President Obama receives 30 Death Threats A Day - 400% More than Bush Did

[HopeOverFear]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/5967942/Barack-Obama-faces-30-death-threats-a-day-stretching-US-Secret-Service.html

Since Mr Obama took office, the rate of threats against the president has increased 400 per cent from the 3,000 a year or so under President George W. Bush, according to Ronald Kessler, author of In the President's Secret Service.

Some threats to Mr Obama, whose Secret Service codename is Renegade, have been publicised, including an alleged plot by white supremacists in Tennessee late last year to rob a gun store, shoot 88 black people, decapitate another 14 and then assassinate the first black president in American history.


Most however, are kept under wraps because the Secret Service fears that revealing details of them would only increase the number of copycat attempts. Although most threats are not credible, each one has to be investigated meticulously.

According to the book, intelligence officials received information that people associated with the Somalia-based Islamist group al-Shabaab might try to disrupt Mr Obama's inauguration in January, when the Secret Service co-ordinated at least 40,000 agents and officers from some 94 police, military and security agencies.

More than a dozen counter-sniper teams were stationed along the inauguration parade route and the criminal records of employees and hotel guests in nearby buildings were scrutinised.

Despite all this, there were glaring loopholes in the security. Kessler describes how more than 100 VIPs and major campaign donors were screened by metal detectors but then walked along a public pavement before boarding "secure" buses and were not checked again.

It could have been relatively simple for an assassin to have mingled with them in order to get close enough to shoot the new president.

After Mr Obama was elected president, his two children Malia, 11, codenamed Radiance, and Sasha, eight, codenamed Rosebud, began receiving Secret Service protection. Mr Obama's wife Michelle is codenamed Renaissance. The Secret Service also started to protect Vice-President Joe Biden's children, grandchildren, and mother.

[Bicoastal]

1. Sigh...

...what more is there to say?

[Xipe Totec]

2. I love the code names

They speak highly of the intelligence, preofessionalism, and devotion of the Secret Service toward the First Family.

[northernlights]

3. doesn't publishing their codenames kind of

ruin them? Why the need to let us know how the SS refers (or refered) to them? :shrug:

[Drunken Irishman]

5. No.

The codenames are essentially ceremonial now.

[backscatter712]

6. The codenames were once necessary before encrypted communications.

A few decades ago, they used radios that transmitted in the clear, and could be listened to, thus the use of codenames so eavesdroppers couldn't figure out what's going on.

Now, they use encrypted digital radios and communications, thus there's no longer need for the codenames, but they kept them out of tradition.

[Uzybone]

4. how sad

racism is a scourge on America.

[BlooInBloo]

7. :( The downside of being the first.

[HopeOverFear]

8. Indeed.

[zbdent]

9. that's because the insane anti-American nutjob terrorists

were in love with the pResident 12/12/2000-1/20/2009 ...

These are the nutjobs more likely to have significantly more than one firearm in the house ...

[AspenRose]

10. This is unacceptable

"We have half the number of agents we need, but requests for more agents have fallen on deaf ears at headquarters," a Secret Service agent told Kessler. "Headquarters' mentality has always been, 'You can complete the mission with what you have. You're a U.S.S.S. agent'."

Mr Biden's constant travel, including back to his home state of Delaware-the burden has meant that all agents on his team have ceased training. According to Kessler, however, they fill in forms stating they have "taken and passed all tests, when they have not, creating a dishonest culture".

The Secret Service has increasingly cut corners after it was absorbed by the new Homeland Security Department under Mr Bush. Kessler said that when Mr Biden threw the first pitch at the first Baltimore Orioles game of the 2009 season, the Secret Service did not screen any of the more than 40,000 fans, stunning his agents and the local Secret Service field office."

[HopeOverFear]

12. and scary.

[Jennicut]

13. Wow. I am worried about both our VP and Prez..Bush left the Secret Service a mess

Or at least it seems like it. The agents who follow them everyday seem like they do a great job but overall I wonder if they suffer from a lack of resources.
One thing to save money would be to get rid of Cheney's protection...}(

[Turbineguy]

11. By now the old Soviet era sleepers

are in assisted living.

[Cha]

14. That's because the violent idiots

who listen to limpbaugh and beck are the ones who would do harm to a person because they have nothing in their sad little fucking lives.

[depakid]

15. I wonder how this compares with Clinton?

[Beacool]

16. They both got many death threats, particularly Hillary.

She still gets them. That's why I was disturbed last fall that the SS didn't screen anyone at a fundraiser. First time I've seen that happen at an event that I have been present. Bill was also there and people got close enough to take photos with them and ask for autographs. Anyone could have been carrying a weapon. Luckily all went well, but about next time?

:scared:

[Jennicut]

17. Seems crazy to me.

They clearly need more agents.

[Beacool]

18. Yep, they do.

Even at events where they made you go through metal detectors, the checking of the bags was perfunctory.

BTW, did you see this post?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6210382

:hi:

[Jennicut]

20. Nope. LOL. You know I had to comment.

That LynneSin, lucky woman. :)

[Beacool]

21. I thought you would enjoy it.

;-)

[mscuedawg]

19. Sadly...this does not surprise me...

...the hate oozes from their right-winged pores...