Threats to candidates taken seriously

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:11:00 GMT

By Jada Arrington

Millions of dollars are being spent on protecting the major presidential candidates. Photo by Hiram Morales

Myron Patterson stood on a city sidewalk and watched a limousine pull up. Security including a substantial entourage exited the vehicle and huddled around Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee. “The Senator is very aware of the climate of our country as well as the world conditions as it relates to U.S. foreign policy,” said Patterson, the staff inspector of Counter Terrorism Bureau in Philadelphia. Patterson worked security detail when Obama campaigned in Philadelphia. Often, presidential candidates try to limit the amount of security because they want to interact freely with potential voters as much as possible. However, it’s become a necessity for Obama. “Obama had threats made against him at [his] office based on his race of course. Secret Service’s sole purpose is to protect,” said Angela Oliver, a lead specialist intelligence operation analyst for General Dynamics, in Northern Va., who monitors threats made against the government. Sen. John McCain, the Republican presidential candidate, fought against having Secret Service protection early in his campaign. But, by spring he agreed to have the security. However, Obama requested security earlier in the running, a decision that was encouraged by many of his close supporters in May, 18 months before election. According to The Blotter, $88.5 million will be spent on bodyguards and bomb sniffing dogs in 2008 for Obama. “Both Obama and John McCain are offered and required to have a certain level of security. Robert Kennedy assigned detailing for candidates after J.F. Kennedy’s death,” said Oliver. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York was the only other Democratic presidential candidate who received Secret Service protection while campaigning during the primaries. Clinton’s security stemmed from her role as a former first lady. “Obama’s candidacy is a threat to the power brokers of the world and he takes that seriously,” said Patterson. Tyrone Parham, assistant chief of police operations for Penn State University, said, “Extremist groups are getting elevated numbers of visitors to their web sites and the election itself has sparked the increase without the groups having to recruit. There have also been several anti-Obama arrests within the past few months in which people have threatened him or indicated there will never be a black president for as long as I live.” Patterson also expressed concern about extremists groups because of the number of people that tend to gravitate toward Obama. “America's history and treatment to men of vision and change has been assassination either of character or life. There are plenty of examples from Lincoln to King.”

Penn State Grapevine

Threats to candidates taken seriously