U.S. Edition
(CNN) - The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is putting heat on Louisiana Sen. David Vitter for a reported run-in with a Dulles Airport employee last Thursday as he scrambled to make a flight back to his home state.
“Sooner or later Senator Vitter should learn how to control himself,” said Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesman Eric Schultz, in an apparent reference to the Louisiana Republican's past involvement with Deborah Jeane Palfrey, the so-called "DC Madam."
According to the Capitol Hill publication Roll Call, Vitter arrived at the gate 20 minutes before his flight was set to depart and went "ballistic" when he saw that the gate had already been closed.
Upon trying to open the door to the jetway himself, the senator set off a security alarm and quickly grew heated with an airport employee. Vitter ultimately backed down when the employee called security, Roll Call also reported.
But Vitter suggested Wednesday the report was overblown.
"In a rush to make my flight home for town hall meetings the next day, I accidentally went through a wrong door at the gate," Vitter said in a statement. "I did have a conversation with an airline employee, but it was certainly not like this silly gossip column made it out to be."
The Louisiana senator is expected to face a tough re-election bid in 2010, still vulnerable after his phone number appeared in Palfrey's "Black Book" in the summer of 2007.
I'm not a David Vitter, or any other obstructionist Republican, fan BUT I would "go ballistic" IF the airline closed out my flight 20 minutes early!!!
WHAT the HELL ever happened to running ON schedule? NOT early, NOT late, ON TIME!!!
Senator Vitter needs to bow out while he is ahead. All the ugliness centered around the DC Madame will resurface, along with other things, during his campaign for reelection. His CHILDREN are older now, which means his children's friends are older and they understand things better. Older children can be very cruel in "teasing on the playground" after hearing their parents discussing certain topics; he should not want to subject his children to any sort of controversy surrounding his "past sins"..
Wonder if he was in the men's room?
"Tantrum" is a good choice of words considering the rumors that floated around about his idea of fun with hookers. :-)
Yep get em!!! Just like they did Cynthia McKinney!!
He isn't entitled to union chartered and government planes, like the democrats so he has to contend with the system available to the rest of us. At least he was going home for "town hall" meetings not to a luxurious Florida resort to meet with union leaders
Quick! Find a hooker in a hurry. Vitter's testerone just kicked in.
This guy needs a BJ (bailout job, for the faint of heart).
Pelosi has her own plane same as Hastert had...it's a 9/11 precaution dumba$$, why should she turn it down when the last guy enjoyed the perk?
Throw all the bums out and elect true statesmen / stateswomen! So sick of this need for power at all our expense.
They should have tazered his rear end. That would have brought his tantrum to a painful but instand end.
Oh please, ray ray - Pelosi and Vitter are both wrong. What she has done does not excuse his babyish (pun intended) behavior.
if it were me i would be in jail.but these repubs can do just about anything they want. you sure he didnt get delayed in mens restroom. LOL.
@ ray ray...
While I despise Pelosi as much as you, I found out an interesting fact.
The speaker of the house, due to security issues after 9/11, coupled with the fact that she is just after Biden in succession, is entitled to military transport.
This was granted by Bush the 43rd.
Republican senators and airports apparently don't mix.
At least Larry Craig wasn't setting off alarms when he was tap-tap-tapping away in the restroom stall.
Who would have thunk?
We have a Congress & a Senate just full of these under-developed, emotionally immature children who are always acting out: they all think the entire world revolves arounf their anus...
To ray ray: That's not exactly similar to Nancy Pelosi's case. In fact she demanded nothing, the issue was raised by the security agencies. If you are really trying to find why she needs a non-stop flight, check what Mr. Hastert used during his time. Read up on regular news sources
On second though, don't read. It's not good for wackos and the news items are all biased twoards liberals anyway. You already knew that, right?
Why does this Con commenter make this about Pelosi? Typical GOP goof...divert and attack. Party of idiots.
Vitter was wrong and he knows he was wrong. It was just an "accident". Many of us have raced to catch a plane only to find the gate closed. Many of us are unhappy that we missed a flight, but we don't act like a lunatic and set off security alarms trying to force doors open. Bouquet of spoiled flowers for Vitter's spoiled brat behavior.
Maybe he was busy toe tapping in the rest room.
Ray ray: Um...You do realize that Nancy Pelosi is REQUIRED To have a private jet with security. The Speaker has had to do that since 9/11. Denny Hastert had the same thing. Didn't see you complaining then.
Haven't we had enough of him. I haven't heard of any good things that he has done for American. Just rubbish!!! ENOUGH!!!! GO HOME AND STAY HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!
Another "family values republican" scumbag.
I'd like to know why his prostitute had to face charges involving over a decade in jail (she commited suicide over it) while he got off free.
Does David Vitter still have to wear diapers and be told that he is a "bad boy" and how do his republican supporters feel about that?
ray ray, what the hell does this article have to do with Nancy Pelosi? Why don't you try to work in Acorn, tax cuts, socialism, and other assorted GOP talking points while you're at it?