Obama placed under Secret Service protection

[Stinky The Clown]

Source: Link now from WABC-TV in NYC

MSNBC reporting that Obama has recieved threats .....

Excerpt from WABC's site:

(New York - WABC, May 3, 2007) - WABC and ABC News have learned that Democratic presidential hopeful Barak Obama has been put under the protection of the United States Secret Service, reportedly due to a threat against the candidate.
It is the earliest that the Secret Service has ever placed a candidate under its protection, sources said.

United States Secret Service confirmed that the detail has been put in place based on a decision by a five-person advisory committee chaired by Michael Chertoff, the head of the Department of Homeland Security.

Two separate sources would not elaborate on the reasons why the detail was put in place, beyond acknowledging that it had been put in place and that there had been security concerns including a threat that warranted the protective detail.

snip ... more at link

Read more: http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=local&id=5270292

[Pirate Smile]

1. CNN has it as a Breaking News banner.

edit to add

Barack Obama placed under Secret Service protection

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama has been placed under secret service detail, according to a statement from the U.S. Secret Service.

"Secretary Chertoff has, after consultation with the congressional advisory committee, authorized the United States Secret Service, to protect presidential candidate Senate Barack Obama.

"As a matter of procedure, we will not release any details of the deliberations or assessments that led to protection being initiated. For security reasons we will not release the timing, scope or details of any protective operations."
Posted 5/03/2007 03:49:00 PM

http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/2007/05/barack-obama-placed-under-secret.html


I shouldn't be surprised but it still made me very sad and angry at the same time.

[goclark]

2. K for more details nt

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

3. I thought all declared major Pres candidates

automatically had that.

[Connie_Corleone]

5. I think it's the nominees who get protection.

[ElizabethDC]

8. They get it before they become nominees

I think during the last race, Edwards and Kerry both had protection before the nominee was decided upon. Besides, there's no official nominee until the convention, but of course one usually emerges much before that.

[ElizabethDC]

6. Not automatically

usually they don't get it until later in the campaign. Of course, usually the campaign starts much later than it has this time around.

[dragonlady]

10. Here's who the Secret Service protects

From the Secret Service website:


Today, the Secret Service is authorized by law to protect:
The president, the vice president, (or other individuals next in order of succession to the Office of the President), the president-elect and vice president-elect
The immediate families of the above individuals
Former presidents and their spouses for their lifetimes, except when the spouse remarries. In 1997, Congressional legislation became effective limiting Secret Service protection to former presidents for a period of not more than 10 years from the date the former president leaves office
Children of former presidents until age 16
Visiting heads of foreign states or governments and their spouses traveling with them, other distinguished foreign visitors to the United States, and official representatives of the United States performing special missions abroad
Major presidential and vice presidential candidates, and their spouses within 120 days of a general presidential election
Other individuals as designated per Executive Order of the President
National Special Security Events, when designated as such by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security

http://www.secretservice.gov/protection.shtml

[KansDem]

22. Hmmm..."Visiting heads of foreign states or governments and their spouses traveling with them..."

"...other distinguished foreign visitors to the United States"

Michael Moore's "F 9/11" showed a scene where SS officers arrived to question Moore as to what he was doing. Moore was standing on the sidewalk with a camera operator just across the street from the Saudi Embassy. Apparently, someone in the embassy saw Moore and called the White House who then called the SS. Some on DU claim that the SS protects foreign embassies, but these descriptions indicate they don't (assuming embassy staff are not considered "visiting heads of foreign states" or "distinguished foreign visitors").

Bush is such a cabana boy for the Saudis--it's both sickening and embarrassing!

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

32. The USSS does indeed protect

embassies, the Uniformed Division does that.

[KansDem]

42. Then that duty should be included in this list.

But it still asks the question, "Who called the SS to check out Moore?"

I still believe it was the White House protecting its sugardaddies...

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

44. Have you ever been to DC?

The cops who wear white shirts are SS officers... from the link you had before, on the right side is this link. They are one of many police departments operating in DC, and respond to calls through 911. I doubt anyone "sent" them to check on Moore just because he was Moore, just a routine check on people around a foreign mission.

http://www.secretservice.gov/whoweare_ud.shtml

from it

UNIFORMED DIVISION

Established in 1922 as the White House Police Force, this organization was fully integrated into the Secret Service in 1930. With more than 1,300 officers today, the Uniformed Division is responsible for security at the White House Complex; the vice president's residence; the Department of the Treasury (as part of the White House Complex); and foreign diplomatic missions in the Washington, D.C., area. Uniformed Division officers carry out their protective responsibilities through a network of fixed security posts, foot, bicycle, vehicular and motorcycle patrols.

[KansDem]

47. No, I haven't...

And I wonder why the DC police wasn't called to check out a suspicious character (like Moore with a videographer on a sidewalk), instead of the SS since this was on a public street and not on embassy grounds. But, I have no doubt the Saudi embassy decided to bypass the "many police departments operating in DC" and call the SS directly. Afterall, they own Bush...

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

48. I am not debating whether or not

the Saudis own Bush... I believe they do too, all I am saying, is this is a normal procedure for a DC 911 call, if it effects an embassy the USSS responds.

Nothing mysterious about it at all.

It is all in the computer the dispatcher uses.

[Gman]

23. I've always wondered why Colin Powell didn't get SS protection

when he ran in 2000 and dropped out because of death threats to him and his family from the wingnuts that didn't want an AA as the GOP nominee.

[Orangepeel]

27. Did Colin Powell run in 2000?

He was talked about a lot, especially as a VP candidate, but I don't remember him even forming an exploratory committee. Just saying that his wife didn't want him to run because she believed he'd get assassinated.

[Gman]

36. Powell ran at one time in 2000.

He may have cut it short prior to Jan 2000. But he had a news conference announcing he was not running. I believe he mentioned the threats later as the reason why he quit.

[michaelwb]

41. Um. he didn't

He may have thought about it. There were people who wanted him to do it.

But he never actually ran for President.

Can you show anything of him actually announcing a run for President, anywhere?

Searching the media at the time I can find him saying he isn't running for President and that he won't run for President.

But not that he is running for President.

I'd think that the press would have reported such a thing.

[treestar]

24. Looks like it could only fall under Executive Order

Chimpy's favorite thing. He did this for Obama? That's not bad, for a deranged Chimperor.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

11. Ah... within 120days of the election...

see here...

http://www.secretservice.gov/protection.shtml

[jpak]

4. $10 sez it was a Dittohead

n/t

[Bitwit1234]

7. With the mind set of the hate filled republicans

who we all see post on their blogs, Malken, drudge, coulter, beck and the Fox Crew it is a wonder that Hillary Clinton has not been even shot at by now.

It is a shame that there are so many violent republicans in this country. Coulter telling people to kill judges, Robertson telling people to kill, and all the rest telling the same thing. I blame the media for repeating this crap. And I also blame the law enforcement in this country that do not go after these types of threats. When coulter gets on Fox News and spews and the Fox crew themselves spew something has got to be done. Just because they are republicans does not mean they are immune to prosecution. But Foley is still roaming around, Delay hasn't gone to trial, Frist was let off, Coulter committed felonies in voting, Rush was slapped on the wrist for taking oxycontin so I suppose republicans think they can get away with anything.

[never cry wolf]

9. I believe Hillary would already have Secret Service protection

I am pretty sure that not only ex-presidents but their immediate families have SS protection for life.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

12. Unless she remarries

according to this

http://www.secretservice.gov/protection.shtml

[Placebo]

13. Yup...

Hillary will have SS protection for the rest of her life thank god.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

14. Not if she remarries

as I said above

[treestar]

25. Wonder what happens in the event of divorce

If Hillary divorced Bill, but until she remarried, it looks as if she would still be covered.

[northzax]

35. for ten years

so, if she is not elected President, her SS protection will end on January 22, 2010.

[Massacure]

38. The 10 year rule was enacted in 1997. Wasn't Clinton grand-fathered in?

[northzax]

43. hm, maybe

I would have thought that only living ex-presidents and first ladies would have been grandfathered, but who knows?

[psychopomp]

46. self-delete

others said it already

[Placebo]

15. NO THREAT, CAMPAIGN REQUESTED

So said Tucker (ugh) on MSNBC just now.

There wasn't a specific threat but the Obama campaign requested SS protection and Dept. of Homeland Security authorized it.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18474444/

[cally]

16. Good...He needs protection

There are too many racists who would target him.

[SharonRB]

17. Unfortunately, you're right

I think it's a good thing he's getting protection. It's a sad but true state of affairs.

[JetCityLiberal]

18. I agree cally

and it makes me very sad to do so.

Racism is alive and well even in my 'blue' state.

Paul

[Parche]

19. SS

Former presidents and their spouses for their lifetimes, except when the spouse remarries. In 1997, Congressional legislation became effective limiting Secret Service protection to former presidents for a period of not more than 10 years from the date the former president leaves office


It should be for life for a former President, no matter who they are......there are a lot of weirdos
out there....

[liberal N proud]

20. We all knew the batshit crazy racist in this country would at some point

find him too much of a threat to their warped sense of ethics.

[StarryNite]

21. I have a feeling

this whole campaign is going to get real ugly. :(

[entanglement]

40. Me too

:(

[AX10]

26. Can we get any ID on who made these threats?

[Catchawave]

28. KO is updating this on his pre-debate show now....

Stay safe Barry. :grouphug:

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

29. Go ABC 7.

You managed to misspell his name.

[Bicoastal]

30. Keep Obama safe!

He may not be my first choice for president, but I tell ya....

We Democrats have had too many of our young, charismatic candidates targeted by wackos. Never again!

[Ethelk2044]

31. CNN

Earlier CNN stated he received hate mail. They did not go into specifics.

[FarCenter]

33. Possibly the Praetorian Guard needs more time

to adequately condition the next Emperor.

[hedgehog]

34. You really don't have any idea why the law was changed to give

candidates Secret Service protection, do you?

6/6/68

[OnyxCollie]

37. I had wondered if the Imus debacle was an attempt to stir up the racists & go after Obama. nt

[Centered]

39. Might as well get to know them now...

They will be with him for at least the next 9 years ;)

[Laurab]

45. I'm not at all surprised and hopefully Edwards will get it too

Hillary already has it. The rush-listening, hate-filled republics are downright scary, and while I think most of them are probably cowards, it only takes one.