Secret Service wants more money to protect candidates

[spunkloaf]

 WASHINGTON - The Secret Service has asked for an extra $9.5 million to cover unexpected costs of protecting the presidential candidates during what has turned into an historic year for the agency's campaign security job.
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Among other things, the extra money would be used for the added costs for the candidates' international travel and a late-in-the-game decision by Barack Obama to accept the Democratic nomination at Denver's Invesco Field at Mile High — an open-air, 76,000-seat stadium — instead of the 20,000-seat Pepsi Center, which is the site of the party's national convention.

Presidential candidates are traveling overseas with Secret Service protection more than ever before.

Obama is on a six-day trip to Jordan, Israel, Germany, France and Britain. Before that he was on a three-day congressionally sponsored trip to Afghanistan and Iraq. Republican candidate John McCain has traveled to Canada, Colombia and Mexico under the agency's protection.

The 2008 presidential campaign cycle is the longest in Secret Service history by about five months. The Secret Service budgeted $106.65 million for the 2008 campaign cycle, compared to $73.3 million in 2004.

"I thought we had a very, very good plan in place for the campaign," Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan said in an interview with The Associated Press earlier this week. "If past history was any type of an indicator, we anticipated picking up protection somewhere in January, February, March of 2008."

"But the campaigns are different now," Sullivan said.

Obama received Secret Service protection on May 3, 2007 — the earliest the agency has ever stepped in to protect a candidate. Obama, who frequently draws crowds in the thousands at campaign stops, requested the protection. At the time, the Secret Service and Homeland Security officials said they were not aware of any threats to the senator.

McCain picked up protection on April 27 of this year.

During the 2008 campaign, the agency has protected candidates on about 1,500 trips; and each trip has included three to eight stops. To secure the candidates on these trips, the Secret Service has used about 2,200 magnetometers to screen about 1.5 million people.

The crowds have also been larger than expected. For instance, on May 18, in Portland, Ore., an Obama event was expected to draw 20,000. But instead, 75,000 showed, the Secret Service said. And Thursday, in Berlin, Germany, Obama drew a crowd of about 200,000, according to local law enforcement.

These are not the first candidates to travel internationally. In 1984, then-Democratic hopeful Jesse Jackson traveled to three countries in Latin America, the Secret Service said.

"One of the things I've been most proud of is our work force, because it has been a long campaign, but they have been incredible, enthusiastic and just done a terrific job with the campaign," Sullivan said.

Congress is currently considering the request for additional funds, which was made earlier this summer. The money would be drawn from other programs within the Homeland Security Department, the Secret Service's parent agency.

The Secret Service was formed in 1865 to investigate counterfeit currency. It started protecting major presidential candidates in 1968.

[j.griffiths25]

“It started protecting major presidential candidates in 1968.”

I believe that came about after Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination. I could be wrong, though.

[Scaybeeez]

“It started protecting major presidential candidates in 1968.”

I believe that came about after Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination. I could be wrong, though.

You're correct

[spunkloaf]

It kinda  scares me because it tells me our political environment is very negatively charged.

[conley]

It kinda  scares me because it tells me our political environment is very negatively charged.

you can say that again. i am surprised there have not been any attempts on dubya's life, or at least none that were close enough that the media learned about them. credit to the secret service, that is an intense job

[j.griffiths25]

It kinda  scares me because it tells me our political environment is very negatively charged.

you can say that again. i am surprised there have not been any attempts on dubya's life, or at least none that were close enough that the media learned about them. credit to the secret service, that is an intense job

Two attempts have been made on President Bush’s life: the first in early 2001, the second in May of 2005.

[conley]

It kinda  scares me because it tells me our political environment is very negatively charged.

you can say that again. i am surprised there have not been any attempts on dubya's life, or at least none that were close enough that the media learned about them. credit to the secret service, that is an intense job

Two attempts have been made on President Bush’s life: the first in early 2001, the second in May of 2005.

really? wow, thanks...i had no idea

[conley]

"February 7, 2001: While President George W. Bush was occupied in the White House Residence, Washington, DC, Robert Pickett, standing outside the perimeter fence, discharged a number of shots from a weapon in the direction of the White House. Eileen O'Connor, CNN Correspondent, reported: 'the U.S. Park Police said that the type of handgun that was -- that was confiscated, if it was an unobstructed view to the White House, could -- a bullet could have reached the White House. But there are a lot of trees, a lot of bushes between this sidewalk, where the suspect was, Robert Pickett, and the White House, so that there was obstructions, mainly trees and bushes' [18]. Following a standoff of about ten minutes, the incident ended when a Secret Service officer shot Pickett, resulting in an injury which required hospital surgery, and Pickett was found to have a history of emotional problems and employment grievances. Lacking conclusive evidence that Mr. Bush was a personal target (although the accused had indeed written to the President on the subject of his grievances), a court in July, 2001 sentenced Pickett to three years in jail in connection with the incident [19].

May 10, 2005: While President George W. Bush was giving a speech in the Freedom Square in Tbilisi, Georgia, Vladimir Arutyunian threw a live Soviet-made RGD-5 hand grenade towards the podium where he was standing and where Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili and their two wives and officials were seated. The grenade was not operative and did not explode.

Arutyunian was arrested in July 2005. He was convicted in January 2006, and was given a life sentence.[20][21]"

the first one doesn't sound like much to get worked up about, the guy was outside of the fence!! must have been a complete crackpot

i wonder how close the grenade got in the second attempt

[Gunit Hussein Sangh]

You have to remember anyone who attends any event dubya attends is pre-screened. Only adoring supporters are allowed close to him. Even in tax-payer funded events, anyone with an inappropriate t-shirt or even if they show up in a car with an inappropriate bumper sticker are kicked out of the event.

[Mr. Dirlewanger]

You have to remember anyone who attends any event dubya attends is pre-screened. Only adoring supporters are allowed close to him. Even in tax-payer funded events, anyone with an inappropriate t-shirt or even if they show up in a car with an inappropriate bumper sticker are kicked out of the event.

Considering the mental health of Bush haters it is good that they take such precautions.

[conley]

the president's safety is the number one priority

someone who was intelligent enough to pose a real threat to the president's life would probably be intelligent enough to not make their hatred so obvious (in the form of a t shirt or a sign). i guess it could go either way.

[Mr. Dirlewanger]

For the record, the Clinton haters were loons too but I think it has reached a new level with Bush.

[conley]

For the record, the Clinton haters were loons too but I think it has reached a new level with Bush.

i agree. honestly i think it's gotten worse every year since clinton's first year. maybe that was when i first started paying attention but it seemed like party politics started getting nasty then and have reached a new high lately. whoever the new president is i think will get a certain boost just because the majority of americans will be happy to see bush gone.

[j.griffiths25]

The difference between Clinton and Bush is that Clinton was popular when he left office. Bush is one of the most hated men in America.

[OswaldTheOsprey]

For nearly twenty years, beginning with the JFK Assassination in '63 through the Reagan attempt in '81, actual assassinations and attempts were quite common. After JFK, there was George Lincoln Rockwell, American Nazi, in '67; RFK and Martin Luther King in '68; The attempt on George Wallace in '72 and several attempts on Gerald Ford in '75. I was born in 1950 and lived through that wretched time.

OswaldTheOswald