Obama, Fallon Discuss Secret Service 'Knuckleheads' Behind Prostitution Scandal

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- President Barack Obama said the Secret Service prostitution scandal was "a little distracting" but that employees at the center of the investigation were not representative of the agency tasked with protecting him and his family.

Obama said in an interview Tuesday on NBC's "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" show that "99.9 percent" of the time, members of the Secret Service do a great job and put their lives on the line.

"A couple of knuckleheads shouldn't detract from what they do. What these guys were thinking, I don't know. That's why they're not there anymore," Obama said.

"These guys are incredible. They protect me. They protect Michelle. They protect the girls. They protect our officials all around the world," the president said.

A dozen Secret Service personnel and another 12 military personnel preparing for Obama's visit to Cartagena, Colombia, are being investigated for cavorting with prostitutes. Six Secret Service agents have been let go over the incident and the Defense Department has suspended the security clearances of the military personnel being investigated.

As many as 20 prostitutes were involved with the group, officials say and none are believed to be underage.

The incident broke into public view when one of the prostitutes argued with a Secret Service agent over her payment in a hallway of the Caribe hotel. Local law enforcement intervened on the prostitute's behalf. Paid sex is legal in Cartagena, but violates codes of conduct for U.S. personnel who were working there.

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Comments

[kernalsan]

09:46 AM on 04/25/2012

" What these guys were thinking, I don't know. That's why they're not there anymore," Obama said."

Perhaps the blood supply to their brains was diminished?

[Jakpot]

09:35 AM on 04/25/2012

Ron Kessler in his book "In the President's Secret Service: Behind the Scenes with Agents in the Line of Fire and the Presidents They Protect" Ron states that Obama dislikes the Secret Service and looks at the Secret Service as servants

[Don Stalvino]

10:26 PM on 04/24/2012

"These guys are incredible. They protect me. They protect Michelle. They protect the girls. They protect our officials all around the world," the president said." Who is in charge of Bo's protection?

[FaisalNahian]

01:19 AM on 04/25/2012

President himself, I guess. :D

[Soror4512]

09:07 PM on 04/24/2012

The President was kind and chummy in using Knucklehead. Their actions were worst than a Knucklehead and they know it. I'm sure the wives/girlfriends know it.

[Mark Cormier Arizona]

06:31 PM on 04/24/2012

Careful what you say about these guys Mr. Pres.............these are the one's watching your back.

[FaisalNahian]

01:21 AM on 04/25/2012

doesn't he sound careful enough?

[ny hot mic]

06:20 PM on 04/24/2012

For Obama to ignore Senator Grassley's voice of warning would be a huge and naive miscalculation...

[nanyar]

02:14 AM on 04/25/2012

for anyone to take senator grassland seriously would be an indictment on their intelligence.

[realityoccasionally]

07:51 PM on 04/27/2012

you don't trust the President's intelligence? what more does he have to do for you? his own intuition has served him quite well so far.

[whoissurprised]

05:55 PM on 04/24/2012

Obama is just PO that he did not make it to their party.

[obamathegreat235]

05:52 PM on 04/24/2012

Obama, Fallon Discuss Secret Service 'Knuckleheads' Behind Prostitution Scandal"---Knuckleheads is a more conservative reference than how I would refer to their heads.

TEAM OBAMA 2012!

[devildog09]

05:43 PM on 04/24/2012

Very presidential. Doesn't he have handlers or anything to coach him on proper decorum for a head of state? Or maybe a teleprompter?

[Fattonecat]

05:50 PM on 04/24/2012

nitpicker

[kimhoulian]

06:04 PM on 04/24/2012

meanwhile you vote uneducated tea partiers into congress and wanted Sarah as VP...smh.

[shetellutrue]

05:34 PM on 04/24/2012

now will all the knuckle heads blaming our President for the behavior of other knuckle heads be content? I suppose that would require the ability to think and reason...

[thintheheard]

09:00 PM on 04/24/2012

To top it off he goes on second rate jimmy Fallon to discuss it!? What a party you libs have. Willie Clinton is very proud right now.

[nanyar]

02:19 AM on 04/25/2012

Fox news zombies don't know it but Fallon is what all the young hipsters watch.. Very strategic for the POTUS to secure his substrate with that demographic..

[realityoccasionally]

07:55 PM on 04/27/2012

yah, let's get ted nugent or donald trump's opinion. sheesh

[Watching rock grow]

05:33 PM on 04/24/2012

I recall being informed that prostitution in Colombia is legal. The moral to the story is; don’t argue with a legal prostitute over pay, they are not afraid of being reported to the police.

[thintheheard]

09:01 PM on 04/24/2012

Wow! You recall? How long ago did you have that discussion.

[Watching rock grow]

10:47 PM on 04/24/2012

Well Thintheheard since I am older than s-i-n I believe it was about a week or so a-go.

[Watching rock grow]

10:53 AM on 04/25/2012

In my humble opinion Thin, your rant is symbolic of the neutral bias in our media today in just letting the ol’ boys continue their own rants. The 4th estate is failing the people, in not demanding real answers to real questions. Perhaps it is the assault of accusations lobed at them over the years as being Commies, and Leftists. They have come to fear greater burning or the blatant refusal of some newsmakers to appear and discuss real news with them.

Still, if you listen to the sound bites, do some research you realize that the parties are not altogether the same. The ranters, whiners, the lack of solutions, the blocking of issues can, in the final accounting are laid at one parties feet more than the other. This takes time, effort, and desire; but it does allow one to be functionally knowledgeable about the issues and who is on what side.

I like your feelings fan me and I will fan you back, it is up to you. Anyway you take care now.

[hewdewyou]

05:06 PM on 04/24/2012

I don't have any problem with anything the secret service did. I'm still not sure what the big deal is. Is prostitution illegal in Columbia or something? It doesn't seem like it in the coverage.

[devildog09]

05:46 PM on 04/24/2012

I'm sure the secret service has a code of conduct that governs the agents- certainly while on official business. If they broke the rules, they get fired for bringing discredit upon their agency. The secret service is a very serious organization and I'm sure they don't appreciate being in the headlines as the butt of jokes.

[hewdewyou]

05:51 PM on 04/24/2012

But it's my understanding this was during a night out. You're saying that secret service agents have to live up to that standard their entire career? That seems a little harsh for a dude that we don't know the name of or probably pay very highly.

[Maxwell Silver]

06:08 PM on 04/24/2012

It violates the code of conduct as mentioned at the very end of the article. I think it's ridiculous that these guys, who are putting their lives on the line in what is probably an extremely stressful job, aren't allowed to get a little... "R&R".

[hewdewyou]

06:13 PM on 04/24/2012

Well I mean yea. And I'm sure the code of conduct is as vague as the agent will demonstrate behavior that reflects the dignity of the office of the president or whatever, it's all bs, if that was true you couldn't every fart, give me a break