Contributor Post Created with Sketch. Book Review: Crisis of Character

John Walker
By John Walker
John Walker Contributor
John Walker is a member of Ricochet.
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“Crisis of Character” by Gary J. Byrne and Grant M. SchmidtAfter a four-year enlistment in the US Air Force, during which he served in the Air Force Security Police in assignments domestic and abroad, then subsequent employment on the production line at a Boeing plant in Pennsylvania, Gary Byrne applied to join the US Secret Service Uniformed Division (SSUD). Unlike the plainclothes agents who protect senior minions of the state and the gumshoes who pursue those who print worthless paper money while not employed by the government, the uniformed division provides police-like security services at the White House, the Naval Observatory (residence of the Vice President), Treasury headquarters, and diplomatic missions in the imperial citadel on the Potomac.

After pre-employment screening and a boot camp-like training program, Byrne graduated in June 1991 and received his badge, emblazoned with the words “Worthy of Trust and Confidence.” This is presumably so that people who cross the path of these pistol packing feds can take a close look at the badge to see whether it says “Worthy” or “Unworthy” and respond accordingly.

Immediately after graduation, Byrne was assigned to the White House, where he learned the wisdom in the description of the job by his seniors, “You know what it’s like to be in the Service? Go stand in a corner for four hours with a five-minute pee break and then go stand for four more hours” (p. 22). He was initially assigned to the fence line, where he became acquainted with the rich panoply of humanity who hang out nearby and occasionally try to jump the barrier which divides the hoi polloi from their anointed rulers. Eventually he was assigned to positions within the White House and, during the 1992 presidential election campaign, began training for an assignment outside the Oval Office. As the campaign progressed, he was assigned to provide security at various events involving candidates George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

When the Clinton administration took office in 1992, the duties of the SSUD remained the same: “You elect ’em; we protect ’em,” but it quickly became apparent that the style of the new president and his entourage was nothing like that of their predecessors. Some were thoroughly professional and other were … not. Before long, it was evident that one of the greatest “challenges” officers would face was “Evergreen”: the code name for First Lady Hillary Clinton. One of the most feared phrases an SSUD officer on duty outside the Oval Office could hear squawked into his ear was “Evergreen moving toward West Wing.” Mrs Clinton would, at the slightest provocation, fly into rages, hurling vitriol at all within earshot, which, with her shrill and penetrating voice, was sniper-rifle range. Sometimes it wasn’t just invective that took flight. Byrne recounts the story when, in 1995, the First Lady beaned the Leader of the Free World with a vase. Byrne wasn’t on duty at the time, but the next day he saw the pieces of the vase in a box in the White House curator’s office — and the President’s impressive black eye. Welcome to Clinton World.

On the job in the West Wing, Officer Byrne saw staffers and interns come and go. One intern who showed up again and again, without good reason and seemingly to probe every path of access to the President, was a certain Monica Lewinsky. He perceived her as “serious trouble.” Before long, it was apparent what was going on, and Secret Service personnel approached a Clinton staffer, dancing around the details. Monica was transferred to a position outside the White House. Problem solved — but not for long: Lewinsky reappeared in the West Wing, this time as a paid presidential staffer with the requisite security clearance. Problem solved, from the perspective of the President and his mistress.

Many people on the White House staff, not just the Secret Service, knew what was transpiring, and morale and respect for the office plummeted accordingly. Byrne took a post in the section responsible for tours of the executive mansion, and then transferred to the fresh air and untainted workplace environment of the Secret Service’s training center, where his goal was to become a firearms instructor. After his White House experience, a career of straight shooting had great appeal.

On Jan. 17, 1998, the Drudge Report broke the story of Clinton’s dalliances with Lewinsky, and Byrne knew this placid phase of his life was at an end. He describes what followed as the “mud drag,” in which Byrne found himself in a Kafkaesque ordeal which pitted investigators charged with getting to the bottom of the scandal and Clinton’s lies regarding it against Byrne’s duty to maintain the privacy of those he was charged to protect: they don’t call it the Secret Service for nothing. This experience, and the inexorable workings of Pournelle’s Iron Law, made employment in the SSUD increasingly intolerable, and in 2003 the author, like hundreds of other disillusioned Secret Service officers, quit and accepted a job as an Air Marshal.

The rest of the book describes Byrne’s experiences in that service which, predictably, also manifests the blundering incompetence which is the defining characteristic of the US federal government. He never reveals the central secret of that provider of feel-good security theater (at an estimated cost of $200 million per arrest): the vanishingly small probability a flight has an air marshal on board.

What to make of all this? Byrne certainly saw things, and heard about many more incidents (indeed, much of the book is second-hand accounts) that reveal the character, or lack thereof, of the Clintons and the toxic environment that was the Clinton White House. While recalling that era may be painful, perhaps it may avoid living through a replay. The author comes across as rather excitable and inclined to repeat stories he’s heard without verifying them. For example, while in the Air Force and stationed in Turkey, “Arriving at Murtad, I learned that AFSP [Air Force Security Police] there had caught rogue Turkish officers trying to push an American F-104 Starfighter with a loaded [sic] nuke onto the flight line so they could steal a nuke and bomb Greece.” Is this even remotely plausible? US nuclear weapons stationed on bases abroad have permissive action links which prevent them from being detonated without authorization from the US command authority. And just what would those “rogue Turkish officers” expect to happen after they nuked the Parthenon?

Later he writes, “I knew from my Air Force days that no one would even see an AC-130 gunship in the sky — it’d be too high.” An AC-130 is big, and in combat missions it usually operates at 7,000 feet or below; you can easily see and hear it. He states, “I knew that a B-17 dual-engine prop plane had once crashed into the Empire State Building on a foggy night.” Well, the B-17 was a four-engine bomber, but that doesn’t matter because it was actually a two-engine B-25 that flew into the Manhattan landmark in 1945.

This is an occasionally interesting but flawed memoir whose take-away message for this reader was the not terribly surprising insight that what U.S. taxpayers get for the trillions they send to the crooked kakistocracy in Washington is mostly blundering, bungling, corruption, and incompetence. The only way to make it worse is to put a Clinton in charge.

Byrne, Gary J. and Grant M. Schmidt. Crisis of Character. New York: Center Street, 2016. ISBN 978-1-4555-6887-1.

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  1. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter

    Kakistocracy. I am impressed. Perfect description.

    Seawriter

    • #1
    • November 1, 2016, at 2:16 PM PDT
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  2. Miffed White Male Member
    Miffed White MaleJoined in the first year of Ricochet Ricochet Charter Member

    John Walker: Before long, it was evident one of the greatest “challenges” officers would face was “Evergreen”: the code name for first lady Hillary Clinton. One of the most feared phrases an SSUD officer on duty outside the Oval Office could hear squawked into his ear was “Evergreen moving toward West Wing”. Mrs Clinton would, at the slightest provocation, fly into rages, hurling vitriol at all within earshot, which, with her shrill and penetrating voice, was sniper rifle range. Sometimes it wasn’t just invective that took flight. Byrne recounts the story when, in 1995, the first lady beaned the Leader of the Free World with a vase. Byrne wasn’t on duty at the time, but the next day he saw the pieces of the vase in a box in the White House curator’s office—and the president’s impressive black eye.

    I remember well the “Letters from Rusty” section in National Review during the early Clinton administration (written anonymously by Ricochet’s own Rob Long, I believe).

    One I can quote with probably 80% accuracy is a recounting of a Hillary visit to the Oval Office, with the Secret Service frantically radioing “Alice is in with Ralph! Alice is in with Ralph!”, followed by the sound of breaking furniture and the secret service agents huddled in an ante-room commenting that technically they are allowed to use deadly force on anyone assaulting the President.

    • #2
    • November 1, 2016, at 2:26 PM PDT
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  3. Misthiocracy got drunk and Member
    Misthiocracy got drunk andJoined in the first year of Ricochet Ricochet Charter Member

    John Walker: “Arriving at Murtad, I learned that AFSP [Air Force Security Police] there had caught rogue Turkish officers trying to push an American F-104 Starfighter with a loaded [sic] nuke onto the flight line so they could steal a nuke and bomb Greece.”

    When the heck did he serve that the US was still using F-104s?

    • #3
    • November 1, 2016, at 2:29 PM PDT
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  4. Kozak Member
    KozakJoined in the first year of Ricochet Ricochet Charter Member

    Hillary must be one of the most unpleasant, downright nastiest people ever to trod shoe leather.

    What a pathetic creature. At least Bubba has some charm to offset his nasty.

    • #4
    • November 1, 2016, at 2:30 PM PDT
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  5. Hoyacon Member
    Hoyacon

    I said this once before here to little effect, but I’m not really a fan of those who use a sensitive, official status for gossip-mongering in tell-all books. We can learn from “insider” books that confine themselves largely to historical deliberations and events, but there’s a certain implicit duty about revealing personal matters. Yeah, I know, it’s the Clintons. Like we didn’t already know.

    • #5
    • November 1, 2016, at 2:37 PM PDT
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  6. Kozak Member
    KozakJoined in the first year of Ricochet Ricochet Charter Member

    The Disciplinary Committee:

    John Walker: “Arriving at Murtad, I learned that AFSP [Air Force Security Police] there had caught rogue Turkish officers trying to push an American F-104 Starfighter with a loaded [sic] nuke onto the flight line so they could steal a nuke and bomb Greece.”

    When the heck did he serve that the US was still using F-104s?

    Well Turkey was using them into the mid 1990’s.

    • #6
    • November 1, 2016, at 2:38 PM PDT
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  7. John Walker Contributor
    John Walker
    Post author

    The Disciplinary Committee:

    John Walker: “Arriving at Murtad, I learned that AFSP [Air Force Security Police] there had caught rogue Turkish officers trying to push an American F-104 Starfighter with a loaded [sic] nuke onto the flight line so they could steal a nuke and bomb Greece.”

    When the heck did he serve that the US was still using F-104s?

    Well, he says that he “learned that”, which may mean he heard from somebody else about an incident which was alleged to have happened sometime in the past. Turkey operated F-104s until 1995, but he explicitly identifies it as an American plane. The last F-104 was retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1969 and from the Air National Guard in 1975.

    This may be one of those stories that “improves” over the years and with each retelling.

    • #7
    • November 1, 2016, at 2:47 PM PDT
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  8. ctlaw Coolidge
    ctlaw

    Seawriter:Kakistocracy. I am impressed. Perfect description.

    Seawriter

    That term became relevant when Mike Dukakis ran for president.

    • #8
    • November 1, 2016, at 2:52 PM PDT
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  9. ctlaw Coolidge
    ctlaw

    John Walker:

    The Disciplinary Committee:

    John Walker: “Arriving at Murtad, I learned that AFSP [Air Force Security Police] there had caught rogue Turkish officers trying to push an American F-104 Starfighter with a loaded [sic] nuke onto the flight line so they could steal a nuke and bomb Greece.”

    When the heck did he serve that the US was still using F-104s?

    Well, he says that he “learned that”, which may mean he heard from somebody else about an incident which was alleged to have happened sometime in the past. Turkey operated F-104s until 1995, but he explicitly identifies it as an American plane. The last F-104 was retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1969 and from the Air National Guard in 1975.

    This may be one of those stories that “improves” over the years and with each retelling.

    The Turkish F-104 was equipped to deliver US nuclear bombs under the NATO “weapons sharing” policy.

    • #9
    • November 1, 2016, at 2:57 PM PDT
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  10. James Gawron Thatcher
    James GawronJoined in the first year of Ricochet Ricochet Charter Member

    John,

    I’m sure that this book is neither a super expose or particularly well written. However, I can’t imagine Jackie Kennedy, Lady Bird Johnson, Pat Nixon, Betty Ford, Rosalind Carter, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, Laura Bush, or even Michelle Obama actually hitting their husband over the head with a vase in the White House. This tidbit alone gives you some idea of the level of crude perversity the Clintons are on.

    We have 7 more days to think about it.

    Regards,

    Jim

    • #10
    • November 1, 2016, at 3:04 PM PDT
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  11. John Walker Contributor
    John Walker
    Post author

    Hoyacon: I said this once before here to little effect, but I’m not really a fan of those who use a sensitive, official status for gossip-mongering in tell-all books.

    The sense I get from the book (although Byrne never discusses the issue in great detail) is that once he had been compelled by the various investigations to testify against his will and having received little or no legal support from the Secret Service, with the result that his testimony about what he observed in the White House went into public records of the investigations, he had been released from any requirement of confidentiality regarding the matters to which he had testified.

    He felt a great deal of resentment that the attorneys provided him by the Secret Service were clearly charged with defending the interests of the Service, not his own. He writes on p. 138–139:

    At first I just wanted to tell my story and get the hell out, but the first week turned out to be a mind-bending experience as the Secret Service attorneys told me how complicated this was going to be. They had no “fiduciary” duty to me—and this worried me. I enjoyed none of the confidentiality privileges normal in an attorney-client relationship. They were loyal to the government, but more specifically to the Service. Anything I told them was going to be shared with the Service and in one way or another with my leadership. They warned me that this was going to be a long, drawn-out process. They explained my rights and I was surprised my rights needed so much explaining. I felt incredibly demoralized.

    …

    I was caught in a very tricky situation: I couldn’t perjure myself or withhold information gained from my employment, but I also couldn’t reveal secret information. That’s how it was in the Secret Service.

    But I knew that if I kept dodging the FBI and Justice Department questions, they’d soon believe I was withholding information or even obstructing justice. And if I was overly forthright, I faced prosecution for revealing privileged information.

    • #11
    • November 1, 2016, at 3:12 PM PDT
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  12. Douglas Inactive
    Douglas

    “…but it quickly became apparent that the style of the new president and his entourage was nothing like that of their predecessors. Some were thoroughly professional and other were … not. “

    Heh. Anyone remember Hillary’s supposed memo to female staffers in 1995 that “all staff will wear underwear” after seeing a staffer bend over at her car wearing a short skirt?

    • #12
    • November 1, 2016, at 3:13 PM PDT
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  13. John Walker Contributor
    John Walker
    Post author

    Douglas:

    “…but it quickly became apparent that the style of the new president and his entourage was nothing like that of their predecessors. Some were thoroughly professional and other were … not. “

    Heh. Anyone remember Hillary’s supposed memo to female staffers in 1995 that “all staff will wear underwear” after seeing a staffer bend over at her car wearing a short skirt?

    Here is an account from FBI agent Gary Aldrich‘s 1998 book, Unlimited Access.

    The second dress-code violation was observed by none other than Hillary Rodham Clinton. It seemed that while crossing the West Executive Drive parking area on her way to the OEOB, the first lady caught sight of a young lady’s bare behind. The young lady, wearing a very short skirt and nothing beneath, had bent over.

    A friend of mine, who must remain anonymous, saw the incident and swears that the young lady turned to the first lady and smiled.

    According to Craig Livingstone, Hillary immediately called Mack McLarty and ordered him to ensure that in the future all White House staff wore underwear! McLarty then called Craig and passed the order down to him, confessing that he wasn’t sure how one would go about “briefing” staff members or interns on the necessity of wearing underwear.

    “Briefing”…heh. Decorum prevents my tying this story to the title of Aldrich’s book.

    • #13
    • November 1, 2016, at 3:43 PM PDT
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  14. barbara lydick Inactive
    barbara lydick

    ctlaw: That term (Kakistocracy) became relevant when Mike Dukakis ran for president.

    But not Obama??

    Miffed White Male: One I can quote with probably 80% accuracy is a recounting of a Hillary visit to the Oval Office, with the Secret Service frantically radioing “Alice is in with Ralph! Alice is in with Ralph!”, followed by the sound of breaking furniture and the secret service agents huddled in an ante-room commenting that technically they are allowed to use deadly force on anyone assaulting the President.

    Had they only done just that…

    • #14
    • November 1, 2016, at 4:11 PM PDT
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  15. Kozak Member
    KozakJoined in the first year of Ricochet Ricochet Charter Member

    ctlaw: The Turkish F-104 was equipped to deliver US nuclear bombs under the NATO “weapons sharing” policy.

    Not too smart a move there…

    • #15
    • November 1, 2016, at 4:24 PM PDT
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  16. ctlaw Coolidge
    ctlaw

    barbara lydick:

    ctlaw: That term (Kakistocracy) became relevant when Mike Dukakis ran for president.

    But not Obama??

    The late, great, Boston talk radio pioneer, Jerry Williams publicized the relationship:

    Dukakistocracy

    • #16
    • November 1, 2016, at 4:26 PM PDT
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  17. Kozak Member
    KozakJoined in the first year of Ricochet Ricochet Charter Member

    I do know not one person has ever said a bad word about either W or Laura Bush in dealing with staff or White House personnel . I know how people treat waiters, stewardesses, cab drivers etc tells more about their character then anything else.

    • #17
    • November 1, 2016, at 4:27 PM PDT
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  18. Old Bathos Moderator
    Old Bathos

    George and Laura Bush never went back home for Christmas or Thanksgiving because they thought it would be a burden on WH staff and Secret Service to be taken away from their families during the holiday. Hillary treated all staff equally–with contempt.

    Barbara Bush was friends with White House ushers, one of whom was her computer guru. When Hillary learned they still corresponded she demanded that contact be terminated or the ushers fired.

    FBI-released emails reveal that State Dept. security people had reason to hate and avoid her.

    I don’t have great confidence in the Byrne accounts but it is consistent with everything else we have learned about how trashy and despicable are the Clintons.

    • #18
    • November 1, 2016, at 4:41 PM PDT
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  19. barbara lydick Inactive
    barbara lydick

    ctlaw:The late, great, Boston talk radio pioneer, Jerry Williams publicized the relationship:

    Dukakistocracy

    Didn’t know that. But what a great pun as the word is from the Greek kakos meaning worst – actually the superlative of kakos.

    • #19
    • November 1, 2016, at 4:42 PM PDT
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  20. Roberto, Crusty Old Timer LLC Member
    Roberto, Crusty Old Timer LLCJoined in the first year of Ricochet Ricochet Charter Member

    Kozak:I do know not one person has ever said a bad word about either W or Laura Bush in dealing with staff or White House personnel . I know how people treat waiters, stewardesses, cab drivers etc tells more about their character then anything else.

    I have had a mild curiosity about this with regards to HRC. There are several accounts of this Clinton treating the USSS with contempt but was this her general demeanor with those who served her in the White House?

    From reports it seemed a particular contempt for those in law enforcement, were White House chefs treated in a similar fashion? Of course perhaps they are merely less likely to write books that can make a profit.

    • #20
    • November 1, 2016, at 7:37 PM PDT
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  21. Douglas Inactive
    Douglas

    Roberto: From reports it seemed a particular contempt for those in law enforcement, were White House chefs treated in a similar fashion? Of course perhaps they are merely less likely to write books that can make a profit.

    Or just less likely to come in contact with her.

    • #21
    • November 1, 2016, at 7:52 PM PDT
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  22. neutral observer Thatcher
    neutral observerJoined in the first year of Ricochet Ricochet Charter Member

    We know how she treated the travel office.

    • #22
    • November 2, 2016, at 11:11 AM PDT
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