The White House is a on every nut job's must see list when they're in DC (except for the asshat on a tractor who visited the Mall a few years ago), but most of them never get to see any of the other sites. This guy took his mission to the extreme...
WASHINGTON (nbc4.com) -- A man with a message for President George W. Bush set himself on fire in front of the White House Monday afternoon, District officials said.As if one crazy for the day wasn't enough, later in the day, Man Arrested After Jumping Over White House Fence...U.S. Park Police and Secret Service are investigating the incident that forced the closure of the newly reopened Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House.
At about 2:05 p.m., the man approached the northwest gate at the White House, which is the gate visitors normally use. He said he had a letter for the president, and Secret Service told him he would have to mail it.
The man then stepped away from the gate, pulled out a lighter and set himself on fire. The flames were put out but the area was evacuated as authorities investigated a nearby backpack. No explosives were found.
"Just got in front of the White House when I heard a Secret Service radio go off that some guy just set himself on fire in front of the White House," said witness Jim Clarke. "I turned around and this guy was fully engulfed in flames."
Clarke said the fire was extinguished quickly. Other witnesses said they heard the man screaming in pain.
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Comments (10)
Speaking of mail to the Pre... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Jeff Harrell | November 16, 2004 12:59 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Speaking of mail to the President, it's pretty common knowledge that personal mail to the President needs to be addressed with a private mail code. It kind of amazes me that the President's private mail code has never leaked over the Internet. That seems like just the kind of thing the folks over at the DU would love to get their hands on.
(Sorry to get all sideliney there. It's late, and I'm sorta free associating.)
1. Posted by Jeff Harrell | November 16, 2004 12:59 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on November 16, 2004 00:59
2. Posted by Editor | November 16, 2004 1:02 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Looks like 1600 Penn. AVE is going to be shut down... again. Well, that was a nice week of being open. Hopefully the grand re-reopening will have a better outcome.
2. Posted by Editor | November 16, 2004 1:02 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on November 16, 2004 01:02
3. Posted by Omni | November 16, 2004 1:03 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
You've gotta wonder what the charges will be against Flame-Boy... they may have to make up some new ones for this.
3. Posted by Omni | November 16, 2004 1:03 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on November 16, 2004 01:03
4. Posted by Jeff Harrell | November 16, 2004 1:06 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Open burning without a permit.
4. Posted by Jeff Harrell | November 16, 2004 1:06 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on November 16, 2004 01:06
5. Posted by Mark J | November 16, 2004 1:10 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Apparently he was calling out to Allah as he burned... that's what FNC reported, and if you were listening for it, you could hear it.
5. Posted by Mark J | November 16, 2004 1:10 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on November 16, 2004 01:10
6. Posted by Jay Tea | November 16, 2004 1:15 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
He yelled out "Allah?" That's odd. Setting oneself on fire has traditionally been more of a Buddhist thing. Muslims have traditionally been more into blowing oneself up, along with as many bystanders as possible. Maybe they're getting more ecumenical.
J.
6. Posted by Jay Tea | November 16, 2004 1:15 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on November 16, 2004 01:15
7. Posted by tony | November 16, 2004 2:50 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
that's the second time I've heard the "Allah" thing. I think one yell sounded a little like "Allah!" the rest just sounded like "AHHH!", as in "AHHH! I just lit my ass on fire and it hurts! AHHH!!!"
7. Posted by tony | November 16, 2004 2:50 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on November 16, 2004 02:50
8. Posted by Anne | November 16, 2004 2:53 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
He's an ex-CIA agent (WaPo), upset he can't go see his wife in Iran or something (miss part of the headline as they breezed over it on fox, sorry)
8. Posted by Anne | November 16, 2004 2:53 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on November 16, 2004 02:53
9. Posted by ATM | November 16, 2004 5:29 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
He was a FBI informer who felt he wasn't getting treated properly who was having some family problems too.
9. Posted by ATM | November 16, 2004 5:29 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on November 16, 2004 05:29
10. Posted by -S- | November 16, 2004 6:49 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
ATM: apparently, the "family problems" were spillover results, not causes.
And, JeffHarrell: I'm sure that that particular code can always be changed and changed often, as needed. And certainly is, such that the dummies at DU could capture much of anything only to see it slip again beyond their access. I'm getting a chuckle considering just how many miliseconds would be a potential DU self congratularoty revel about such a capture, or worse, how protracted might be their ongoing self congratulatory revel, many hours after their moment had passed. Ha.
10. Posted by -S- | November 16, 2004 6:49 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on November 16, 2004 06:49