Protecting Barack Obama

How Safe is the Future President?

Nov 20, 2008 Jody Graydon

With Obama's safety in potential danger, people everywhere are asking: What is being done to protect the future American President?

Since winning the November election, Barack Obama has become a triumphant symbol of social progress in America. Unfortunately, not everyone is thrilled about America’s new President Elect.

Cause for Concern?

In America today there remains numerous white supremacy groups and hundreds of extreme religious fundamentalists. Although the government remains tightlipped as to if any specific threats have been made against Obama, many citizens speculate that some members of these anti-progressive groups do not wish to see Obama in the White House. These types of controversial insinuations facilitate American concern for their newly elected leader.

In a recent report (November 15, 2008), NBC news stated that Obama has received more personal death threats than any other American political figure in history. With rumors flying and tensions high, many people want to know what is being done to protect Barack Obama? According to Obama Protection Online, there are several strategies currently in place to ensure the safety of Obama and his family.

Protecting Barack Obama

  • Increased Secret Service protection for Obama and his family.
  • Obama has been provided with a bullet and bomb proof limousine.
  • Special FBI investigators have been assigned to monitor almost 500 of America’s known white supremacist groups.
  • Obama advisors are currently trying to persuade Obama into wearing a lightweight bullet proof vest at public appearances.
  • Concrete barriers have been placed on either end of his street at his current home in Chicago.
  • NBC news reports state that Obama was placed under protection by the Secret Service more prematurely than any other presidential candidate in history.

Obama Speaks!

On CBS’s 60 Minutes (November 16, 2008), in Obama’s first major interview since becoming the President Elect, he stated that one of his first priorities in office will be to increase national security. The President Elect warranted this as a top priority because he recognizes that countries are typically vulnerable during times of transition.

Although it is commendable and expected that the upcoming President recognize the need to increase national security measures, one also has to wonder how much this future President ponders his own safety and the safety of his family.

Hypothetically, if any of these rumored death threats were to materialize into a presidential assassination, the outcome would be demoralizing. The social ramifications of the unspeakable happening to Obama would be paramount (easily setting the Civil Rights Movment back over forty-years). Furthermore, any attack against Obama would also negatively influence how the rest of the world views America and Americans in general.

It doesn’t matter if you are a Republican or a Democrat, most Americans can come together on the fact that if something were to happen to Obama it would be utterly devastating. One can only hope the Secret Service, the CIA and the FBI are truly working overtime to protect America’s new symbol of change: Barack Obama.

The copyright of the article Protecting Barack Obama in American Affairs is owned by Jody Graydon. Permission to republish Protecting Barack Obama in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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Comments

Nov 20, 2008 12:25 PM
David J. Shestokas :
Most of the transition activity is taking place in Chicago and headquartered at one of the major federal buildings downtown. There is significant security in the area protecting the next president. Many of the major buildings have inside mail pickup. These pickup used to last late into the evening. Mail pickups have no been cutoff at 3:30 pm to facilitate security of the packages and the nearby president-elect. One can feel the increased security presence in the near downtown Chicago area. On election night, with Chicago police deployed in Grant Park, as much as 3 miles away the area was being patrolled by officers from suburban departments called in via homeland security agreements. It is reassuring to see all the efforts to protect the future president.
Jan 22, 2009 11:25 AM
Guest :
I would disagree with the artical that if anything happened to Obama it would "easily setting the the Civil Rights Movement back over forty-years. People I have talked with have said it would force them into action to change these attitudes in our life time. The bottem line is and should always be, regardless of race, Obama IS the best man for this job today!
Jan 22, 2009 11:32 PM
Guest :
Frederic Ntibarimungu:
Unless the individual against the new president would have mental problems, otherwise the benefit to have President Barack Obama is universal. Whithout a good diplomaty, the Producer would have problems of the market, the potential consumer would have the problem of purchasing power.
Jan 22, 2009 11:37 PM
Guest :
Frederic Ntibarimungu:
Unless the individual against the new president would have mental problems, otherwise the benefit to have President Barack Obama is universal. Whithout a good diplomaty, the Producer would have problems of the market, the potential consumer would have the problem of purchasing power.
4 Comments