At the VERY LEAST, this is very poor planning and execution of a respected visitor on the part of the White House.

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At White House, the Dalai Lama sidesteps trash

When the Dalai Lama went to exit the White House Thursday via the back door, a mound of trash awaited him.

By Linda Feldmann Staff writer / February 19, 2010, Washington

The Dalai Lama leaves through the back door of the White House Thursday afternoon – trash and all. His Holiness had just finished his meeting with President Obama, and was heading out to the 'stakeout area' where a crush of reporters awaited him. (Linda Feldmann/The Christian Science Monitor)

Yes, that’s the Dalai Lama leaving the White House Thursday afternoon via the back door – into a mound of trash. His Holiness had just finished his meeting with President Obama and was heading out to the “stakeout area,” where a crush of reporters awaited him. That’s what the Dalai Lama is pointing at.

I was with another, smaller group of reporters and photographers, waiting to accompany the president in his motorcade to Andrews Air Force Base. We knew the Dalai Lama was about to come out, so I had my BlackBerry camera ready.

UPDATE:

This just in from White House spokesman Tommy Vietor:

"You reported that the Dalai Lama left the White House out of the back door. That's just not accurate. He exited through the Palm Room doors. The Dalai Lama said he was pleased by the visit, and I assume he exited through the Palm Room doors because that's the easiest, quickest, and most convenient way to get to the stakeout location to speak with the press."

(No comment on His Holiness exiting via the White House trash pile.)

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It is not that he was orchestrated to exit out of the very Beautiful Palm Room of the White House, it is that they did not take extra care to clean up the pathway of his exit.

It is HIGHLY DISRESPECTFUL to Dalai Lama who has the status of a spiritual and political leader in Tibet.

This is likely to anger the Tibetians.