Vitter went ‘ballistic on an airline worker,’ then ‘fled the scene’ before security arrived.
Vitter went ‘ballistic on an airline worker,’ then ‘fled the scene’ before security arrived.
Last week, scandal-plagued Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) went “ballistic on an airline worker after missing a flight from Washington’s Dulles airport to New Orleans.” After arriving just 20 minutes before the plane was scheduled to depart, Vitter gave the airline employee who denied him entrance to the already closed gate “an earful, employing the timeworn ‘do-you-know-who-I-am’ tirade that apparently grew quite heated.” But when the employee left to find a security guard, Vitter “simply fled the scene”:
Vitter, according to the witness, remained defiant, yelling that the employee could call the police if he wanted to and their supervisors, who, presumably, might be more impressed with his Senator’s pin.
But after talking a huffy big game, Vitter apparently thought better of pushing the confrontation any further. When the gate attendant left to find a security guard, Vitter turned tail and simply fled the scene.
(HT: Raw Story)
"After being delayed on the Senate floor ensuring a vote on my anti-pay-raise amendment and in a rush to make my flight home for town hall meetings the next day, I accidentally went through a wrong door at the gate," Vitter said in a statement. "I did have a conversation with an airline employee, but it was certainly not like this silly gossip column made it out to be."
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Vitter wasn’t running from security. He just had to go change his diaper.
March 11th, 2009 at 9:37 amAre we sure the ‘P’ in GOP doesn’t stand for petulance?
March 11th, 2009 at 9:39 amDNFP Says:
Are we sure the ‘P’ in GOP doesn’t stand for petulance?
I thought it was “perverse”.
March 11th, 2009 at 9:40 amChickenhawk in diapers.
Did he have a sudden need to do some toe tapping in the nearest lavatory?
March 11th, 2009 at 9:41 amAren’t there any pictures of this guy in which he is not making a stupid constipated face?
March 11th, 2009 at 9:42 amOh, yes. No desire for double standards here. Nope.
Isn’t the basis of the “do-you-know-who-I-am” style of rant that the “who-I-am” person is entitled to special treatment? methinks that be the case.
Republican’ts: party of special entitlement.
Oh, and just in case they missed it: the republican’ts are no longer the majority party.
Yeah, that employee knew who you were — you are whiney diaper boy.
March 11th, 2009 at 9:44 amJust another example the prism of hubris these GOOPERS see themselves through. They are so sure that the world works for them and them alone
March 11th, 2009 at 9:44 amArrest him. If this was just an average shmoo, they would have hunted him down. Many people have been arrested for less.
March 11th, 2009 at 9:47 amWhat is the suggested time frame for arriving for a flight for us peasantry? Is it one or two hours early these days? I forget. I am pretty certian that “20 minutes” is NOT early enough in this “post 9/11″ world.
So, Vitteroo — you think that the rules and laws do not apply to you because of your special shiny lapel pin? Is this all some fraternity mindset?
March 11th, 2009 at 9:49 amIf this is true, and I’m almost positive it is, what a flippin’ Wuss!
March 11th, 2009 at 9:52 amFirst, I know the frustration of a missed or canceled flight. It’s happened to me twice due to inclement weather. I just shrug my shoulders, and garnish the attitude of “oh well”, nothing can be done. Best have a positive attitude.
That being said, I’ve NEVER arrived late for a flight at the trip’s origin. It says to arrive no less than 1 hour before your scheduled departure for domestic flights, it does NOT say “unless you’re a diaper wearing, prostitute visiting congressman”!!!
Mucking foron, who thinks he’s above rules and regulations.
And on top of that, to play the tough guy, give him hell, bring em on type machosism, only to bail when it appears the employee calls the bluff?
WUSS!
Next time, stand up to your ‘holier than thou’ aggression, and face the music.
That is exactly the face my grandson makes when he is filling his diaper with poopies.
March 11th, 2009 at 9:53 amDRxJ Says:
Next time, stand up to your ‘holier than thou’ aggression, and face the music.
Ummmm… “republican”…..(said in a Johnny Depp voice)
March 11th, 2009 at 9:54 amThese Republicans are low-life.
March 11th, 2009 at 9:55 ami’m late,
i’m late,
for a very important date!
**
March 11th, 2009 at 10:00 amNow I know that the P in GOP stands for PRICK.
March 11th, 2009 at 10:00 amWhy is the ‘Liberal’ media so silent on this? Oh, they must be focused on some poor missing white chick or slamming Baracks first fifty days in office. I have never seen such scuntiny on a Republican President picks before.
March 11th, 2009 at 10:00 amI don’t know why, but this was hilarious. Made my morning.
March 11th, 2009 at 10:01 am“He bravely tucked his tail and ran, brave brave brave brave Sir Vitter!”
March 11th, 2009 at 10:03 amI know who he is all right. He’s a guy who missed a plane departure. He is not God. One thing that shows a persons true character is how he or she treats a service person, like restaurant servers and airline employees. I don’t like his behavior at all. Now, he would tell you what a great Christian he is, but my reply would be, “whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me.” What an asshat.
March 11th, 2009 at 10:03 amBrave Sir Vitter ran away.
Bravely ran away, away!
When danger reared its ugly head,
He bravely turned his tail and fled.
Yes, brave Sir Vitter turned about
And gallantly he chickened out.
Bravely taking to his feet
He beat a very brave retreat,
Bravest of the brave, Sir Vitter!
There now, that’s a little better.
March 11th, 2009 at 10:05 amPoor baby, he need’s more fiber mixed in with his morning pablum…Blessings
March 11th, 2009 at 10:07 amlarkohio Says:
Now, he would tell you what a great Christian he is, but my reply would be, “whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me.”
Well, according to some of our religious minded trolls, statements such as that apply ONLY to other christains. Exactly like the Islamics who follow the dogma concerning “the infidel”. Precisely the same.
So, unless that fellow could PROVE to Vitter that he was a good christain, Vitter is not compelled by any religious argument as to the treatment of the heretic pagan.
Not meaning to divert the thread —
departing for a little while…. matters of state to attend to….
March 11th, 2009 at 10:10 amlarkohio Says:
I know who he is all right. He’s a guy who missed a plane departure. He is not God.
Oh.. one last thing — Vitter never claimed to be god.
He is a Republican.
He believes that he owns god (TM).
March 11th, 2009 at 10:12 am“Do you know who I am?”
“Wait! Aren’t you the MARRIED senator who likes to wear diapers and fu*k whores? Sure, let me stop the plane FOR YOU!”
What would he have done if that had been the reply?
March 11th, 2009 at 10:13 amVitter and Bachman should get together, they would make a great tag team of idiots.
March 11th, 2009 at 10:19 amDid someone record the incident… it could have been a great watching.
March 11th, 2009 at 10:21 amDICKLESS DAVEY?
I bet he made a phone call to his wife ’splainin’ his tardiness and then caught hell when he got home.
March 11th, 2009 at 10:24 americk28 Says:
Did someone record the incident… it could have been a great watching.
there’s got to be airport security camera video footage.
March 11th, 2009 at 10:24 amVitter’s legacy?
No one knows (or gives a rat’s *ss) who he is.
But mention “diapers and whore” and everyone will go “oh yeah, that guy”.
March 11th, 2009 at 10:24 amWhy isn’t this man in a mental institution locked up in a padded room?????
March 11th, 2009 at 10:27 amIf I did that I’d be in jail.
March 11th, 2009 at 10:33 amWhat’s wrong diaper boy? Late for a date with a hooker?
March 11th, 2009 at 10:34 amThe ‘do you know who I am’ retort is absolutely lame. Passengers shouldn’t take their frustrations out on the employees. I do question why they are closing the gate 20 minutes prior to departure. Is that standard? And it’s probably a valid story, but it would be a lot more credible with some video or at least more than one witness.
March 11th, 2009 at 10:36 ambackup Says:
I do question why they are closing the gate 20 minutes prior to departure. Is that standard?
March 11th, 2009 at 10:36 am
____________
Yes. This is why all the airlines tell you to arrive at least an hour before departure.
Why was he flying out of Dulles anyhow? National’s much more convenient…
March 11th, 2009 at 10:39 amPlease don’t get me wrong. Vitter isn’t one of my favorite people. I see him as an obstructionist hypocrite who loves Rush Limbaugh and wants Obama to fail — a combo that does nothing to help our country.
I’m also no fan of arrogance, and “do you know who I am?” rants seldom make my hit parade.
That said — I’m willing to cut Vitter a little slack here (not much, but a little). There are few things in our society these days that are as frustrating as air travel. I’m generally thought of as reasonable and easy-going by the people who know me. But there’s something about being jerked around at an airport (and the powerlessness associated with it) that can turn me into a very scary, seething biomass that no longer resembles a human being. I remember traveling with someone who had difficulty walking (he did so slowly, with a cane), and we were victims of constantly switching departure gates. I had my meltdown because I was lacking two things — somebody who could give me a straight answer as to what gate our flight was leaving from, and one of those beeping carts so my friend didn’t have to walk from gate to gate to gate. Believe me, if I had ANY claim to fame at all, I would have played the “do you know who I am?” card in a heartbeat. I would have used ANYTHING I could find in my toolkit to get my problems resolved. So would anyone.
It was that experience (and a couple of other irritations at airports) that made me realize I can’t judge famous people who use the “do you know who I am?” routine. Chances are they are having their own meltdown, and they DO have the tool in their kit, even though using it makes them look like @ssholes.
Now, Vitter’s problem was likely of his own making more than getting jerked around for no reason. He could have avoided the conflict by allowing more time to get to the airport and showing up earlier for his flight (although if his reason for being late was something beyond his control, that could have added to his frustration). This is why I can give him the benefit of the doubt and attribute his behavior to a meltdown borne of frustration, and not assume he behaves like this kind of an @ss all the time — but he would be wise to adjust his schedule accordingly in the future.
I should also be grateful that he’s flying commercial instead of in a private jet.
March 11th, 2009 at 10:39 amCageyCriten, You are great. I needed a laugh today.
March 11th, 2009 at 10:40 amKind of hard to run away from the scene and try to pretend it never happened when you’ve just provided your name and your I.D. to the airline employee and made a big deal with the macho “Do you know who I am?”
Idiot.
PEACE
March 11th, 2009 at 10:40 amThanks for your concern, b-cup.
March 11th, 2009 at 10:41 amBe careful when you ask to see video of David Vitter. You might see something you wish you hadn’t.
March 11th, 2009 at 10:43 amThis guy really does a great job of representing everything that’s wrong with the Republican Party.
http://www.pufferfishblog.com/
March 11th, 2009 at 10:45 amWhy would you give a guy like Vitter any slack? He is a Senator who thinks that the regs that apply to normal people don’t apply to him. He better then anyone should know what the airport regs are around this country since 9/11. He as a Senator helped put them in effect. This asshat deserves no slack.
March 11th, 2009 at 10:48 amtoasterhead. I agree. But the story makes is sound as if he was at the gate 20 minutes prior:
You’re supposed to get to the airport an hour prior, because it takes time to check in, clear security, and get to the gate. I think gates don’t normally closed until 10 minutes prior to pushback (departure time).
If anyone were at the gate 20 minutes prior, it would be reasonable they should get on the plane.
A couple of questions: Did he arrive at the airport 20 minutes prior or at the gate 20 minutes prior?
and, is it normal for gate personnel to deny someone boarding if they are at the gate 20 minutes prior to departure?
I personally believe the cutoff is 10 minutes. That’s why the 20 minutes before departure sounded strange to me (if he was at the gate).
March 11th, 2009 at 11:01 amWhy isn’t this guy in chains? Several people have been arrested for less trouble caused than this. How about the mother on the terrorist list for spanking her children on a flight. Has someone asked Michael Steele about his opinion of Mr. Vitter? That might stir up some more muck for the GOP.
March 11th, 2009 at 11:08 amShorter:
Vitter: “Don’t you know who I am?”
airline employee: “Oh my bad, I didn’t recognize you without the diaper. The men’s bathroom? It’s down the corridor on your right.”
March 11th, 2009 at 11:08 amRather an elitist thing to do…
March 11th, 2009 at 11:09 amVitter, thy name is JACKASS.
March 11th, 2009 at 11:11 amWhat an insufferable, arrogant fool.
Here’s how the story was reported at rawstory.com
On domestic flights, do they close the doors to the jetways 20 minutes prior to departure?
None of this excuses Vitter’s reported behavior.
But, it raises an additional question. If it is not standard to close the doors 20 minutes prior, why was Vitter denied boarding?
I believe the standard is 10 minutes prior. I’ll try to find the information.
March 11th, 2009 at 11:11 amAn ordinary citizen could be put on a no-fly list for such behavior. How about applying that to Vitter?
March 11th, 2009 at 11:11 amhussein toasterhead Says:
“Why was he flying out of Dulles anyhow? National’s much more convenient…”
Larry Craig told Vitter that National was going to start having attendants in the men’s room. Craig also told Vitter that the stalls at Dulles are a bit roomier.
March 11th, 2009 at 11:11 amJesus Hussein Christ on sesame crackers, fckup don’t you have something better to do than defend Repugs?
Seriously dude, get a life.
For some reason I got an invitation to a Vitters’ fundraising dinner. I sent back a reply asking if he was the pervert who sucked whores’ toes or the one who wore diapers because I wasn’t sure I wanted to spend my money.
I didn’t get invited again.
March 11th, 2009 at 11:15 amThe pictures accompanying the recent Vitter articles are excellent. This one reminds me of those childhood physical exams, when the pediatrician would say, “Bear down, as though you were having a bowel moment.”
March 11th, 2009 at 11:16 amYeah, I know who you are and you’re still not boarding the plane, Senator. The rules apply to everyone.
March 11th, 2009 at 11:16 amSounds like this loser needs a BJ from a hooker PRONTO.
March 11th, 2009 at 11:18 amSuper Diaper Baby strikes again!
March 11th, 2009 at 11:24 amAnd if this had been done by anyone other than a US Senator, the person would be in jail right now.
March 11th, 2009 at 11:29 amPhoto Caption:
March 11th, 2009 at 11:36 am
Author James Moore was put on a no-fly list for writing “Bush’s Brain” , a book critical of Karl Rove, so it doesn’t take much to be banned from air travel nowadays. And Moore didn’t break any laws. Vitter did by opening the emergency door.
March 11th, 2009 at 11:39 ambackup,
how are you coming with
that 10/20 minutes thing?
it’s been 30 minutes and you
still haven’t nailed it down yet.
*
don’t you care?
**
March 11th, 2009 at 11:39 am>how are you coming with
>
>that 10/20 minutes thing?
yo joe. its very important to him that he re-enact the scene with careful clarity and accuracy..so..he’s filling his diaper now, to help re-enact the fateful journey of Messar Vitter..can it be he has stumbled upon a scandal dwarfed only by JFK’s last moment? Diaperstumblebumblelatetothegategate?
March 11th, 2009 at 12:01 pm> And it’s probably a valid story,
> but it would be a lot more credible
> with some video or at least more
> than one witness.
What does the allegations of Saddam having WMD have to do with this thread?
March 11th, 2009 at 12:10 pmFYI
Last night before the Senate vote, Vitter was objecting to some amendment from Harry Reid. He would not withdraw his objection until Nancy Pelosi would commit to putting one of his stupid bills on the House floor. I guess he expected Nancy to come from next door and kiss his a$$ on cspan. What a despicable excuse for a Senator. How do these people keep getting elected?
March 11th, 2009 at 12:11 pmHey bAcked up I suspect that vitter was actually only 11 minutes late instead of 10, he may be a victim of An@l Profiling, should I email him to offer to file a discrimination lawsuit on his behalf?
March 11th, 2009 at 12:13 pmVitter…
March 11th, 2009 at 12:15 pm… A member of the G.roup O.f P.oopers!
… tune in next week for more stories like this one on Proud Moments of the Republican Party….
March 11th, 2009 at 12:16 pmSo, instead of addressing the actions of some fellow at an airport causing a scene, and threatening airport personell, our troll would rather focus on the airport being at fault for closing the gates.
But, isn’t it the perogotive of the airport to close any gate whenever they feel it necessary? Are not they private enterprises (and not socialized transportation)? As private entities, with HUGE liability concerns (and in this “post 9/11″ world we live in, they are also concerned about being liable for another terrorist attack), is it not their RIGHT, particularly as a private business entity, to choose when they are done with boarding? They can change your gate while you are en-route.
No one — no one at all — has authority to demand that they be allowed to board after the people running the airport have decided to close the boarding gate, even IF they closed it earlier than “is normal”.
The argument trying to shift the blame (typical — “It wasn’t the republican’s fault — it was the airports”) is dishonest, and a complete strawman.
Party of personal responsibility my fat, hairy @ss.
Republicans: party of entitlement and (corporate) welfare.
March 11th, 2009 at 12:18 pm> Proud Moments of the Republican Party….
you could fit that one on a Twitter
March 11th, 2009 at 12:18 pmHe’s establishing a pattern of troublesome behavior and doesn’t belong in the US Congress.
March 11th, 2009 at 12:19 pmbluevistas Says:
He’s establishing a pattern of troublesome behavior and doesn’t belong in the US Congress.
How many republican’ts does this apply to?
Or, for the much shorter answer — “How many republican’ts does this NOT apply to?”
March 11th, 2009 at 12:22 pmbackup Says:
Shut up captain. You’re an idiot. Anyone else including Cynthyia would have been held and harrassed on the employees word alone. Hypocicy is thy name.
March 11th, 2009 at 12:22 pmThe first thing he must do is apologize to Rush Limbaugh.
March 11th, 2009 at 12:24 pmThis is a prime example for having security call buttons installed at the airline agent’s desks. The agent wouldn’t have to go find a supervisor. He/she could stay on post and see where diaper boy went. As far as video, I’ll bet anything that there are video cameras installed behind every ticket desk, in order to tape every passenger for future reference, ala, the tapes of the 9/11 hijackers preparing to board their flights. Give it time, and Vitters little tantrum will show up on YouTube.
B-Cup, I,m sure that the airline closed the gate early, just to inconvenience the esteemed Senator from Loseyanna. Keep workin’ on it–you’ll find the truth. Or, at least, your version of the truth.
March 11th, 2009 at 12:24 pmBlue387 Says:
The first thing he must do is apologize to Rush Limbaugh.
At this point, I suspect that every republicant who wants to remain at all relevant in the party calls Rush once a day to apologize for anything that they might have said or done recently to offend him, followed by slobbering praises, begging to be kept in Rush’s good graces.
Rush is the conservative messiah.
March 11th, 2009 at 12:26 pmWonder where whiney boy ran to…..a bathroom?
March 11th, 2009 at 12:31 pmMr. Vitter is right about one thing. We know who he is…a complete idiot.
March 11th, 2009 at 12:31 pmVitter and Bachman should get together, they would make a great tag team of idiots.
imagine bachman standing a couple feet behind him, pointing and shouting, “you be da man, vitter, you be da man” as vitter verbally assaulted airline employee after airline employee.
———
this whole 20 minute or 10 minute before departure debate is ridiculous. i’m a very experienced traveller, multiple international flights a year for most of my life, if you miss a flight there is no point in screaming at an airline employee. they can’t do anything, flights are controlled by the tower.
vitter was way off base, he should be embarrassed, and we should all laugh at him.
not debate whether or not the airline might have been wrong.
i also love that backup will note that some video would be nice to make the reporting more accurate but believes firmly that 20 minutes before departure is just that, not say 15 or 14 minutes…
the thing about time is when it comes to minutes everyone is on different times, if my watch is 5 minutes fast
and your watch is 5 minutes slow, we’re 10 minutes apart. so if you’re gonna be cute and cut it close with a flight you payed good money for then you are an idiot and if you then scream at someone after missing the flight, then you are a giant tool too.
March 11th, 2009 at 12:31 pmbackup Says:
The ‘do you know who I am’ retort is absolutely lame. Passengers shouldn’t take their frustrations out on the employees. I do question why they are closing the gate 20 minutes prior to departure. Is that standard? And it’s probably a valid story, but it would be a lot more credible with some video or at least more than one witness.
Sure, people stand around airport departure gates with video cameras just so they can get video proof to satisfy people like you who won’t believe a conservative can do anything wrong.
March 11th, 2009 at 12:35 pmTell Vitter that the GOP started all of these security measures at the airports. And the rest of us have had to suffer these same inconveniences one time or another.
March 11th, 2009 at 12:36 pmBilbo Hussein Baggins Says:
Sure, people stand around airport departure gates with video cameras just so they can get video proof to satisfy people like you who won’t believe a conservative can do anything wrong.
Try hanging around an airport gate with a video camera without being detained by Homeland Security…
But in all seriousness, I would think that airports would have security cameras all over the place.
March 11th, 2009 at 12:39 pmIf it had been anyone else, they would have clamped the airport down and hunted you down.
March 11th, 2009 at 12:39 pmWhy has not Vitter been arrested? If you or I beheved like that, we’d have been taken in, put on the no-fly list and had a date in court set by now.
March 11th, 2009 at 12:40 pmIn Phoenix last year a woman pulled a Vitter, same reason, she was late and the door was closed. Security dragged her ass to the holding room and she died.
Where’s the justice? Karma would say that those two situations should be reversed, but then who would have to clean up the godawful mess in Vitter’s diaper?
March 11th, 2009 at 12:46 pm“He’s fleein’ the interview! He’s fleein’ the interview!” Marge Gunderson, Brainerd PD.
March 11th, 2009 at 1:08 pmExplain this to me.
Vitter opened the gate and set off the security alarm . . . yet, the airline employee had to leave to get airport security?
What does this say about all the money that TSA has spent on airport security/
Shouldn’t the alarm have automatically summoned a dozen armed rent-a-cops to surround that door?
Shouldn’t Vitter have been arrested and detained until it was ascertained that he wasn’t a threat to the flying public?
What would happen if you or I had done that very same thing?
March 11th, 2009 at 1:22 pmI’d like to have this pushed, pushed, pushed, to bring him back into the limelight. He and his fellow privileged class Republic Party cronies are trying to regain respectability and credibility, and any effort to remind people who they really are and have been, should be used.
March 11th, 2009 at 1:48 pmfrom CNN:
“Sooner or later Senator Vitter should learn how to control himself,” said Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesman Eric Schultz
Kkkkkk
March 11th, 2009 at 2:31 pmApparently Vitter has “impulse issues” over & above his prostitute problems. A Louisiana woman won a small settlement in a lawsuit against him after he charged at her, knocking over chairs, during a public meeting. It isn’t just his policies that are reprehensible. And in case you think he’s too dumb to know better, he’s a Harvard grad & a Rhodes scholar. He’s just one arrogant jerk.
The Constant Weader at RealityChex.com
March 11th, 2009 at 2:47 pmHe had to leave because he filled his diaper…
….and he was upset because he missed the flight to see his favorite hooker.
March 11th, 2009 at 2:49 pmVitter, like a typical coward, fled the scene. Vitter, I don’t give a ‘possum’s a$$’ to “Who you are!”. But I know you are a COWARD!
March 11th, 2009 at 3:09 pmVitter had to rush home because Wendy #1 has him on a string and if he doesn’t report on time she might think he’s with Wendy #2 the prostitute. Vitter only wanted this reported so Wendy #1 would know why he was late. Now he ran away to find a woman for quick sex on the side. It’s getting difficult for Vitter to play around.
March 11th, 2009 at 3:42 pmVitter acting like a big baby…I guess if the diaper fits…
March 11th, 2009 at 5:40 pmSo Vitter can’t live according to the laws which he not only passed, but heartily supported ?
March 11th, 2009 at 8:44 pmRemember back in ‘01 when Ted Kennedy was inadvertantly (supposedly) put on a “no fly list”. It didn’t matter who he was then, he was delayed every time he tried to fly. So, does Diaper Dave think that he’s more important than Teddy? What an @sswipe!
March 11th, 2009 at 9:51 pmLet’s see the surveillance video!
March 11th, 2009 at 10:28 pm“Went through a wrong door at the gate?”
Um. I’ve been to airport terminals a time or two. There aren’t many doors. They are generally long passageways, and the only doors lead to the boarding passages. Exactly which door was he intending to access?
March 12th, 2009 at 11:21 am