If there are two things most people know about WTOP Political Analyst Mark Plotkin, it’s that one, he’s not very tech-savvy, and two, he’s passionate aboout District voting rights. So passionate, it seems, that he even got himself kicked out of the White House yesterday.

According to fellow WTOP reporter Mark Segraves’ account of the incident, Plotkin, along with the rest of the D.C. press corps and various local elected officials, attended an event at the White House yesterday featuring First Lady Laura Bush and the Ballou Senior High School Marching Band. After a brief speech by Mrs. Bush, Plotkin fired a question her way that wasn’t taken to kindly. Writes Segraves:

The First Lady gave a brief speech. That’s when Plotkin literally sprung into action. He called across the East Room, “Mrs. Bush, Mrs. Bush.” He caught her attention; she stopped, smiled and listened. In typical Plotkin style, he blurted out the following question: “Mrs. Bush, do you agree with those who say and believe that members of the Ballou High School band should not grow up to become members of the House of Representatives?” About half way through the question, Mrs. Bush realized this was not a friendly softball being lobbed from the peanut gallery, but a real question with an agenda from the press gallery.

Mrs. Bush looked down and walked to her seat without a word. The smile was gone. At that moment, White House staff formed a human wall between the press and the First Lady and pointed to the door. One White House staffer told Plotkin he was out of line because the event was “about the kids.” “My question WAS about the kids,” Plotkin fired back.

After leaving the East Room, Plotkin was told by White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten that the question had been “disrespectful” and quickly shown the front gate. After the event, Segraves continues, various reporters and city officials argued that the question was rude. Mayor Adrian Fenty, though, disagreed, stating, “That’s not the position of the administration, I don’t know who in my administration would have said otherwise, but it’s the right of a reporter, it’s actually your job.”

It’s easy to argue that since this was an event to recognize a talented group of District youth, the questions should have been limited to that. Then again, those same talented District youth are looking at a future of being as disenfranchised as their elders. Do you think Plotkin was out of line?