Man of Steel
Some lessons from the Dingell shakedown.

January 9, 2001 8:55 a.m.

ep. John Dingell's a man of steel — literally. The Washington Post reported Tuesday that Dingell has pins in his ankles and a steel hip joint. Last Saturday, when Dingell was making his way through one of those metal detectors at Reagan National Airport, his steel parts, as well as knee brace, set off the detector. When he refused a security screener's order to pass his wallet through the X-ray machine, Dingell was escorted to a temporary office, where he was forced to pull down his pants, expose his boxer shorts, and stand upright while a screener waved a metal-detecting wand over his person.

There are three important lessons here. First, never come between a congressman and his wallet. Remember, it's his job to separate you from your money. Second, congressmen pass laws. They're not expected to comply with them. That's our job. Third, make sure you get a warranty for any new body parts. They're not supposed to trigger alarms.

Anyway, Dingell was offended by this imposition. After all, he's 75 years old and noticeably white. He didn't fit the profile (oops, did I say profile?) of a potentially dangerous air traveler. And unlike his beloved former president, Dingell's apparently not used to wearing his pants around his ankles in public places.

When Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta got wind of this, he called Dingell to apologize. But if Mineta was to apologize to anyone, it should have been the unappreciated screener who's undoubtedly still traumatized by the image of Dingell in boxer shorts.