No Secret Service Protection For McCain

Washington Post: GOP Candidate Must Request Such Protection And Has Not Done So

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Michael D. Shear and Christopher Lee.

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Weeks after clinching the Republican presidential nomination, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) still has no Secret Service protection and has not requested it, the head of the agency told Congress yesterday.

Director Mark Sullivan said the Secret Service does not provide agents, metal detectors, vehicles or other security measures to candidates until they ask for them. McCain's Democratic rivals, Sens. Barack Obama (Ill.) and Hillary Rodham Clinton have round-the-clock Secret Service coverage.

"Statutorily he is not required to take protection," Sullivan said of McCain, in response to several questions from Rep. Ciro D. Rodriguez (D-Tex.) and Rep. Harold Rogers (R-Ky.). "As far as an actual request, we have not gotten one. We have no involvement at this point."

Rodriguez said he assumed that McCain's status as the presumptive Republican nominee required enhanced security and was surprised that McCain is allowed to campaign in large crowds without Secret Service protection.

"I just assumed that even if someone doesn't ask, that there are certain other levels of protection that are out there," said Rodriguez, who attended yesterday's hearing of the House Appropriations subcommittee on homeland security. "I just assumed that we would normally just do that automatically. . . . He's the nominee of the Republican Party, and we ought to have some levels of protection."

Obama began receiving protection in May 2007, 18 months before the election. Clinton already had protection because she is a former first lady.

Steve Schmidt, a senior McCain adviser, would not discuss the senator's security measures. Another top McCain aide said the campaign is "very unhappy" with Sullivan and wishes "he would have asked to answer [the lawmakers' questions] in a closed session."

White House spokesman Tony Fratto also declined to comment, saying: "We will let the Secret Service answer those questions. They obviously take their protective mission seriously." Jim Mackin, a Secret Service spokesman, declined to comment on why Sullivan made the disclosure in a public hearing.

McCain's choice not to request Secret Service protection has been mentioned on some blogs and was the subject of an article in the Arizona Republic newspaper. But it has not been reported by most news organizations, in part because of requests from his aides not to draw attention to the situation.

McCain does have private bodyguards who accompany him to events. When he travels on charter planes, reporters and staffers are screened by private security each time they board.

On one recent flight in Mississippi, a bomb-sniffing dog swept through the press bus before reporters were allowed to board McCain's Jet Blue charter.

But that level of security pales in comparison with the protection at Clinton and Obama campaign events, where Secret Service agents always are very visible, shadowing the Democratic candidates even when they are at rope lines with voters.

McCain, a former Navy pilot who spent 5 1/2 years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, has long nurtured a tough-guy image. He has derided the Secret Service protection as "a waste of taxpayer money" and proudly proclaimed that he would reject the enhanced security as long as he could.

"It's my intention, if we win this nomination, to reject Secret Service. . . . Why do I need it?" he told reporters in mid-November, as he campaigned in New Hampshire. "The day that the Secret Service can assure me that if we're driving in the motorcade and there's a guy on a rooftop with a rifle, that they can stop that guy, then I'll say 'fine,' " he said. "But the day they tell me, 'Well, we can't guarantee it,' then, fine, I'll take my chances."

Former Secret Service agent Andrew O'Connell, who helped protect Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, said McCain is taking an unnecessary risk.

"I don't think it's a wise move," said O'Connell, now a managing director of Fortress Global Investigations, a New York-based security firm. "John McCain may believe that he's not as polarizing a figure as Hillary or Obama, but that's not the point. . . . The primary motivator of would-be assassins is not the dislike of the candidate. It's wanting to go out in a big way and make a name for yourself."

Once a candidate is elected president, he or she has no choice but to accept Secret Service protection. Until then, it must be requested. Since it became clear that McCain would be the GOP nominee, his advisers have become increasingly concerned about his safety and have urged reporters not to mention the lack of Secret Service protection.

Once a candidate requests protection, the decision about whether he will receive it falls to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. Chertoff is aided by a five-member advisory panel that includes the House speaker and minority leader, the Senate majority and minority leaders and an at-large member, who this year is the House sergeant-at-arms.

To be eligible, candidates must reach certain thresholds in fundraising and in the polls, and must belong to recognized political parties, Sullivan told lawmakers.

The Secret Service is spending about $38,000 per candidate per day, Sullivan said, and at the height of campaign season later this year expects to spend $44,000 per candidate each day. The agency has protected candidates at more than 1,000 campaign venues and has put 550,000 people through magnetometers and metal detectors, he said.

In a remarkably active election campaign, the Secret Service's budget for candidate protection is $85.3 million for fiscal 2008. For fiscal 2009, which begins Oct. 1, it is $41 million.

"This is going to be the costliest campaign in the Secret Service's history," said Rep. David E. Price (D-N.C.), the subcommittee chairman.

Washington Post Staff researcher Rena Kirsch contributed to this report.

[realpatriot1]

What compelling right of the public to know compels sharing this information with every crackpot?

I was more comfortable assuming that he had S.S. protection. The one thing the country doesn''t need now is another crackpot trying to make a political statement and/or attempt for attention with a gun and the media shouldn''t be planting the seeds of dementia in their heads!

[mudrose-2009]

So? The man''s a jihadis nightmare. He ain''t afraid to die either.

Besides, he doesn''t need FBI protection. I''m sure he has his own.

[stn_sage]

Of all the candidates, he''s the safest.

Nobody from the left or center---politically---will attack him because they don''t expect him to win!
If he is attacked, it''ll be from the far-right because he doesn''t "truly" believe in their agenda!

Ironically, if it happens, it''ll come from ''his own people''!

[blahblahpfft]

This is an ex-POW we''re talking about...

He doesn''t need the Secret Service to protect him. :cP

[blackwater66-2009]

We''ll protect big John !!

Stay the course as GW would have !!

[cfin5]

When I read the headline I instantly had a lot to say about this,....till I read the small print. This is not a smart thing to do these days Senator. At least the media shouldn''t divulge this fact. Too late now though. Because if some idiot does something evil, our rights as law abiding citizens are always to be blamed/confiscated for a solution to the problem.......NOT COOL!

[notblue]

What possible reason would CBS tell the world McCain has no protection???? Why didn''t we here the status of protection for the other candidates? And why say anything about the level of their security?? I just don''t understand CBS and their motives.

[watcher269-2009]

That''s because the DOD is protecting him. The Military are providing his security.

[mudrose-2009]

What compelling right of the public to know compels sharing this information with every crackpot?

I was more comfortable assuming that he had S.S. protection. The one thing the country doesn''''t need now is another crackpot trying to make a political statement and/or attempt for attention with a gun and the media shouldn''''t be planting the seeds of dementia in their heads!
Posted by realpatriot1

Never knew a lefty that could keep a secret. Ask Leaky Leahy.

[missingamerica]

lolll...maybe McCain feels that the people with the big money - the ones who could afford to finance an effective assassination attempt - are in his corner, and so there is no need.

[missingamerica]

Rewrite, ''cuz I left out a factor:

lolll...maybe McCain feels that the people with both the big money - the ones who could afford to finance an effective assassination attempt - and the morality to go forward with such an attempt are in his corner, and so there is no need.

[gwagener]

That is because the DOD is protecting him. The Military are providing his security.
--------------------------

Posted by watcher269 at 11:15 AM : Apr 04, 2008

It is flatly illegal for the militay to provide security in US territory, except on US militay bases, so it is not true. He does get protection frrom the military while in Iraq, but that is true of any high Government official.
He has to pay for security thru donations or his wife can pay for it.

[jumkey]

Yeah, you''re right notblue, CBS News is conspiring to get McCain assassinated.

I''m sorry you haven''t figured it out yet from the fawning coverage of McCain he is a media darling - the one the vapid, insipid, childish press corps wants to be our next president. That "liberal" media rooting for the Republican (again).

It is nothing but incompetence that McCain''s staff hasn''t requested protection and is a good indication of the incompetence McCain himself will bring to the office. We don''t need 4 more years of a doofus presidency.

It''s not the presses job to whisper campaign tips to McCain BTW, but I''m sure they did and his staff ignored it and that explains this article.

[jedi08]

CBS should be ashamed of themselves for running this story but it doesn''t surprise me. Your putting his life in danger.

Now that its out there, I think McCain is a bad *** and its quite a statement. Even though I''m not sure if I''m for him or Obama yet I hope the man is ok and no sicko''s try anything stupid.

I bet part of his rational is that he is universally liked even by the dems.

[Dunestrider]

Good for him! That''s so much better than Bush: remember his "bring it on!" taunt to terrorists, which put our front-line troops in danger? While Dubya hides in the White House?

[walt1944-2009]

It has been learned that John "The Great Pretender" McCain has not requested Secret Service protection, perhaps in an effort of trying to show the public that he is trying to save the government money, or perhaps, believing he is INVINCIBLE!

Neocon Fascist Nazis throughout the country are worried that some liberal "fruitcake" might attempt to "take out" the Great Pretender, which would throw the neocon world into chaos bordering on SANITY!

It is suspected, however, that "Bagdad John" is getting his protection from "other sources" some candidates named being the military (Delta Force, Navy Seals, Green Berets, etc.) or even that the "Rambo" mercenaries of Blackwater are providing it.

Whoever is providing it, there is little doubt that McCain would walk around "unprotected" despite his "tough guy" persona. Anyone who would need 1,000 fully armed troops and 5 heliocopters to protect him in the "friendly confines" of the Bagdad bazaars would have to have a small army surrounding him wherever he goes.

Just try to speak to him or shake his hand the next time "Bagdad John" visits you (if ever!) and see what happens!

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!!
sig heil, more of the same McCain!!!!

[awithoff]

the article stated, "McCain does have private bodyguards who accompany him to events. When he travels on charter planes, reporters and staffers are screened by private security each time they board."



.....McCain shows that he doesn''t believe in big govt paying for every little thing..

[awithoff]

hopefully McCain''s private security is BLACKWATER..!!!

...just to rile up all the radical liberals....

[ramos937]

I am a Democrat and will support the Democratic nominee. But, I honor and respect McCain''s war service and feel he is a patriotic American. McCain is making a big mistake by not asking for Secret Service protection. There are crazies out that that for one reason or another would be happy to sacrifice themselves to harm him. I hope his people bring him to ask for that protection.

[jumkey]

"CBS should be ashamed of themselves for running this story but it doesn''''t surprise me. Your putting his life in danger."

"Now that its out there, I think McCain is a bad *** and its quite a statement"

Yeah, the statement is that Republicans drool over that Jack Bauer schtick - even though it''s complete nonsense and campaign fluff. McCain isn''t a "bada$$", he''s almost 72. He''s an old man and he''s not kicking anyone''s "a$$".

"I bet part of his rational is that he is universally liked even by the dems"

Uh, guess again. McCain is universally disliked by "dems" and other thinking people. McCain is an empty suit with no ideas of his own and the natural successor to the miserable failure and war-monger Bush. Do you like economic collapse and 100 year of war? Then vote McCain.

Me, I''m voting for what''s good for this country, and it''s certainly not another Bushbot

[bookout2]

Well, what do you expect of CBS? Katie Couric will
stoop as low as she has to get a story. Ethics?
Fairness? Give me a break. Its no wonder CBS is
so low in the ratings.
If Barack Obama wins the democratic nomination, I will
vote for tough guy John McCain.

[jumkey]

".....McCain shows that he doesn''''t believe in big govt paying for every little thing."

Posted by awithoff

Yeah, oh right. He had no problem with the government paying off Lincoln Savings and Loan. Or Bear Stearns. Or tax cuts for the rich or tax increases for the poor. Or corporate welfare or a million other things Republicans routinely soak the government for and then mew about OTHER people''s snout in the trough.

McCain (like all Republicans) are perfectly happy spending your tax dollars on themselves. It''s what they do.

[Hybdiesel]

Why does he need protection? No one has tried to kill the worst president in our history. This nut is trying to take his place. He should be quite safe.

[mudrose-2009]

McCain (like all Republicans) are perfectly happy spending your tax dollars on themselves. It''''s what they do.

Posted by jumkey

What a crock. I wouldn''t even mind if it was intelligent, but, alas, anything coming from the left never is.

[sgtrds]

No one is going to try to take out McCain. I mean why bother? He''s on his last leg anyway and doesn''t stand a snowballs chance in hell of winning in November. The one who needs the protection the most is Obama because there is no doubt that the neocons are going to try to hit him.

[mudrose-2009]

Nah, I''m not worried about someone literally taking McCain out, but McCain Feingold is gonna come back to haunt him.

George Soros, the Devil''s Advocate, is gonna assault McCain with $350 million dollars of compaign advertising just before the election so he can get his Schwarze Kennedy into office. Leave it to this miserable, despicable Hungarian to find a loophole in the Act. Lay down with dogs R. Hussein Obama, you''re gonna wake up with fleas.

[mudrose-2009]

No one is going to try to take out McCain. I mean why bother? He''''s on his last leg anyway and doesn''''t stand a snowballs chance in hell of winning in November. The one who needs the protection the most is Obama because there is no doubt that the neocons are going to try to hit him.
Posted by SgtRDS

You and Fiddy Cents like all great minds, think alike. Who would wanna kill the Schwarze Kennedy. The Oreo isn''t worth it.

[relee42]

Right! Don''t you believe he has no security. There are probably supporters dumb enough to think that he had no security in Iraq as well. He has gone a long way on his John Wayne image, but we don''t need Rambo,a Riefenstahl classic or Reagan Jr. we need an intelligent leadership for a change. Eight years of "What-me-worry",the boneheaded American oil Sheik, is much too much.

[blackspirit3]

REV WRIGHT STORY - In 1961, a young African-American man, after hearing President John F. Kennedy''s challenge to, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country," gave up his student deferment, left college in Virginia and voluntarily joined the Marines. In 1963, this man, having completed his two years of service in the Marines, volunteered again to become a Navy corpsman. The man did so well in corpsman school that he was the valedictorian and became a cardiopulmonary technician. Not surprisingly, he was assigned to the Navy''s premier medical facility, Bethesda Naval Hospital, as a member of the commander in chief''s medical team, and helped care for President Lyndon B. Johnson after his 1966 surgery. For his service on the team, which he left in 1967, the White House awarded him three letters of commendation. What is even more remarkable is that this man entered the Marines and Navy not many years after the two branches began to become integrated. While this young man was serving six years on active duty, Vice President *** Cheney, who was born the same year as the Marine/sailor, received five deferments, four for being an undergraduate and graduate student and one for being a prospective father. Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, both five years younger than the African-American youth, used their student deferments to stay in college until 1968. Both then avoided going on active duty through family connections. Who is the real patriot?

[ioweign]

So? The man''''s a jihadis nightmare. He ain''''t afraid to die either.

Besides, he doesn''''t need FBI protection. I''''m sure he has his own.

Posted by mudrose at 10:51 AM : Apr 04, 2008

Muddy - it is in the Secret Service job description not the FBI.

If he can''t protect himself - how is he going to protect the US...

[konabike]

who cares? He''s going back to the Senate Hall in November.

[gkc99]

"McCain shows that he doesn''''t believe in big govt paying for every little thing.."--Posted by awithoff


If you dump your first wife and marry and heiress to the Anheuser Busch fortune, you can afford your own rent-a-cops!

[relee42]

McCain is the MIC''s best friend, he now has a global network of support including EADS. Just check out the governments own elections website. If you think that $25B/month is a lot of money for an oil war, wait for McCain to start spending.

[thgdriver]

I don''t blame McCain, he hired his own body guards because he, like I, know the secret service are a bunch of dimwit drunks.

John Kennedy lost his life proving that.

[thgdriver]

who cares? He''''s going back to the Senate Hall in November.

Posted by Konabike

Your right, as president he will address them regularly.

[gwagener]

who cares? He is going back to the Senate Hall in November.

Posted by Konabike

Your right, as president he will address them regularly.
---------------------------
Posted by thgdriver at 12:49 PM : Apr 04, 2008

Clinton, McCain, and Obama will all be back in the Senate in Nov. The winner does not take office until 20 January.

The word "your" is the possesive form of "you." The word "you''re" is a contraction for "you are."

[thgdriver]

If you dump your first wife and marry and heiress to the Anheuser Busch fortune, you can afford your own rent-a-cops!

Posted by gkc99

Your facts are wrong, Her family owns a large beer distributorship and they distribute all brands of beer including Budweiser brands. As far as I know, she, nor her family, are related to Anheuser.

Just hard working Americans that made a fortune in the beer business. You sound enviously jealous!

Reminds me of John Kerry married to money bags Heinz. She tried to buy the presidency for him, didn''t work.

[smiley676]

If you dump your first wife and marry and heiress to the Anheuser Busch fortune, you can afford your own rent-a-cops!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by gkc99

They can all afford their own, McCain is the only one not wasting our tax dollars.

[texanforlogi]

zolefart: Nobody is going to try to kill Bush, regardless of his stunning incompetence, because that would make Cheney president. In 2004, there was a lot of talk about Bush picking a different running mate, but Bush realized that Cheney afforded him much better protection than the secret service could. That''s about the only thing Bush has gotten right.

[thgdriver]

Hey gwagener Whats a militay??? frrom??? thru????

It is flatly illegal for the militay to provide security in US territory, except on US militay bases, so it is not true. He does get protection frrom the military while in Iraq, but that is true of any high Government official.
He has to pay for security thru donations or his wife can pay for it. Posted by gwagener

While you are correcting others, how about getting your own act together first!!!

[trishab4]

No Secret Service Protection For McCain
Washington Post: GOP Candidate Must Request Such Protection And Has Not Done So

-Most killed (assasinated) presidents, candidates, were democrats, not republicans. The killars belonging to right wing trends or fools... all McCain''s background!

[thgdriver]

-Most killed (assasinated) presidents, candidates, were democrats, not republicans. The killars belonging to right wing trends or fools... all McCain''''s background!

Posted by trishab4

I disagree, Lincoln was a Republican and just because Reagan and Ford (both Repubs.) were not killed, it was not because their would be killers did not try.

You have Assassinated and killers spelled wrong, I don''t give a damm but gwagener has set himself up as spell and grammar cop here. Look out!

[jumkey]

I''ve read your posts mudrose. Intelligence clearly isn''t your strong suit so don''t strain yourself trying to understand.

The endless bleating about what Republicans "are" is always belied by how they act. A professed reverence for free speech is always followed by the caveat "except for expressing ideas we don''t like". Likewise freedom of religion, which is apparently only for Christians and maybe Jews (on good day). As for "fiscal responsibility" that''s the biggest laugh of all - Republicans are the biggest spenders when it comes to your tax dollars; you only have to look at the deficit, corporate welfare, pork spending and this endless war. They LOVE to spend your tax dollars on themselves.

Sorry, but all the evidence, every bit of it, shows that Republicans are corrupt and incompetent and not qualified to hold responsible positions anywhere in a free society. You wouldn''t hire a bank robber to run a bank, and you wouldn''t hire a Republican for the same reason.

[nkgilb]

What difference does it make if Mccain has a secret service, the truth is that, he will die of a natural death sooner or later because of his age.

so, why waste tax payers money on him.

[thgdriver]

I know one big difference between Kerry and McCain.

Kerry backed Obama and slammed a knife into John Edwards back so deep its surprising he was not arrested by the secret service. LOL.

[voltaire333]

McSame doesn''t need secret service. Nobody is that desperate for change. It''s Hillary and Obama who need it. Right wing gun nuts and oil men are desperate to keep them out of the white house and will stop at nothing.

[smiley676]

A professed reverence for free speech by LIBERALS is always followed by the caveat "except for expressing ideas we don''t like". Likewise freedom of religion, is apparently only for Muslims and Atheists. As for "fiscal responsibility" that''s the biggest laugh of all - LIBERALS increase taxes with every bill that is passed and the money disappears into some kind of black hole.

[randynason]

I''m sure Mrs. McCain can afford her and her husband''s own private security. That way, they can look and act concerned about not wanting to waste taxpayer''s money.

[smiley676]

Or maybe, they truly don''t want to waste taxpayer money. Both Obama and Clinton can afford private security, but they have chosen to use tax dollars.

[thgdriver]

Tax and spend Dimwitocrats, thats all they know!! Now Obama wants to use my tax dollars to pay off some homes for irresponsible buyers who went in over their heads trying to impress their friends.

Hillary wants to send everybody''s offspring to college on my dollar. I put my kids through college the dimwitocrats can do the same.

It will be one social program after the other on my tax dollar. Who''s surprised when you listen to them say " Everything is free, even the home you could not afford in the first place".