<p>Michaele and Tareq Salahi were stopped in their limo by the Secret Service on Wednesday night a few blocks from the White House.<br /><br />It was not immediately clear where the Virginia-based social climbers were heading, but officials suspect they were trying to crash another Obama state dinner - this time in honour of Mexican president Felipe Calderon. The Salahis were pulled over when their chauffeur ran a red light and signalled to turn into a restricted area, Secret Service spokesman Edwin Donovan said.<br /><br />The limo driver was ticketed for running a red light and allowed to depart — with the Salahis — for destination unknown, US media reports said.The Salahis were dressed to impress - he in a snazzy suit, she in a white mink coat, officials said.<br /><br />The publicity-hungry couple is under investigation for crashing Obama’s dinner for Singh on November 24 last year, even though they were not on a guest list.<br /><br />They were being trailed by Bravo reality TV cameras when they slipped past the Secret Service and got inside. The fakers were even photographed doing the grip-and-grin with an unsuspecting Obama. The Secret Service didn’t realise they’d been snookered until Michaele Salahi posted photos of herself at the fete on her Facebook page.<br /><br />“These people should not have gotten through the gate,” an irked Obama said later.<br />The Salahis stunt ultimately cost White House social secretary Desiree Rogers her job. <br />The dinner guest list of 200 had an ample celebrity quotient, including Whoopi Goldberg, Eva Longoria , George Lopez and Olympic speedskater Shani Davis. Goldberg said it felt like she was “coming home after a long drought.” She’d been invited frequently during Bill Clinton’s years. But not during the George W Bush years. Lopez, a comedian, joked when asked about the security. “The guy with the glove was nice,” he said.<br /><br />For all of the seasoned guests who’ve been to many a state dinner, there were plenty of first-timers for whom it was a pinch-me moment.</p>
<p>Michaele and Tareq Salahi were stopped in their limo by the Secret Service on Wednesday night a few blocks from the White House.<br /><br />It was not immediately clear where the Virginia-based social climbers were heading, but officials suspect they were trying to crash another Obama state dinner - this time in honour of Mexican president Felipe Calderon. The Salahis were pulled over when their chauffeur ran a red light and signalled to turn into a restricted area, Secret Service spokesman Edwin Donovan said.<br /><br />The limo driver was ticketed for running a red light and allowed to depart — with the Salahis — for destination unknown, US media reports said.The Salahis were dressed to impress - he in a snazzy suit, she in a white mink coat, officials said.<br /><br />The publicity-hungry couple is under investigation for crashing Obama’s dinner for Singh on November 24 last year, even though they were not on a guest list.<br /><br />They were being trailed by Bravo reality TV cameras when they slipped past the Secret Service and got inside. The fakers were even photographed doing the grip-and-grin with an unsuspecting Obama. The Secret Service didn’t realise they’d been snookered until Michaele Salahi posted photos of herself at the fete on her Facebook page.<br /><br />“These people should not have gotten through the gate,” an irked Obama said later.<br />The Salahis stunt ultimately cost White House social secretary Desiree Rogers her job. <br />The dinner guest list of 200 had an ample celebrity quotient, including Whoopi Goldberg, Eva Longoria , George Lopez and Olympic speedskater Shani Davis. Goldberg said it felt like she was “coming home after a long drought.” She’d been invited frequently during Bill Clinton’s years. But not during the George W Bush years. Lopez, a comedian, joked when asked about the security. “The guy with the glove was nice,” he said.<br /><br />For all of the seasoned guests who’ve been to many a state dinner, there were plenty of first-timers for whom it was a pinch-me moment.</p>