You know people have gone all addlepated when they latch onto a story about Obama having a food taster in France:
When the World’s Biggest Celebrity and his wife had their glam-date in Paris, part of their Family Dream Weekend in Paris, their food taster was on hand, ready to die for his president.
Yadda-yadda. It’s all over the right–wing blogosphere. Must be a slow news weekend.
However, a little bit of “teh google” brings a bit of balance — from 2008, no less — to the question:
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.
Inexplicably, that column totally overlooked George W. Bush’s 2003 food security at Buckingham Palace.
It’s a dangerous world. But hey — don’t let a bit of reality Obama Derangement Syndrome get in the way of a good story.
h/t to Ed Morrissey, who rises above the feeding frenzy.