http://www.straightdope.com/columns/080704.html
Nice column; seems pretty accurate from everything I’ve ever read about presidential protection. One other detail: when Air Force personnel stock food and drink for Air Force One, they go shopping in civilian clothes and go to random grocery stores, often far from Edwards AFB, to minimize the risk that someone will try to slip poisoned stuff aboard.
My brother teaches in the Hospitality and Tourism department at our local university. When President Clinton visited our town, my brother was in charge of cooking for him.
The FBI did background checks on everyone who had worked in the kitchen that day, and Secret Service agents watched everyone who came near the president’s food.
Which really throws any terrorists off, seeing as how the Presidential Airlift Wing is usually based at Andrews 
But yeah, in the case of a mass event as the baseball game mentioned in the column, itwould be an effective tactic to have undercover agents planted in the crowd, and just have a few of them grab food from diverse random vendors or concession stands, then from those pick the one to give to the Big Guy.
This whole thing seemed a bit strange to me. In medieval times, I can understand a food taster, but the whole idea seems out of place in modern times. Some Secret Service agent is supposed to gulp a helping of the First Spaghetti and then what? Is the hungry president supposed to sit around and wait to see if the agent dies? How long does the First Tummy grumble? That’s just silly.
It seems entirely more reasonable to be careful and random in purchasing the groceries and then keep an eye on the vittles during storage and preparation. That seems much cheaper, quicker, and effective in modern times.
So, when the boss wants to down a dog at the ballgame, buy one from a random vendor whose other customers aren’t keeling over. If the other sports fans are dropping like flies, maybe consider a different menu item for the big guy.
D’oh! :smack:
I never cooked for the President, so I don’t know about those procedures firsthand. But I did help cater a party at which the First Lady, Laura Bush, was guest of honor. I don’t think they go quite to the same lengths for her. The Secret Service did inspect the kitchens, but that was just to see the layout of the place, and some time in advance of the day. During the reception she was kept so busy with meet and greet, and photo ops, she didn’t really have time to hit the buffet line. So my boss was delegated to make up what I’d call “sampler platters” and he took them to the home of the woman with whom Mrs Bush was spending the night. Laura Bush came down to thank him, in her housecoat! My boss did have to go through quite a security line outside the house, but inside it was more relaxed, and he never mentioned if they inspected the food in his presence.
I once saw First Lady Barbara Bush in the McDonald’s on 42nd Street; NYC. A Secret Service agent took the orders and got the food, then inspected everything before the group ate it.
I can just say that I am happy I’m not a president!