Henry Kissinger Gets TSA Pat-Down
It’s another round of security theater:
Seems no one is immune from the tender mercies of the TSA pat-down. First, we learned that Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, was subjected to a handsy search. And now we learn of the latest high-profile search-ee: former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
Yeah, the guy who was once an advisor to presidents, the one who helped negotiate the end to the Vietnam War…and, oh yeah, he’s got a Nobel Peace Prize.
But not, apparently, in his pocket.
Kissinger, who will be 89 this month, was spotted on Friday at LaGuardia airport in New York, getting routed to the pat-down line while going through security. Freelance reporter Matthew Cole recognized him — something the TSA agent checking identification did not.
After asking Kissinger his name as he passed through the scanner, the agent sent him to be searched. Kissinger was in a wheelchair, Cole tells us, not because he couldn’t walk, but because, Cole surmised, it was a long walk to the gate. In the search area, Kissinger was subjected to what Cole called “the full Monty” of the usual groping. “He stood with his suit jacket off, and he was wearing suspenders. They gave him the full pat-down. None of the agents seemed to know who he was,” he says.
Because, of course, an 89 year-old German-Jewish former Secretary of State is clearly a threat to airline security.
Given that 6 of the 101 winners of the Nobel Peace Prize are war criminals (a substantially higher percentage than the general public), an argument could be made that singling them out for special screening is prudent security.
lol, but but Obama got his own jet, how we gonna work that one?
I believe Kissinger is responsible for many bombs being put on airplanes. Pat him down.
If the general public is going to be subject to TSA-induced indignities, I see no reason to exempt the rich and powerful. In fact, I think it might be a salutary lesson for them to experience first hand what the hoi polloi have to deal with.
@ratufa: Good point! Of course, for Doug the issue is that security theater events should be restricted to “those people” (and y’all know who you are, and you are certainly neither Doug nor HK).
Good. I don’t want my security screeners giving anyone a pass. Misery loves company.
My respect for Obama would rise immeasurably if he would make one telephone call and put the TSA out of business. Just one call.