Inauguration Intruder Strikes Again With a Presidential Handshake

Four years after he pulled the same stunt at President Clinton’s second inauguration, a man without the proper clearance walked through security checkpoints and then stepped up and shook President Bush’s hand shortly after the swearing in, sources familiar with the incident said Tuesday.

The ability of the same man to penetrate security four years later was all the more surprising given the unprecedented levels of protection that law enforcement officials said they devoted to this inauguration.

The U.S. Capitol Police and the Secret Service would confirm only that a man had obtained what they termed an “unscheduled handshake” with Bush. Agency spokesmen refused to identify the man because he was not charged with a crime.

Other sources said the Capitol Police had been on the lookout for the man, going so far as to show officers a videotape of him shaking hands with Clinton four years ago.

After he shook hands with Bush in the Capitol, where the new president was scheduled to have lunch before joining the inaugural parade, the intruder was spotted by officers, who removed him.

He had a ticket, according to the Secret Service, but another source said the ticket did not authorize him to penetrate the VIP circles where he was able to meet Bush.