsibilities go well beyond packing up a squeeze bottle of Horsey Sauce if the POTUS indicates that he's thinking Arby's. In his 2005 book Standing Next to History, former Secret Service agent Joseph Petro — who spent 23 years in the suit and shades — writes, "In principle nothing edible gets near the President unless we know where it comes from and who has handled it." When the president digs in at a state banquet, Petro informs us, he's eating basically the same stuff as everyone else in the room, but his helping has been prepared specially by White House stewards, who suit up to match the other servers at the event and carry his plate out themselves. For events in foreign countries, it's the same thing but more so. Petro writes: "Stewards find out what's being served at the banquet and bring the ingredients with them from the United States."
OK, but try this one. The president (Reagan) is at a baseball game (opening day 1984, Baltimore), and his handlers decide they need a photo op of him eating a hot dog. You're the Secret Service guy. What do you do? According to Petro's account, you do the only thing you can: you pick a vendor at random, order one with mustard, and cross your fingers.
Traveler said:Is there a history of other Presidents doing this? Seems very arrogant.
Soapweed said:Republicans don't trust Democrats, and Democrats don't trust Republicans, right down to not trusting the food the other party serves. :roll:
http://www.bizpacreview.com/2013/03/15/obama-goes-hungry-at-gop-lunch-royal-food-taster-a-no-show-55745
Press Secretary Jay Carney defended the President’s caution by pointing out that “it’s possible that all of the other diners could’ve been given the antidote in advance. Let’s not forget that it was right about this time of year when Julius Caesar was killed by treacherous senators. So, I think it’s better to be safe than sorry.”
loomixguy said:Carney is such a puke, and he has that horribly constipated look on his face 24/7......you can't believe a damn word he says.....
Tam said:loomixguy said:Carney is such a puke, and he has that horribly constipated look on his face 24/7......you can't believe a damn word he says.....
Are you telling us the Gibbs was not the only White House Spokeman that was told to withhold the true from the press by the MOST TRANSPARENT ADMINISTRATION IN HISTORY?
How did you like the lastest White House Confict. Carney comes out says it was the White House that called off the White House tours then Obama in an interview with George S. blames the Secret Service for cutting them, then Carney comes back out and says it was the White House that made the final decision to cut them. Does Obama and Carney ever talk about what the other is saying to the press? Sad thing is this is not the first time the White House "STORY" has come out a bit confusing and I doubt it will be the last with this bunch of crooks. :roll:
loomixguy said:Tam said:loomixguy said:Carney is such a puke, and he has that horribly constipated look on his face 24/7......you can't believe a damn word he says.....
Are you telling us the Gibbs was not the only White House Spokeman that was told to withhold the true from the press by the MOST TRANSPARENT ADMINISTRATION IN HISTORY?
How did you like the lastest White House Confict. Carney comes out says it was the White House that called off the White House tours then Obama in an interview with George S. blames the Secret Service for cutting them, then Carney comes back out and says it was the White House that made the final decision to cut them. Does Obama and Carney ever talk about what the other is saying to the press? Sad thing is this is not the first time the White House "STORY" has come out a bit confusing and I doubt it will be the last with this bunch of crooks. :roll:
I enjoy listening to Dana Perino on "The Five" break it all down. You can tell that she is a genuinely nice person, but that she thinks Carney is in over his head and that there must be ZERO communications between Carney & Hussein. Same with the Benghazi debacle.