WASHINGTON — As CEOs concluded their meeting with President Barack Obama Wednesday evening, the White House deployed three uniformed Secret Service officers to keep the awaiting reporters from speaking with the group, among them Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein.
As Blankfein and his entourage exited the West Wing, reporters shouted questions at him and tried to approach him to ask about his meeting with the president on the fiscal cliff. But even camera crews trying to get to their stand-up locations for evening news live-shots were prevented from crossing the driveway until Blankfein passed. The Goldman boss appeared on CNBC and CNN before leaving the White House grounds — but not before aides retrieved the blackberry he left inside the West Wing.
Until tonight, I had never seen Secret Service prevent reporters from talking to people leaving the West Wing on the main drive.
Until tonight, I had never seen Secret Service prevent reporters from talking to people leaving the West Wing on the main drive.-- Olivier Knox
They seem to have stopped now, but that was an unpleasant surprise...
They seem to have stopped now, but that was an unpleasant surprise...-- Olivier Knox