McCain Refuses ANY Secret Service Protection
WASHINGTON (AP) - Sen. John McCain travels the campaign trail without Secret Service protection although he is the Republican Party’s likely presidential nominee, the agency’s director told Congress on Thursday.
Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan told a House Appropriations subcommittee that the Arizona senator has not requested his agency’s services.
“Statutorily, he is not required to take protection,” Sullivan said when asked about McCain’s security during a hearing on the agency’s budget. “As far as an actual request, we have not gotten one. We have no involvement at this point.”
A request from McCain seems unlikely anytime soon, however.
The two-time presidential candidate has said he does not want Secret Service protection, fearing it would interfere with his brand of intimate campaigning among voters. McCain also has said he’ll try to last as long as he can without it.
“I’ve never done it. After we won New Hampshire in 2000, they really tried to get us, but we said no,” McCain said last November while campaigning in Concord, N.H. “It’s an invasion of your ability to have contact with voters.”
That contrasts with his Democratic rivals.
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton travels with Secret Service agents due to her status as a former first lady, and Sen. Barack Obama requested and began receiving protection last year.
Federal law allows candidates to seek protection if they meet a series of standards, including public prominence as measured by polls and fundraising.
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Props to the man
April 4th, 2008 at 5:29 amI guess you feel as though you’ve given up complete control of your life, hard for a military person to do. I think that if anything happened to McCain it would have the opposite effect that was intended by the nut job. The effect on the electorate, he would be elected from the grave.
April 4th, 2008 at 5:33 amLike that John Ashcroft-Dead Man scenario?
April 4th, 2008 at 5:37 amcool - but probably not a good idea. There are a lot of crazies out there.
Oddly enough, the secret service came to my school trying to recruit about three weeks ago - they had a video about diagnosing and debriefing famous political assassinations. With the secret service its really very possible to kill any politician. Without them, if someone wanted too, they would have a very good chance. The lefties think McCain is Bush part three, for that reason alone - and their unnatural and deeply psychological hatred for President Bush - he should get protection.
April 4th, 2008 at 5:46 amNice stones. I assume we are still running intel and securing his visits without intrusion into his style.
April 4th, 2008 at 6:07 amDamn, he really does want to cut down on spending, doesn’t he?!
But seriously, he should be provided with some protection, even if his supporters could probably jump in and protect him in heartbeat. After all, who is more likely to pack heat, a Republican or Democrat?
Oh and from that picture, God bless the Keydets!!!
April 4th, 2008 at 6:26 amLocal news TV played a clip of a McCain event last night. Looked like it was in a mall somewhere, maybe 100 people crowded in a curtain area. I guess it was an intimate “town hall”. The questioner they played got up and said “They said it wasn’t a political event, so why are you here?” McCain laughed the news readers hooted and howled.
McCain’s campaign reminds me of a Senate fact finding tour with all the snap and energu that brings to the party. Is he really serious?
April 4th, 2008 at 6:33 amMcCain needs protection - that’s an insane decision.
April 4th, 2008 at 6:58 amThis could be a very grave decision. Let us pray that it is not.
April 4th, 2008 at 7:04 amI bet Obama took the protection. that sorry ass bum is always trying to steal from the gov’t.
April 4th, 2008 at 7:39 amThe last two people that refused to listen to the Secret Service or did not have their protection were JFK and RFK.
April 4th, 2008 at 9:37 amGet some protection McCain. History is NOT on your side in that regard.
Dear (AP) news agency,
Thank YOU for the heads-up …
Sincerely,
Any/All assholes (domestic and Islamic) looking for infamy
April 4th, 2008 at 11:22 am