well if they’re going to deny a KENNEDY, no wonder i always get harassed; apparently, even being political royalty doesn’t spare you from the idiocy of the TSA’s futile attempts to protect us from…uh…senior Senators from the North-East.

Sen. Edward “Ted” Kennedy, (D-MA) was stopped at right coast airports five times in march because his name appeared on a no-fly list. though his staff called to have the problem corrected, the Senator continued to be stopped until Homeland Security wreck-retary Tom Ridge intervened and apologized.

the washington post has more, and you should read it, please:

Federal air security officials said the initial error that led to scrutiny of the Massachusetts Democrat should not have happened even though they recognize that the no-fly list is imperfect. But privately they acknowledged being embarrassed that it took the senator and his staff more than three weeks to get his name removed.

…Kennedy’s description yesterday of his air-travel troubles — mentioned during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the 9/11 commission’s recommendations — renewed questions about the quality and effectiveness of the no-fly list. The list was established by security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies after the 2001 terrorist attacks. Critics said the senator’s experience served as the latest example of how a system designed to improve security is instead targeting innocent travelers.

The government does not make public the names or the total number of people on the list, which officials say is constantly updated. According to FBI documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union under a Freedom of Information Act request, more than 350 Americans have been delayed or denied boarding since the list’s inception. The list has not led to any arrests, officials said.

350 americans delayed, zero arrests. oh yeah, THAT’S telesis. wait, what’s that? it’s not just Senator Kennedy who is being wrongly profiled? how inept is this list??

the chronicle/SF gate has more:

Another prominent Democratic member of Congress, Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, said Friday that he also has been singled out for extra scrutiny when he flies because someone on a watch list has the same name. Lewis said he can’t get an electronic ticket, must show extra identification and has his luggage checked by hand.

Lewis said one airline representative in Atlanta told him, “Once you’re on the list, there’s no way to get off it.” Lewis said he filed a complaint with the Department of Homeland Security and even considered a lawsuit.

if a congressman can’t get an e-ticket, then that gives slacker-no-name-me TONS of hope, should i end up on some “list”. oh yeah, one other thing jumps to mind…are there any republicans on the no-fly list? none of the articles mention any of them getting stopped. i guess would-be terrorists prefer democratic names.