Drunk Boris Yeltsin tried to hail taxi outside White House in underpants

[snopes]

Boris Yeltsin got so drunk during a presidential visit to Washington that he was found standing outside the White House in his underpants, trying to hail a taxi so he could go out for a pizza.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...nderpants.html

[TwoGuyswithaHat]

Well of course he was drunk, hailing a taxi in your underpants while sober is just silly.

[Bill Door]

This is now the third time I've misread this as Boris Johnson...

- Bill Door

[catty5nutz]

wouldn't a national leader, or even an ex-leader be almost as heavily guarded as the president when they are in the States? And those minders would stop that person from doing anything silly - ie running out into the street less than fully dressed.

If nothing else, it would harm America's reputation if anything happened to a national leader on American soil.

[Canuckistan]

Nope, this does not surprise me in the least.

[katdixo]

Originally Posted by catty5nutz

wouldn't a national leader, or even an ex-leader be almost as heavily guarded as the president when they are in the States? And those minders would stop that person from doing anything silly - ie running out into the street less than fully dressed.

If nothing else, it would harm America's reputation if anything happened to a national leader on American soil.

There are guarded fences around the White House. I don't think the guards would let any drunken, unclothed person out to the street. This story is just silly, at least as far as involving the White House. If he stayed at a hotel or something, it might be possible.

[hoitoider]

Actually he was staying at Blair House, which is basically a town house across the street from the White House. But surely all the entrances would have monitored security cameras - guess the guard watching was 'on break' or something.

[Jay Tea]

[hoitoider]

Was that after the Cowboys-Giants game Sunday night?

[Tarquin Farquart]

Originally Posted by Bill Door

This is now the third time I've misread this as Boris Johnson...

All in good time...

[Steve Eisenberg]

Mr Yeltsin was reportedly staying at Blair House, the White House guest residence, in 1995 when the Secret Service discovered him standing alone and barely clothed on Pennsylvania Avenue.

A New York Times search indicates that Yeltsin stayed in Blair House on the night of September 27, 1994. The article states that this was quite unusual as Russian leaders usually stay at the Embassy.

I can find no evidence that Yeltsin visited Washington DC in 1995, and I feel certain the Times would have reported it.

A minor error? Yes, but I suspect that the year isn't the only mistake in this literally incredible story.

Taylor Branch's source obviously did not witness the incident. At least, I hope he didn't.

[Just Jocko]

Originally Posted by Steve Eisenberg

A New York Times search indicates that Yeltsin stayed in Blair House on the night of September 27, 1994. The article states that this was quite unusual as Russian leaders usually stay at the Embassy.

I can find no evidence that Yeltsin visited Washington DC in 1995, and I feel certain the Times would have reported it.

A minor error? Yes, but I suspect that the year isn't the only mistake in this literally incredible story.

Taylor Branch's source obviously did not witness the incident. At least, I hope he didn't.

Yeltsin was in DC for one of several Clinton-Yeltsin summits. The one held in 1995 was actually in Moscow (and the one in 1996 was in the US but was in Hyde Park, not DC). Maybe Clinton's confused and in 1995 he was the one drunk in his underwear in Moscow? No, seriously, it could be that Clinton got the date wrong and he meant the September 1994 visit. And given Blair House's proximity to the White House, it's entirely possible for one to walk from the first over the the second and (at that time) hail a cab. Now, of course, with Pennsylvania Avenue closed to vehicle traffic, it wouldn't be possible, but in 1994 it would have been. But that doesn't mean I believe this story. I, too, find it a bit too incredible. Especially since I've not heard of it from any of my friends and family with Secret Service sources.

[mags]

This is definitely the sort of situation where, if there are no pictures, it didn't happen.

No way in heck any man hanging out that close to the White House in his underwear, drunk, would escape media (or even just bystander, or as was mentioned earlier, security) cameras. Add in that it was an international leader, and I call bullcrap.

[Admiraldinty]

I knew there was a reason I liked ole' Boris. He's Russia's answer to Billy Carter.