Vice President Dick Cheney Cancels 9/11 Appearance
Cites Security as the Problem


This is the world we now live in. A great tragedy befell this great nation two years ago, and now the Vice President can't attend a memorial because he required all potential attendees to pass through metal detectors.

I'm reminded of how Bill Clinton used to make his way through crowds, shaking hands and touching people as he walked through them. George Bush and Dick Cheney can't let crowds get too close to them.
Citing logistical and security problems, Vice President Dick Cheney Wednesday canceled an appearance in Thursday's massive morning memorial at the World Trade Center site.

Cheney will instead attend a smaller Manhattan event in the afternoon for Port Authority officers killed in the attack two years ago, those involved in the last-minute switch said.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg requested the change because Cheney's security protocol required all 15,000 people expected at Ground Zero to pass through metal detectors, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said.

One law enforcement source who declined to be identified said Bloomberg and other city officials balked at forcing the bereaved to walk through metal detectors. At the same time, Cheney's Secret Service team didn't want to take unusual risks.

As with last year's commemoration, however, access is expected to be tightly restricted to those with pre-issued credentials, all subject to searches. Next year's Republican National Convention is also expected to involve some use of Ground Zero as backdrop, prompting another security challenge.

That's right, next year's Republican National Convention is going to be held in New York City, and will use Ground Zero as a backdrop.

Karl Rove, Herr Goebbels Would Be Proud of You!