Obama leaves WH without press, breaking protocol

Associated Press ^ | April 10, 2010

[Free ThinkerNY]

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama quietly breached years of protocol on Saturday morning by leaving the White House without the press with him.

[PghBaldy]

In 1965, Congress authorized the Secret Service (Public Law 89-186) to protect a former president and his/her spouse during their lifetime, unless they decline protection. In 1997, Congress enacted legislation (Public Law 103-329) that limits Secret Service protection for former presidents to 10 years after leaving office. Under this new law, individuals who are in office before January 1, 1997, will continue to receive Secret Service protection for their lifetime. Individuals elected to office after that time will receive protection for 10 years after leaving office. Therefore, President Clinton will be the last president to receive lifetime protection. http://www.secretservice.gov/faq.shtml#faq9

[blondee123]

I thought former presidents had Secret Service protection the rest of their lives, or has that changed?

[livius]

See above post. They get it for only 10 years, so Bush still has it; however, I wonder if this means that they would be obligated to provide the heavy security for him that he would have on an official visit, or simply the security they provide him on a daily basis.

In any case, no more news has appeared about this on my state board, so possibly the whole thing was a mistake and I shouldn’t have posted without waiting for confirmation.

[kosciusko51]

It is the official statement from the WH. I doubt very much if the WH resident wrote this, but I doubt very much if he has written anything important attributed to him.

[Road Warrior ‘04]

Off to see the Disney Animatronics people for a tune up?? /sarc

I honestly don't think the sarcasm note is needed. Could be very true! Maybe not Disney, but, IMHO, somebody not friendly to the USA!

[AuH2ORepublican]

“exercise in fertility”

So female soccer players routinely become pregnant during soccer matches? No wonder Obama wanted to be there for his daughter’s game—I’d be there with a shotgun myself!

(I think that you meant “exercise in futility” : )

[DrewsMum]

Ok RUDENESS....before you go slapping down someone else, GET YOUR FREAKIN’ FACTS STRAIGHT....

The post that I asked for a source for said that “Obama made that policy change”....then you slap me down for not being able to google and get the source for your so called fact....THEN the source you quote said that CONGRESS made the change in the 1990’s... So you need to make sure you have your crap together before you look down on others for not being as smart as you OBVIOUSLY are....

JERK

[Crim]

Well thank you very much!

Glad you noticed...

Yep I misstated and inserted Obama instead of congress...

at least my google engine works...

*grin*

[DrewsMum]

“at least my google engine works...”

my Google engine works too when presented with the right info.....

*rolls eyes*

[patriciaruth]

Well, if they decide to go they will keep it quiet, so we won’t know till the funeral.

[hinckley buzzard]

It was protocol during the Reagan administration, but Ronald Reagan on at least one occasion slipped out without the press for a quiet social engagement with friends. He caught some grief for it.