White House food tasters?
posted at 12:17 pm on June 7, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
In medieval times, royal courts employed food tasters to ensure that the kitchen staff hadn’t conspired to commit a coup d’etat through poison. The practice continued for heads of state until modern times, and also for novels and Hollywood movies. AFP reports that Barack Obama used one this week — in a French restaurant, no less, and I’m getting a lot of e-mail on it:
A US “taster” tested the food being dished up to President Barack Obama at a dinner in a French restaurant, a waiter said on Sunday. …
Asked by AFP to comment, the restaurant confirmed the report.
Sacre bleu! What an insult to French cuisine! Why, this is unprecedented … except that it’s actually not. From November 2003:
AS if the Queen hasn’t got enough on her plate accommodating all President Bush’s security demands, the Secret Service have put a food taster into the Buckingham Palace kitchens.
Nothing is being left to chance by the Americans, who have assembled the largest security operation seen in London for the three-day visit.
According to sources, everything that is destined to be served up for the President has to be tasted first.
Granted, Bush was a lot less personally popular in Europe than Obama even in the best of times, but it was also Buckingham Palace. The Secret Service apparently decided to leave nothing to chance, and I suspect that they have made this standard operating procedure when the President dines outside the US. I wouldn’t be surprised if this hasn’t been SOP for more than just Bush and Obama, too.
Overly paranoid? Perhaps, but then again, the Secret Service doesn’t get paid to roll the dice unnecessarily.
Blowback
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Surprisingly tasty.
Aristotle on June 7, 2009 at 12:19 PM
Well, if you had a Clinton in your Cabinet you’d have a food taster too.
Several in fact.
SteveMG on June 7, 2009 at 12:20 PM
November 2003 was a very different time than now.
And Obama snubbed Scarkozy to go to a French resteraunt
And mostly for a photo op. So who really pushed this to the forfront of the news ?
William Amos on June 7, 2009 at 12:20 PM
Is this your…guys don’t run with this story thread?
A word of advice worth listening to. There is so much more to run with don’t give anyone a story to run about hypocrisy. You know it will happen. It is probably a plant story anyway.
tomas on June 7, 2009 at 12:21 PM
In the case of Obama, if he has any proud American citizens in his cabinet he better have several.
Daggett on June 7, 2009 at 12:22 PM
From article. You cant accept the trappings of the office then dismiss it when its inconveinent.
William Amos on June 7, 2009 at 12:22 PM
As I noted in the headlines, I have no problem with this and I bet W wasn’t the first but there is a definite difference in the articles on the “Snark-a-Meter”. Wouldn’t you love to know the security measures that little creepy little dude from Iran employs?
Cindy Munford on June 7, 2009 at 12:22 PM
i would place more security on the TOTUS controls….
alexraye on June 7, 2009 at 12:22 PM
yeah – non-story. Good practice.
Editor on June 7, 2009 at 12:23 PM
How does he know he can trust the food taster?
Daggett on June 7, 2009 at 12:24 PM
The idea of “President Joe Biden” motivates anyone to worry about Obama’s health.
William Amos on June 7, 2009 at 12:25 PM
I can understand a food taster in England. Blood pudding is a fine example. I’d probably bring my own food too…
…But French food?
Obama’s a pussy!
katy on June 7, 2009 at 12:27 PM
I don’t think he has any…. he goes with radicals like himself.
Dasher on June 7, 2009 at 12:27 PM
[chomp munch munch] Hmmm… tastes okay, but it needs a little salt. Don’t worry, I just happen to have some with me – the kind that smell a little like bitter almonds…
Or if it’s REALLY GOOD…
[chomp munch munch] Wait, I think there’s something suspicious about this. Let me taste it again… [chomp munch munch] Hmmm… I think I detect a possible poison. I need to check it another time… [chomp munch munch] Okay can you bring in another plate for me to test? This one is empty.
Daggett on June 7, 2009 at 12:28 PM
There’s a lot I’d do for my country, but take a bad snail saute’d in garlic and butter for that d-bag? No freakin’ way…
Wyznowski on June 7, 2009 at 12:31 PM
So when “The One” and “Gaffe’s” stop off at a burger joint for lunch, does someone take a bite out of their burgers for them?
JetBoy on June 7, 2009 at 12:31 PM
Although I loathe “empathizing” with Pres. Obama, I have to make a remark about the photo used for this thread. How tired to you think Mr. Obama gets of people trying to do the secret brotha from the ghetto hand shake? I know he has brought a lot of this on himself with his lack of gravitas in the office but for goodness sakes do other people have to buy into it?
Cindy Munford on June 7, 2009 at 12:32 PM
The Magic Kingdom (The other one not the Mecca one) is on the case !
William Amos on June 7, 2009 at 12:32 PM
So any proud American citizen would poison his food?
Guess I’m not a proud American citizen, then.
MadisonConservative on June 7, 2009 at 12:33 PM
Actually, I am not sure that President Joe Biden would be a worse option. Not that I in any way want to suggest, hope for or condone anyone harming whoever is president, as much as I hate his policies.
rbj on June 7, 2009 at 12:33 PM
I’m sure this is true in Obama’s mind. He no doubt followed this thinking when dealing with the Bad Rev. Wright and Bill Ayers in keeping them at bay during the campaign.
katy on June 7, 2009 at 12:33 PM
Good question!!!
Cindy Munford on June 7, 2009 at 12:34 PM
The same secret service that did nothing while shoes were being thrown at President Bush.
jencab on June 7, 2009 at 12:34 PM
Anyone notice that the french surrendered on everything else but with their food they get huffy ?
/jk
William Amos on June 7, 2009 at 12:36 PM
Filet of Sole beats out filet of soiled feet.
William Amos on June 7, 2009 at 12:36 PM
Give me black pudding over steak tatare any day.
DarkCurrent on June 7, 2009 at 12:36 PM
I wonder what the time interval is between the official tester sampling the goods and twhen it is served to the pres. I wonder if all the ingedients are sampled individually far enough ahead of time for ill effects to be reliably observed. Merely sampling the finished product right before it is served accomplishes very little in the world of available nasty materials. I imagine there is a fairly complicated protocol.
a capella on June 7, 2009 at 12:36 PM
It’s all set up. The ‘joint’ knows they’re coming well in advance. The food for Obama is pre-ordered and pre-prepared.
Staging these events is a full time job.
It’s all theater folks. Every last detail is staged!
katy on June 7, 2009 at 12:37 PM
Are food tasters only used on overseas trips? Seems odd to have someone taste the food being served to you by the royalty or the political leadership of an allied nation but not when you are making a run to Five Guys burgers.
Also, do foreign heads of states use food tasters when they dine with our president in DC?
DarkKnight3565 on June 7, 2009 at 12:38 PM
I’m sure you’re a really nice person… but
blaaah!
katy on June 7, 2009 at 12:39 PM
Food taster? That’s nothing! I understand Barry’s people are exploring other options, inspired by their latest Parisian vacation. One likelihood can be seen here.
Woo hoo! We’re up to TWO jobs CREATED by the administration!!!!
BKeyser on June 7, 2009 at 12:39 PM
Musta got some bad Wagyu at one of those Wednesday night bling-a-thons.
Or…maybe he thought “merde” was sorta like Hollandaise? C’mon, burgers and waffles does not an epicure make.
coldwarrior on June 7, 2009 at 12:39 PM
Secret Service to Obama “We have to be sure Mr President you never know if the french will overcook the food”
Obama to secret service “That is why I picked Joe Biden he will eat anything and Id rather have his mouth stuff with food than open and talking”
William Amos on June 7, 2009 at 12:40 PM
It’s good to be the king.
TheQuestion on June 7, 2009 at 12:40 PM
Actually I would expect all our Presidents and Precedents to have their food tested.
CWforFreedom on June 7, 2009 at 12:41 PM
…and if so, does that someone pull the Jules dialogue from the beginning of Pulp Fiction while doing it?
MadisonConservative on June 7, 2009 at 12:41 PM
Who the hell takes the job of being a “food taster”? Sheesh.
Sue on June 7, 2009 at 12:42 PM
I wonder what the Czar of Compensations deems the salary for that job to be?
Cindy Munford on June 7, 2009 at 12:42 PM
Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you.
theguardianii on June 7, 2009 at 12:43 PM
Somebody who pissed off Michelle?
coldwarrior on June 7, 2009 at 12:44 PM
Now we know what they did with the guy who planned the Air Force one fly over of NY City.
William Amos on June 7, 2009 at 12:44 PM
Biden didn’t go on the trip?
JiangxiDad on June 7, 2009 at 12:46 PM
I know of at least five Supreme Court justices who better have food tasters. Just sayin’.
Sheikh Yerbouti on June 7, 2009 at 12:48 PM
Sorry, but Joe Biden as President is looking pretty good to me these days. But I do wonder if he’d appoint a Hair Plugs Czar?
Knucklehead on June 7, 2009 at 12:48 PM
Not sure… but the way I see it, it’s one more job created.
katy on June 7, 2009 at 12:48 PM
I guess Monica Lewinsky was Hillary’s unoffical “taster”.
RobCon on June 7, 2009 at 12:51 PM
Jimmy Carter looks like a good president these days. Id even take LBJ.
William Amos on June 7, 2009 at 12:52 PM
haha…Well, it wouldn’t surprise me, given Rahm’s gift of “flowery” dialogue I’ve heard…
JetBoy on June 7, 2009 at 12:53 PM
Axelgrease on Obama economy
William Amos on June 7, 2009 at 12:54 PM
You’ve never heard of Boudin noir I take it. At least the English don’t intentionally eat raw hamburger patties. ;-)
DarkCurrent on June 7, 2009 at 12:56 PM
There are more uncooked, bloody and down right odd parts of a cow/pig that are eaten by the Brits than by the French you’ll have to admit.
katy on June 7, 2009 at 1:04 PM
The stupidity of this administration is truly amazing. And to defend the GM bankruptcy in the same statement? Have they lost their minds?
What are those unemployment numbers going to look like when GM, Chrysler and all the other industries riding their coat-tails shut down?
Idiots, each and every one of them.
Knucklehead on June 7, 2009 at 1:05 PM
Baghdad Bob comes to mind.
katy on June 7, 2009 at 1:08 PM
Just seems odd to me. One, I’m sure the chefs for the president of France, i.e., are carefully vetted and supervised. (I’d assume that, at least.) I don’t think the chefs at Five Guys burgers are vetted and supervised nearly as much. In terms of security, I’d feel far safer with eating with the French president than I would at Five Guys. In terms of taste however I prefer the latter.
Also, if someone wanted to kill the president via food poisoning, it seems naive that he would use a poison that would work so quickly that the president would be alerted by a food taster dropping dead at his feet before the president ate. There are poisons that may take days or weeks to take effect.
DarkKnight3565 on June 7, 2009 at 1:09 PM
What a fool and an idiot! Why did he even go out! How insulting to the French. Keep those slaps coming.
The Emperor
shoregulls on June 7, 2009 at 1:10 PM
It’s a historical fact that no Brit ever ate anything a French guy hadn’t eaten before.
Here’s the menu:
Black pudding
Steak Tatare
Horse sashimi? Had it in Tokyo, not bad. Steak tatare? Ordered by mistake (it said steak!) in Paris, didn’t eat it.
Had black pudding a few times in Ireland before I was told what it was. Not bad.
DarkCurrent on June 7, 2009 at 1:13 PM
Did Joe Biden eat his hamburger first?
andycanuck on June 7, 2009 at 1:24 PM
If I was Obama, I would only trust a Hispanic woman to taste my food.
Star20 on June 7, 2009 at 1:26 PM
Good thing there aren’t any poisons out there that take 24 or 48 hours to take effect and all poisons can be tasted out.
angryed on June 7, 2009 at 1:38 PM
Those photos are quite disgusting. As far as horse sashimi?.. I will not eat any animal that is smarter than Joe Biden.
katy on June 7, 2009 at 1:43 PM
So you’re a pretty strict vegetarian I take it. But I suppose you could eat sponges, maybe starfish…
DarkCurrent on June 7, 2009 at 1:49 PM
I’d take the first bag lady I found in the streets.
Daggett on June 7, 2009 at 1:50 PM
That’s generous…
katy on June 7, 2009 at 2:02 PM
Bush had to have a food taster in Britain to make sure the food actually tasted good.
The Messiah needed a food taster to make sure the food wasn’t too greasy- he wish to sacrifice His manly figure.
Friendly21 on June 7, 2009 at 2:13 PM
In unrelated news..
Keith Olbermann gains another 5 pounds.
kurtzz3 on June 7, 2009 at 2:21 PM
From the neck up?
andycanuck on June 7, 2009 at 2:24 PM
Is nothing but air up there.
William Amos on June 7, 2009 at 2:27 PM
A taster sounds reasonable to me.
Sometimes I’d like one at home, come to think of it.
omnipotent on June 7, 2009 at 2:32 PM
Actually, I do remember the Brits having several pretty egregious security breaches in recent years. One example, The Sun newspaper had a reporter get hired on and infiltrated one of the queen’s residences as a server with very close proximity to the Queen herself. There was a big writeup about it. So, the Secret Service would have cause for concern re: their personnel after that.
CP on June 7, 2009 at 2:38 PM
Was air. Now 5 lbs of steak tatare
DarkCurrent on June 7, 2009 at 2:39 PM
Did Bush I have a taster in Japan when he embarrassingly vomited up his dinner all over his hosts?
NahnCee on June 7, 2009 at 2:44 PM
If the French hate Obama so much as to poison his food, then he is really really really in trouble.
Anyway, food taster for a president seems to be a plum job, so to speak, too bad I never thought about it in time to apply in my younger days.
Anyway, it’s also too bad that there wasn’t a food taster when Pres. Bush accidentally ingested a pretzel/peanut, would have saved the President much agita.
eaglewingz08 on June 7, 2009 at 3:50 PM
Europeans punish left-leaning parties in EU voting
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090607/ap_on_re_eu/european_elections
Dr Evil on June 7, 2009 at 3:50 PM
It’s mostly to protect him from Biden and Pelosi.
Schadenfreude on June 7, 2009 at 3:58 PM
…and Hillary, of course…
Schadenfreude on June 7, 2009 at 3:59 PM
Must get frikkin’ sick of all that arugula…
profitsbeard on June 7, 2009 at 4:04 PM
This is an old tradition with US Presidents. Not always food tasters but more like food minders. I remember when Bush Sr. came o Downing Street he had his trusted chef (this was his personal food minder not a US Gov. employee) watch over everything the Downing St Chef did. He watched everything and insisted on checking certain ingredients. This is not an uncommon practice.
lexhamfox on June 7, 2009 at 4:13 PM
A food taster? Such a person wouldn’t be able to detect simple, run-of-the-mill, not-cooked-properly food poisoning let alone a deliberately placed slow acting poison.
Is there any sound basis for the President having a food taster?
Jay Mac on June 7, 2009 at 4:31 PM
Absolutely necessary; only dreamers thin Obama is so loved that he is not at risk as American president. Though he was smart enough to make sure he’s probably safer than most; President Joe Biden???
michaelo on June 7, 2009 at 4:34 PM
Notice no food tasting was mentioned while in Cairo.
Anyone seen this gem via Saudi?
http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-40143320090607
We are about to reap the wild wind!
freeus on June 7, 2009 at 5:05 PM
It is de rigueur for Kings.
Rational Thought on June 7, 2009 at 5:12 PM
Have you ever tasted British cooking?
Bush 43′s taste tester was there to make sure he didn’t do a repeat of his dad’s response to Japanese food.
Tinian on June 7, 2009 at 5:39 PM
With the price of arugula these days, it seems like a bit of a waste of taxpayers’ dollars.
Colin Harris on June 7, 2009 at 5:44 PM
Why am I picturing this?
notropis on June 7, 2009 at 5:52 PM
I defend the President on this one.
Just in case anyone didn’t know already, in his Cairo speech to the Muslim world, he told everyone that his father was a Muslim, he grew up in Indonesian madrassas and mosques, and displayed familiarity with Islam… and unequivocally said that he is a Christian.
Under the rules of Islam, he was a Muslim before his conversion to Christianity, which makes him an apostate. It is the duty of the faithful to kill apostates. Given the Muslim population of France, he’d have to be stupid with a side order of Extra Stupid to eat anything that hadn’t been subjected to some testing before he got anywhere near it.
The Monster on June 7, 2009 at 5:53 PM
You’d think we have a better way of doing that now. Surely actually testing the food would be both more accurate and less likely to result and the death of an American.
It seems odd.
Esthier on June 7, 2009 at 5:57 PM
Good, stay safe and healthy Barry. I want him to survive to 2012 so he can be thoroughly trounced by Sarahcuda.
bitsy on June 7, 2009 at 6:08 PM
I did read another article that did say that said “testor” did test the food personally.
William Amos on June 7, 2009 at 6:19 PM
Here’s a question- where was the food taster on those burger runs Obama took the press on?
Jay Mac on June 7, 2009 at 6:26 PM
Yeah and I’m sure when it was reported about Bush, it was used as “proof” that Bush is paranoid and hated but with Obama, it is meaningless.
Speedwagon82 on June 7, 2009 at 6:28 PM
Now I’m curious what a food taster actually does. There’s no way they actually eat some and say, we’re good to go here.
Do they do some quick chemical analysis? A mini blender? A hungry canary?
patrick neid on June 7, 2009 at 6:33 PM
Hahahahahahaha
maverick muse on June 7, 2009 at 6:48 PM
patrick neid on June 7, 2009 at 6:33 PM
I wondered about that, too. How long does it take for a spec of the KGB favored poison to kick in? Wouldn’t Obama’s food get cold?
maverick muse on June 7, 2009 at 6:50 PM
Does Barack have a cigarette dragger to test each first puff?
maverick muse on June 7, 2009 at 6:51 PM
Who taste tests the laced brownies for their Wednesday night bashes?
capejasmine on June 7, 2009 at 7:04 PM
Not an issue.
Mike D. on June 7, 2009 at 8:10 PM
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