| | Secret Service hit for not reacting quickly to shoe throwing
 "A day after President Bush was nearly struck in the head by flying footwear at a Baghdad news conference, U.S. Secret Service officials faced questions Monday about how an Iraqi television reporter was able to hurl not one but two shoes at the president without the agents responsible for protecting him being able to move into the line of fire," Tuesday's Los Angeles Times reports.
Security experts the paper interviewed said the shoe-throwing imbroglio would probably lead to tighter security around the president -- in particular, agents closer to the president's body.
"They will probably make a decision to have more close-in agents, right around the president," Ronald T. Williams, a former Secret Service agent, told the paper. "They will make some adjustments, so if a shoe is thrown again, they can intercept it, or at least give the president cover."
Another former agent said after he say the tape that it seemed the agents moved particularly slowly.
"I thought they would have responded after the first shoe," the agent said.
The agency said reporters were thoroughly searched -- at least three times.
"Iraqi reporters attending the news conference were searched at least three times before entering, and their credentials had been screened," wrote the Times. "Both White House and Iraqi officials believe having bodyguards hovering around the president would have sent the wrong message.
"It would give the appearance that things are the same as Saddam's reign," said a man whose firm protected Barack Obama early in the campaign.
But the Times added that "former agents acknowledged that it was nonetheless embarrassing for the agency that the reporter was able to throw two shoes at Bush."
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