Secret Service Letting Obama Be At Risk Because He's Black

[DigitalDrifter]

I made a joke about this the other day, but looks like some people believe it.

Not surprised of course.

Some see racial bias behind the US Secret Service's recent lapses in protecting Obama

Peter Baker,NYT News Service | Oct 3, 2014, 05.40PM IST

WASHINGTON: Representative Elijah E Cummings of Maryland was at the grocery store the other day when he ran into an elderly black woman who expressed growing concern about President Obama's safety. Why, she asked, wasn't he being better protected by his Secret Service agents?

The furor that led to this week's resignation of the director of the Secret Service resonated deeply among blacks, outraged that those supposed to be guarding the first black president were somehow falling down on the job — and suspicious even without evidence that it may be deliberate.

READ ALSO: US Secret Service director resigns over security breaches

"It is something that is widespread in black circles," said Representative Emanuel Cleaver II of Missouri, who like Cummings is an African-American Democrat who has been approached repeatedly by voters expressing such a concern. "I've been hearing this for some time: 'Well, the Secret Service, they're trying to expose the president.' You hear a lot of that from African-Americans in particular."

Both Cummings and Cleaver said that they did not believe the Secret Service lapses reported recently had anything to do with Obama's race and that they had tried to dispel the notion among their constituents. But the profound doubts they have encountered emphasize the nation's persistent racial divide and reflect an abiding fear for Obama's security that has unnerved blacks still mindful of the assassinations of Malcolm X and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

It is a longstanding fear. Colin L Powell's wife urged him not to run for president in 1996 out of fear that he might be targeted. And when Obama took office in January 2009, the Secret Service recorded an alarming surge in threats against him. The threat level since then has actually fallen back to a rate more typical of previous presidents, officials said, but potential racial animosity persists in risk calculations by the Secret Service as it seeks to protect Obama.

The Secret Service does not discuss the nature of threats against Obama in much detail, but said the agency was fervently devoted to his security.

"The Secret Service is committed to protecting the first family and the president at all costs," said Ed Donovan, a spokesman for the agency. "We recognize that protecting the president is a sacred trust we have with the American public and that they place in us. It's never mattered to the service who the president is because we recognize that trust."

Some see racial bias behind the US Secret Service s recent lapses in protecting Obama - TOI Mobile The Times of India Mobile Site

 

[DriftingSand]

Perhaps (if there is a bias) it isn't as racial as it is philosophical. I assume most Secret Service personnel have vowed to honor and protect the Constitution. Perhaps they are sick and tired of watching the Prez trash it all up close and personal.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

I can't imagine that that's true. I'd assume they screen Secret Service applicants for any sort of possible bias or racism.

As a former executive security officer I can tell you if you're bored all the time, your performance will suffer. Might simply be Secret Service officers are bored.

Don't wanna tempt fate with this, but when the fence-jumper thing happened my first thought was 'dry-run.' He got WAY inside the White House. Imagine a suicide team of several hopping over with explosives each running a different way. We know what happens with only 1 person. Imagine half a dozen.

 

[SmarterThanTheAverageBear]

There is absolutely, positively no way this is true.

The Secret Service don't let personal feelings interfere with their protective detail.

 

[Katzndogz]

The secret service isn't letting the dunce's life be put at risk because he's black. True they are letting him be put at risk. Not because he's black. Because they don't care. The secret service didn't care when they were in Colombia having parties. They don't care now. The organization was lax. There were no consequences. The presidunce himself doesn't care. He plays golf. He has parties. The secret service is only following the example of the higher levels up to and including the chief dunce.

 

[FJO]

The Presidency to this family is like the finding that Buck, the dog was issued a credit card, to the Bundy's of "Married With Children" fame of few years ago.

Unearned, undeserved as about as worthy of protection as the Bundy's were then.

 

[shart_attack]

Well, most of us knew it would only be a short matter of time before this topic arose.

I'm just in shock that "the Rev." Al Sharpton hasn't yet made it his newest megaphone piece.

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

Lots of SS agents are black.
The SS doesn't want to see the White House harmed so that theory doesn't fly.

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

If we really want to protect obama we should have him impeached and get him out of the White House and to safety.

 

[R.D.]

Gee, the race card. How original.

I'm glad to read the Rep. Cummings is finally on the right side of the boloney

 

[blastoff]

Nice to know Cummings has his official deck of Barry's Race Cards to deal with.