Barack Obama Gets Early Secret Service Protection

[tcrashfx]

May 03, 2007 3:47 PM

Richard Esposito Reports:

Jake Tapper contributed to this report.

Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama was put under the protection of the United States Secret Service Thursday, the earliest in an election cycle that the Secret Service has placed a presidential candidate under its protection, the Secret Service said.

Two sources said that security concerns, including large crowds and unspecified threats against the candidate, were the reasons for the security detail.

But a Department of Homeland Security official said there is no known viable threat against the senator "at this time." The FBI confirmed that there was no specific threat against Obama.

blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/05/barack_obama_ge.html

[osrb]

Link not working.
Found this apnews.myway.com/article/20070503/D8OT6R0O0.html

Why are we paying for this? Secret service protection is not given until after the primaries and only to the nominee.

If there is no credible threat he should be made to pay for this? It looks like he is just paranoid. But if it had been denied he would be made into a victim of discrimination.

[voxpopuli]

A black man is running for President with a legitimate chance to win his party nomination. I can completely understand why he was granted early protection.

Imagine him campaigning in someplace like Scottsboro. He'd get plenty of exercise running back and forth across the stage trying to stay out of the crosshairs of the rednecks and their huntin' rifles.

[bernardjenkins]

Does not necessarily have to be a redneck with a hunting rifle. Could be a black man with a pistol.

[stray]

...or a disgruntled gook, for that matter.

[Dreamwebber]

"Why are we paying for this? Secret service protection is not given until after the primaries and only to the nominee"

I agree with that. If he can't stand the heat he should get out of the kitchen IMO. What does he expect if he becomes Prez?

[bernardjenkins]

Homeland Security o.k.'d this so some sort of threat must have been issued towards the senator from Ill.

[coach24]

Now,who didnt see this coming?Im sure there have been threats made.Hillary is his only serious threat at this point and no one wants to see that bitch back in the White House.

[bernardjenkins]

Well 24 Obama is sure giving the senator from New York a run for her money. If she conitues to fall in the polls we may see a race between Edwards and Obama.

[coach24]

you can call me coach...or dickhead.

[Deleted]

I think that name has already been taken. A couple of times maybe.

[Felix]

Bernard Jenkins mused:

Homeland Security o.k.'d this so some sort of threat must have been issued towards the senator from Ill.

I believe this is likely the case. The possibility of Obama being killed at any point in the nomination/election campaign must give those in authority cold sweats.

And if he were killed after not being given SS protection, the administration would likely take most of the blame.

[gridbug]

Why can't we just have a president that none of us want dead?

Quoth the madman from his "ivory tower"

Oh well, at least this is creating jobs...

[gridbug]

Oh yeah, and please don't call them "SS" - the irony of the parallels makes me laugh too much to get the points intended...

[bernardjenkins]

Likely yes what doesn't the administration get the blame for?

[legaltender]

Blame is the game six years into any administration.

Voters, not violence should decide who will lead the nation.