Is that a crucifix in your cassock or are you just happy to see me?
Here’s a weird story: A self-styled “Roman Catholic priestess” with White House press credentials got booted from the press area near Air Force One as she was awaiting President Obama’s arrival:
A reporter for a small newspaper was forcibly removed from a press area near Air Force One shortly before President Barack Obama arrived at Los Angeles International Airport to depart California early Thursday.
Airport security officers carried the woman away by the feet and arms as she protested her removal.
Lee said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press that she wanted to hand Obama a letter urging him “to take a stand for traditional marriage.”
She said she asked a Secret Service agent to give the president her letter, but he refused and referred her to a White House staffer. Lee said she refused to give the staffer the letter.
“I said, ‘I’ll take my chances if (the president) comes by here,’” said Lee, who identified herself as a Roman Catholic priestess who lives in Anaheim, Calif. “He became annoyed that I wouldn’t give him the letter.”
Lee, who was wearing what she described as a cassock, said she protested when she was asked to leave.
“I said, ‘Why are you bothering me?’ They escorted me outside the gate,” she said.
She said security officers allowed her to return when she promised she would not yell or wave, but then other officers arrived and told her to leave.
“I said, ‘I’m not leaving,’” she said. “They tried to drag me out.”
Two officers then picked her up and carried her out. An Associated Press photographer photographed the incident.
“I was afraid you could see under my clothes,” she said, her voice choking up.
Lee, who said this was the second presidential event she has covered, was later released.
Well, as a Roman Catholic, Ms. Lee apparently follows the church line on traditional marriage. But I wonder if she’s heard about its stance on female priests? Christ on a baggage cart, I know the standards for obtaining White House press credentials are pretty low, but come on…
[Cross-posted at Betty Cracker]
Posted by Betty Cracker on 05/28/09 at 05:07 PM • Permalink
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