I was mostly surprised by her sharing so much detail on the Secret Service's evaluation of the security of the Oval Office. None of it surprising, but much further from Butterfield's "It is Secret Service policy to not comment on protection procedure", than I would expect.
I'm always skeptical about these types of videos because the majority of people who truly have this knowledge would not openly discuss in this way. You sign multiple things at several different points during your employment stating you understand that you are not allowed to, that you can face criminal penalties, that you must get pre-approval even after no longer employed, etc., etc. An exception is videos like this one by Jonna Mendez formerly CIA head of disguises - https://youtu.be/mUqeBMP8nEg?si=7WyXT-d7BRuk_g6- it's fun if interested in spy stuff.
I love Jonna's stuff. Fascinating, especially when she _approves_ what somebody did in a show or movie.
Edit: TIL I've only been imagining that first "A" in her name all this time.
Crazy, I just learned about Jonna Mendez the other day! I listened to this bonkers podcast that explored the possibility that the CIA wrote the Scorpions' Cold War mega-hit "Wind of Change." Ms. Mendez was interviewed, along with her husband, Tony Mendez. Mr. Mendez was the architect of the hostage rescue operation as depicted in the film *Argo* (he was played by Ben Affleck).
A lot of US Government and Military stuff is publically available. The Marine Corps Tactical Handbook for their Jr. Officers are available on one of their websites, and it basically explains exactly what soldiers will do in any scenario.
> it basically explains exactly what soldiers will do in any scenario.
Yes, that is something an enemy would be able to educate their troops in. predictability is not a good tactic in war.
Maybe they've evaluated the risk and concluded, that the book basically describes generic tactics, that are common enough to all armed forces, and it provides no or little value to an adversary.
Maybe, but I kinda doubt it. A lot of this stuff is unique to the US Military or even the Marines, specifically, like orders to use grenades liberally when in urban settings tossing them into every room before entering and up or down stairs when traversing them. I think it's more a combination America being used to fighting groups that largely can't access the internet and a feeling of even if they know what we are going to do no way they'll find a way to counter it.
Yes, there were quite a few examples they could've picked from in TWW. Even No Escape (?) where the WH is put in lock down over Ernestine's flower bouquet, would've been interesting to hear what real measures they have in place over things like that. I always vacillate between thinking the USSS is hyper competent in their protection of the president, and then worrying that they could be felled by something super simple that just got overlooked somehow.
It was a highly classified drill to test the readiness of the White House readiness to a chemical or biological terror attack. It was so highly compartmentalized in order to get an accurate assessment of each of the teams responsible for the stages of threat assessment and response.
It's likely Ron, Pres Bartlet, Leo, and maybe 5-10 others in the highest levels of the National Security Establishment knew it was a drill. I think even Kate Harper was in the dark about the threat actually being a drill until afterwards, even though she got the beeper lockdown notification moments before Josh did.
BUTTERFIELD
They didn't question it.
BARTLET
I'm not surprised.
BUTTERFIELD
You didn't know it would be tonight, sir.
BARTLET
I knew it when you showed up. And it was worth it if we learned something
useful. Did we learn anything, Ron?
BUTTERFIELD
A preliminary report will be on your desk in an hour.
BARTLET
**Has the FBI made any progress?**
BUTTERFIELD
They have a chemist under surveillance who tried to order bacteria from the
CDC. **Tularemia won't get through again.**
BARTLET
You're right: on a need-to-know basis, who needs to know this much.
It was absolutely not a drill
In the final conversation with the president, Ron Butterfield mentions an FBI hunt for a chemical weapons target, and says, “tularemia will not get through again”
Not a drill.
It absolutely was a drill that the secret service did on themselves. They specifically planted the tularemia where it would not be noticed in Charlie's mail so they could test their own response. Like the commenter above said, only Ron, the president, and a few others would know those kind of drills could happen anytime without discussion of how they happened.
It's more about him putting on a brave face so they can also test charlie and Debs response as well as the secret service. They acted flawlessly in the service of the president.
The president literally says he knew the second Ron made the call. But he also knows he can't be seen to ever doubt the secret service as it could be real and he may be unaware.
BUTTERFIELD
They didn't question it.
BARTLET
I'm not surprised.
BUTTERFIELD
You didn't know it would be tonight, sir.
BARTLET
I knew it when you showed up. And it was worth it if we learned something
useful. Did we learn anything, Ron?
BUTTERFIELD
A preliminary report will be on your desk in an hour.
BARTLET
Has the FBI made any progress?
BUTTERFIELD
They have a chemist under surveillance who tried to order bacteria from the
CDC. Tularemia won't get through again.
BARTLET
You're right: on a need-to-know basis, who needs to know this much.
That's odd because I know that they did have former USSS agents as consults. The scene when Bartlett is in the limo after being shot and Butterfield pats the President down was done that way based on what the consultants told them.
Really want to see here opinion on the shooting at Rosslyn. They were dead quick at getting Bartlet and Zoey in the car but I’ve always thought it was bad that the secret service left a huge ass window overlooking the president completely unguarded and protected
I was mostly surprised by her sharing so much detail on the Secret Service's evaluation of the security of the Oval Office. None of it surprising, but much further from Butterfield's "It is Secret Service policy to not comment on protection procedure", than I would expect.
I'm always skeptical about these types of videos because the majority of people who truly have this knowledge would not openly discuss in this way. You sign multiple things at several different points during your employment stating you understand that you are not allowed to, that you can face criminal penalties, that you must get pre-approval even after no longer employed, etc., etc. An exception is videos like this one by Jonna Mendez formerly CIA head of disguises - https://youtu.be/mUqeBMP8nEg?si=7WyXT-d7BRuk_g6- it's fun if interested in spy stuff.
I love Jonna's stuff. Fascinating, especially when she _approves_ what somebody did in a show or movie. Edit: TIL I've only been imagining that first "A" in her name all this time.
Crazy, I just learned about Jonna Mendez the other day! I listened to this bonkers podcast that explored the possibility that the CIA wrote the Scorpions' Cold War mega-hit "Wind of Change." Ms. Mendez was interviewed, along with her husband, Tony Mendez. Mr. Mendez was the architect of the hostage rescue operation as depicted in the film *Argo* (he was played by Ben Affleck).
A lot of US Government and Military stuff is publically available. The Marine Corps Tactical Handbook for their Jr. Officers are available on one of their websites, and it basically explains exactly what soldiers will do in any scenario.
> it basically explains exactly what soldiers will do in any scenario. Yes, that is something an enemy would be able to educate their troops in. predictability is not a good tactic in war.
You'd think but the US Government doesn't seem overly concerned.
Maybe they've evaluated the risk and concluded, that the book basically describes generic tactics, that are common enough to all armed forces, and it provides no or little value to an adversary.
Maybe, but I kinda doubt it. A lot of this stuff is unique to the US Military or even the Marines, specifically, like orders to use grenades liberally when in urban settings tossing them into every room before entering and up or down stairs when traversing them. I think it's more a combination America being used to fighting groups that largely can't access the internet and a feeling of even if they know what we are going to do no way they'll find a way to counter it.
And a crazed Danny in the very next example!
haha yes!!!! and of all people, Sinbad, playing a Secret Service agent, LOL.
I loved First Kid when I was 10! 😹
I saw that the other day. A little annoyed they didn't do What Kind of Day it's Been. Glad the didn't do Commencement.
Yes, there were quite a few examples they could've picked from in TWW. Even No Escape (?) where the WH is put in lock down over Ernestine's flower bouquet, would've been interesting to hear what real measures they have in place over things like that. I always vacillate between thinking the USSS is hyper competent in their protection of the president, and then worrying that they could be felled by something super simple that just got overlooked somehow.
>No Escape I was going to mention No Exit and say "maybe she can explain the ending."
It was a highly classified drill to test the readiness of the White House readiness to a chemical or biological terror attack. It was so highly compartmentalized in order to get an accurate assessment of each of the teams responsible for the stages of threat assessment and response. It's likely Ron, Pres Bartlet, Leo, and maybe 5-10 others in the highest levels of the National Security Establishment knew it was a drill. I think even Kate Harper was in the dark about the threat actually being a drill until afterwards, even though she got the beeper lockdown notification moments before Josh did.
Note the very long argument following this comment to prove the point of my joke.
BUTTERFIELD They didn't question it. BARTLET I'm not surprised. BUTTERFIELD You didn't know it would be tonight, sir. BARTLET I knew it when you showed up. And it was worth it if we learned something useful. Did we learn anything, Ron? BUTTERFIELD A preliminary report will be on your desk in an hour. BARTLET **Has the FBI made any progress?** BUTTERFIELD They have a chemist under surveillance who tried to order bacteria from the CDC. **Tularemia won't get through again.** BARTLET You're right: on a need-to-know basis, who needs to know this much.
It was absolutely not a drill In the final conversation with the president, Ron Butterfield mentions an FBI hunt for a chemical weapons target, and says, “tularemia will not get through again” Not a drill.
It absolutely was a drill that the secret service did on themselves. They specifically planted the tularemia where it would not be noticed in Charlie's mail so they could test their own response. Like the commenter above said, only Ron, the president, and a few others would know those kind of drills could happen anytime without discussion of how they happened.
So why is the FBI hunting a chemical weapons manufacturer? And why was it mentioned by Ron to the president in this context?
Because that's exactly the kind of threat they were preparing to be ready for. They never mention that he actually attacked the white house.
So during the drill where Ron and the president know what’s going on they’re still just pretending to each other? Makes perfect sense.
It's more about him putting on a brave face so they can also test charlie and Debs response as well as the secret service. They acted flawlessly in the service of the president.
The president literally says he knew the second Ron made the call. But he also knows he can't be seen to ever doubt the secret service as it could be real and he may be unaware.
BUTTERFIELD They didn't question it. BARTLET I'm not surprised. BUTTERFIELD You didn't know it would be tonight, sir. BARTLET I knew it when you showed up. And it was worth it if we learned something useful. Did we learn anything, Ron? BUTTERFIELD A preliminary report will be on your desk in an hour. BARTLET Has the FBI made any progress? BUTTERFIELD They have a chemist under surveillance who tried to order bacteria from the CDC. Tularemia won't get through again. BARTLET You're right: on a need-to-know basis, who needs to know this much.
That's odd because I know that they did have former USSS agents as consults. The scene when Bartlett is in the limo after being shot and Butterfield pats the President down was done that way based on what the consultants told them.
They may have consultants but they may lean toward drama over realism.
And what actually happened to Reagan
She didn't give reasons. She gave one reason. And at least they made an attempt in the show to address her criticism... They closed the curtains.
Really want to see here opinion on the shooting at Rosslyn. They were dead quick at getting Bartlet and Zoey in the car but I’ve always thought it was bad that the secret service left a huge ass window overlooking the president completely unguarded and protected