Phew: Secret Service Ensures Obama Isn't Locked Out

They fear Oscar Ramiro Ortega may be threat to president

(NEWSER) - A suspect believed to have fired shots at the White House last week is still at large and police believe he may be a threat to President Obama. A semi-automatic weapon was found in a crashed car belonging to Oscar Ramiro Ortega, a 21-year-old Idaho man, CNN reports. Ortega has a fixation with the White House and a criminal record that includes convictions for domestic violence, drug offenses, and assaulting police officers, sources tell ABC . More»

A look at the president's new digs

(NEWSER) - While President Obama was off vacationing in Martha's Vineyard, his iconic office got its first makeover since George W. Bush left town. Viewers can see the new Oval Office in his speech tonight. Highlights, from USA Today :

• The rug, donated by a Michigan carpet manufacturer, has historical quotes around the border, including “The Arc of the Moral Universe is Long, But it Bends Towards Justice” from Martin Luther King and “No Problem of Human Destiny is Beyond Human Beings” from John F. Kennedy. (Update: The rug is a little off on the MLK quote. Read here .)
• The walls were decorated with hand-made striped wallpaper from Amagansett, New York.

Two agents on leave, face disciplinary action

(NEWSER) - The two Secret Service agents who let Michaele and Tareq Salahi crash last week’s state dinner have been placed on administrative leave and may be fired, agency chief Mark Sullivan told Congress today. Testifying before the House Homeland Security Committee, the Secret Service director took full responsibility for the screw-up and said the agents faced a range of potential sanctions, including potential firing, the Washington Post reports. More»

Secret Service confirms failure of procedures

(NEWSER) - Michaele and Tareq Salahi not only penetrated White House security before Tuesday's state dinner but actually went through the receiving line, where they were greeted by President Obama and Michelle Obama. The red-faced director of the Secret Service released a statement today saying, "Preliminary findings of our internal investigation have determined established protocols were not followed at an initial checkpoint," the Washington Post reports. More»

Photo of youngest Obama visiting Dad echoes Camelot image

(NEWSER) - A new photo released by the White House shows Sasha Obama sneaking up on her dad from behind an Oval Office couch—recalling an iconic image of John Kennedy Jr. hiding under his dad’s desk in 1963. That picture became part of the Kennedy family’s "‘Camelot’ image," writes Eliot Sefton for the First Post. The new picture was taken last month and appears on the White House’s Flickr site. More»