6.18.2007
Barack the Renegade, Say Secret Service (Guardian.co.uk)
Simon Tisdall in Washington
Monday June 18, 2007
The Guardian
The Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has been variously characterised as the bright young hope of the nation, a know-nothing upstart and a rebel without a cause. But for the wired-up, sunglassed, lapel-murmuring men and women of the US secret service, the senator from Illinois is known simply as "renegade", it was revealed yesterday.
If Mr Obama's aim is to present himself as an underdog outsider running against politics-as-usual, the secret service's codename could be a plus with undecided voters. But others in this race-sensitive country are certain to perceive a slight on Mr Obama's African-American background.
Secret service agents seeking a pithy, private way of identifying and protecting the candidate as he zips around the country say the choice of "renegade" is essentially no different from the tags chosen for past and present political high-fliers.
Former agents told the Washington Post that military officials chose the code names without particular reference to the characteristics of the politician. Despite such denials, the tags often appear strangely apposite.
(More ... Guardian)
Monday June 18, 2007
The Guardian
The Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has been variously characterised as the bright young hope of the nation, a know-nothing upstart and a rebel without a cause. But for the wired-up, sunglassed, lapel-murmuring men and women of the US secret service, the senator from Illinois is known simply as "renegade", it was revealed yesterday.
If Mr Obama's aim is to present himself as an underdog outsider running against politics-as-usual, the secret service's codename could be a plus with undecided voters. But others in this race-sensitive country are certain to perceive a slight on Mr Obama's African-American background.
Secret service agents seeking a pithy, private way of identifying and protecting the candidate as he zips around the country say the choice of "renegade" is essentially no different from the tags chosen for past and present political high-fliers.
Former agents told the Washington Post that military officials chose the code names without particular reference to the characteristics of the politician. Despite such denials, the tags often appear strangely apposite.
(More ... Guardian)
Labels: 2008 election, Guardian, Obama
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