White House staffer robbed, beaten during Hawaii visit
posted at 4:52 pm on November 21, 2006 by Ian
After a week long trip in Asia, the White House decided to make a brief stop in Hawaii, probably to cool down a little. The director of the WH travel office was robbed and beaten outside of Bobby G’s Dance Club at 2am. You can only imagine what kind of club that is.
The acting director of the White House Travel Office was robbed and beaten in Waikiki early on Tuesday morning outside a nightclub, according to Honolulu police.
Three men mugged Greg Pitts at about 2 a.m. while he was walking through the International Marketplace near Bobby G’s Dance Club, police said.
UPDATE: Bush daughters robbed in Bueno Aires?
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Dancers against Bush!
Bush lied, dancers died!
Or they were heterophobics out for a night of “straight bashing”
quax1 on November 21, 2006 at 4:55 PM
Poor dude.
Nice Aloha spirit.
Mahalo.
NTWR on November 21, 2006 at 4:57 PM
Trouble in Paradise? What will the media do with this? All the way around the world, and they get mugged in the U.S.
shooter on November 21, 2006 at 5:03 PM
I’ve got five bucks that says these guys weren’t aware who he was, they were just drunk and looking to ruin someone’s night.
You all, however, are free to be as paranoid as you like.
mikeomatic on November 21, 2006 at 5:14 PM
What is International Marketplace? Sounds like the poor guy was walking through a place that probably had hundreds of businesses, and the attackers pounced as he was “near” a nightclub.
Big story: The guy was NEAR A NIGHTCLUB…at 2AM *GASP* (attack secondary importance).
The reporter either has a h@rd-on for Bobby G’s…or typical BDS.
RushBaby on November 21, 2006 at 5:16 PM
oops, didn’t know the @ thingie would make a link.
RushBaby on November 21, 2006 at 5:18 PM
I know a whole bunch of lefties who hope it’s a gay bar.
Not that there would be anything wrong with that.
Attila (Pillage Idiot) on November 21, 2006 at 5:26 PM
…White House staffer…can it be made a federal crime? Doubtful, but handy if it could be. Then, instead of a cell on the Big Island or some other South Pacific slammer, they could go and rot in Idaho…in the winter….
…aloha, bra….
Puritan1648 on November 21, 2006 at 5:28 PM
Just took a quick look over at americaBlog to see how this can be spinned into being Bush’s fault. Nothing yet, but it’s just a matter of time.
THeDRiFTeR on November 21, 2006 at 5:29 PM
The International Marketplace is a relatively small area, and totally touristy. Restaurants, souviner shops, etc.
laelaps on November 21, 2006 at 5:31 PM
Radio 10 from Buenos Aires and Infobae are informing that Jenna and Barbara Bush were robbed on the streets of Buenos Aires.
Ropera on November 21, 2006 at 5:31 PM
Reminds me of the two guys who killed Jordan’s father never knwing who he was.
allie on November 21, 2006 at 5:40 PM
Now I’m reading the President’s motorcade had a wreck in Hawaii too. Tough day!
see-dubya on November 21, 2006 at 5:42 PM
My first thought was: “What? Crime in that leftist utopia, Hawaii? Say it ain’t so! How is that possible?” /sarc
urbancenturion on November 21, 2006 at 5:44 PM
Call the Dawg!!
TBinSTL on November 21, 2006 at 6:06 PM
I question the timing…
serenity on November 21, 2006 at 6:47 PM
He works in the White House travel office huh? Have former Clinton employees been questioned?
thedecider on November 21, 2006 at 7:45 PM
Perhaps I missed the “Press one for English” prompt?
Eh, no matter. Quatro tacos de asada por favor, con todo.
infidel4life on November 21, 2006 at 8:43 PM
Regarding the Bush daughter’s robbery, go to Drudge, click on his link, and read the story en ingles.
Then, read the comments that people have written below that story. It’ll give you the opposite of a warm, fuzzy feeling; that’s for sure.
flutejpl on November 21, 2006 at 9:14 PM
A’ole aloha, aia ka mokupuni o Kekuhihewa a’ole keia!
Ka malihini haole paha ku ‘oia.
Kaumaha lua loloa wale no!
Kini on November 22, 2006 at 12:50 AM
Definition of a Dunb Ass = Leave your group at 2am and walk alone in a strange town,after a night of clubbing.
sonnyspats1 on November 22, 2006 at 5:28 AM
Why not beat up on Bush’s people…he lets the world beat up on America with alot of blow bag blather about how tough he is……just blah blah blah…
Maybe Condi will protect us like she did the Lebanese
LZVandy on November 22, 2006 at 6:23 AM
LZVandy wrote: “Why not beat up on Bush’s people…he lets the world beat up on America with alot of blow bag blather about how tough he is……just blah blah blah…”
As the father of two daughters of about the same age as Bush’s daughters, I take exception to the above comment — if you are referring to the Bush daughter purse snatching incident, that is. I think most fathers would agree with me that your comment is uncalled for. I would be extremely angry if someone target my daughters BECAUSE they were my daughters. In fact, I’d take it personally.
Further, if I were George W. Bush, I’d ask their Secret Service detail head some pointed questions as to how TWO thieves could get close enough to her restaurant table, reach down and grab her purse, and get away with it.
On the other hand, sir, if you are referring to the staffer who got mugged on the street, questions needs to be directed to the Honolulu PD about why their TOURIST DISTRICT is unsafe. I would think that a state that is tourism based would do more to protect tourists in their largest city.
Unless, of course, you are suggesting that White House employees DESERVE to be targeted for attack simply because they dare to work for George W. Bush. I take exception to that idea as well. In fact, it makes me wonder if you are moonbat Bush-Hater. If you are, it would be my opinion that you might be unfit for association with polite company and that perhaps you should find another blog to infect.
Such comments ought to be taken as hate speech. So I hope you were just being sarcastic.
This story, though, is important to conservatives and supporters of the right to keep and bear arms as it is an example of why gun control (as practiced by Democrats) is dangerous. And what might happen to more Americans if the “moderate” democrats newly elected bow down to Gun Grabber Nancy and pass more gun control laws.
The crime described is, in fact, a strong indictment against gun control as public policy, as well one against the past and present Democrats running the city and state.
Further, it is proof that the Democratic Party’s long-time anti-gun stance enables violent crime.
Here’s why:
Hawaii has very strict gun control laws, and as a result, as criminalogists like John Lott and James Wright might say, that the state has “entitled” criminals to commit this very crime, especially against tourists.
Florida had the same problem in the 1980′s, until they passed “shall issue” CCW laws AND made them relatively easy for out of state visitors to obtain them too.
And when the criminals started preying of travelers driving RENTAL CARS leaving the airports, identifiable because of the license plates and bumper stickers, believing that such travelers would probably not be in possession of a firearm after leaving an airport due to the security screening of passengers, Florida acted again in order to protect tourists.
In 1993, Florida stopped issuing rental companies licence plates with a prefix of Y or Z, and the rental companies stoped putting on distinctive bumper stickers identifying their cars as rentals, making it less obvious to car jackers and violent criminals who would be unarmed.
Back in the 1980′s a DoJ study (“The Armed Criminal in America: A Survey of Incarcerated Felons,” by James Wright and Peter Rossi, U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, SuDoc# J 28.24/3: C.86 (1985)), showed that criminals perfer unarmed victims and will avoid those that might be armed.
The premise behind shall issue concealed carry laws is that they work by upping the perceived risk to a violent criminal that they might face an armed victim.
To be fair, Florida also took other measures to protect tourists such as special street signage, brouchures indicating dangerous neighborhoods, and so on. As a result of all of this, Florida’s crime rate against tourists (as against the general public) is low as a result.
Too bad Hawaii is not as enlightened. Too bad years of Democratic Party control of the state and their gun grabbing politics has left tourists at the mercy of criminal, even in their tourist districts.
America, thanks to the Democrat’s campaign of lies, did more than show their disapproval of the war in Iraq, they enabled a new generation of criminals by electing the GUN CONTROL PARTY back into power.
georgej on November 22, 2006 at 10:15 AM