The news today is filled with stories that are sadly true. The Chris Hedges statement in the graphic above is just the tip of the melting iceberg.

As if the Secret Service revelations revealed before yesterday’s House Oversight Committee hearing weren’t enough, we learned yesterday afternoon that three days before the White House fence jumper made it all the way through the White House Lobby, into the East Room and to the entrance of the green room before being tackled by an off-duty Secret Service agent on his way out for the night (!), that President Obama was put in an even more perilous and precarious situation by the people who are charged with protecting him!

• At some point, it just has to be made up. But no! A security contractor with a gun and three prior convictions for assault and battery was allowed on an elevator with President Obama during a 16 Sept trip to Atlanta, violating Secret Service protocols, according to three people familiar with the incident (WaPo, WashExam)
• The contractor aroused Secret Service agents’ concerns when he became upset and didn’t comply with their orders that he stop using a phone camera to videotape the president in the elevator (OMG). Agents questioned him separately from Obama and then (only then?) used a national database check to learn of his criminal history
• When a supervisor from the private security firm approached and learned of the agents’ concerns, the contractor was fired on the spot and agreed to hand over his gun – surprising agents, who hadn’t realized he was armed during his encounter with Obama (what can you say at this point)
• Rep Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) said he was appalled when whistleblowers came forward to him with this account. “Words aren’t strong enough for the outrage I feel for the safety of the president and his family. His life was in danger. This country would be a different world today if he had pulled out his gun.”
I can’t wait to hear what more we’ll learn today!
Susie Madrak of Crooks & Liars joins me every Wednesday morning to talk about the latest news, and today we had a spirited discussion about the Secret Service and what they are and aren’t capable of…
In the second hour today, I spoke with Huffington Post‘s Ryan Grim about his interview with Julian Assange on Ecuadorian soil in London, where Assange has been holed up for over two years now. Talk about sad but true!
We’ll be back tomorrow for the Thursday edition of the show with former NY gubernatorial candidate Zephyr Teachout, She’s History’s Amy Simon, and a sneak peek at the Netroots Music Project… radio or not!