McCain Rejects Secret Service Protection

"Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) may be the presumptive GOP nominee for president, but, by his own wishes, he is not being protected by the Secret Service." The Hill reports.

"He has not requested protection," Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan told a congressional subcommittee this morning. "We have no involvement at this point."

In opting not to take the protection, McCain is following through on plans he outlined to reporters late last year on his Straight Talk Express campaign bus.

Members of the House Appropriations Homeland Security subcommittee were surprised by Sullivan's revelation. Sullivan said his agency had been in contact with McCain's staff. But a candidate has no legal requirement to take protection.

Last November, McCain told reporters he felt such protection was an "inconvenience" and too expensive for tax payers:

"It's my intention, if we win this nomination, to reject Secret Service," he said during one of his many conversations with reporters on his Straight Talk Express this weekend. "Why do I need it?"

He adds: "The day that the Secret Service can assure me that if we're driving in the motorcade and there's a guy in a rooftop with a rifle, that they can stop that guy, then I'll say fine. But the day they tell me, 'well, we can't guarantee it,' then fine, I'll take my chances."

McCain rejected Secret Service protection in 2000, after winning the New Hampshire primary. But he wants to go further, rejecting the massive security apparatus should he become president.

"It's the inconvenience," McCain said. "It's the inconvenience it causes people. It's a waste of the taxpayers money. It's just everything I don't like."

Comments

[SeriousBlack]

That might be fine if HE doesn't want it but what about his wife and daughter? Isn't it crappy judgment on his part to deny a greater amount of protection for them?????

[sugarmoes]

cuz the people who typically assasinate are on his team....

[sugarmoes]

cuz no one gives a damn about waxin his crusty ol' butt.

[ebrann]

So, how much does a State funeral cost? I assume the taxpayers foot the bill for that? Maybe his estate could pay for it.

Come on, John, get with the program.

[thegreatgiginthesky]

Why would anyone bother assassinating John McCain when he has one leg in the grave and the other on a bannana peel?

[peterg76]

I think it's just for the free publicity because the media calls it 'news'.

[eurydice]

It would be too tough a job, trying to protect McCain from constantly shooting himself in the foot.

[biglover]

Eurydice that was great!!!!

[halyscomet]

Makes his judgement even MORE suspect...

[JS1965]

Too expensive for tax payers? That's a laugh. If he was really concerned about the burden on tax payers he'd be figuring ways to trim his 100 year plan for Iraq.

[biglover]

Amen to that JS1965. What a loser he is.

[Amalek]

This is actually a bit refreshing. We have gone so overboard about security that it is time to step back and decide what really works. Airtravel has become such a hassle, and it does not actually make us any safer. 911 happened with the terrorists following the rules - all their weapons were legal, and the next time they will be legal too. We got safer when they reinforced the cockpit doors, but we still act like every grandmother might be carrying an UZI under her skirt. I believe that this is just a tactic of the Bush administration to scare the crap out of us so we vote republican and let them trample our rights.

So let us do some zero based budgeting on all the security. Justify that it actually works or do away with it.

How many terrorists have been caught at airport security since 9/11? 0?

[megacephalus]

such B.S.

he OWES it to his country that has / will have so much invested in him, either as candidate or [heaven help us all] as President!

Is this remorse for that shameful 'peaceful market tour' with 3 helicopters, 2 gun-ships and 100 plus troops surrounding him or... ???

WHAT A HYPOCRITE !!!

QED!

[sleepless]

Some of those guys on his bus are probably Blackwater. That may be his POTUS plan for the Secret Service.

[andyboy]

John McCain got heckled pretty good while trying to act like he is some big Martin Luther King fan.

Turns out he voted against making MLK day a holiday in 1983.

He did say he was wrong though. Good for him.

But one has to wonder is this part of the experience we're supposed ot be electing him on?

[VicksieDo]

He may find it inconvenient, but as President he must have protection. Ronnie Reagan would have been killed without it. My cynical side tells me that by refusing protection, he'd be challenging Obama to do the same, and Lord knows Obama needs that protection.

[GQB]

This is simple blow-hard strutting on McCain's part, trying to burnish his tough-guy, hero image.
Sad part is that it will fly with a lot of 'independents' (i.e. Republicans who realized the current repugs have cost them money.)

[onedivasinger]

Your cynical side would be correct! That is a part of his overblown "maverick" "24 Hours" image that right wingers and blue collar television watchers love! Then again, how do we know that his rich wife doesn't have some private security tailing him? Watch out McElderly...even rich old white guys have people who are at least nuts enough to try....

[andyboy]

It's his choice. Ronnie was saved by some fantastic emergency treatment. Not the Secret Service. They were all around him and he got shot anyway. A guy with a high powered rifle in an urban setting could kill anyone not in a bullet proof bubble. I'm not disagreeing with you but I don''t think John is trying to dare Obama into not having protection. He isn't evil. Just misguided.

[Conservativeslayer]

He's never going to be president, let us all hope. If we can both Hillary and Obama supporters could start thinking long term instead of short term and stop the nastiness. Let's focus on winning the presidency. Let's all make a vow to be grown ups. If our preferred candidate doens't get the nomination, we need to vow to vote for who ever does get the dem nomination. Even if we don't like voting for them. Preventing a McCain presidency needs to be our goal. We can't let this man pick the next 2 or 3 supreme court justices. We can't let this man keep our troops in Iraq for a 100 years.

[biglover]

Well said Conservativeslayer. It is time for us HRC and Obama supporters to stop the nasty diatribe and concentrate on making sure someone like McCain doesn't back into the White House.

[BetterDeadthanRedState]

What he really needed in 2000 was someone to protect him from the criminal Karl Rove.