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

[forpeace]

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Who will possibly want to harm a Warmonger like McCane, we as Americans need Secret Service Protection against McBomb?

No Secret Service Protection for him, save the Tax Payers money for Bombs.

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[chronic]

More proof, McCrazy is senile!!!

[ErnestineBass]

McCracker's candidacy is nothing but a sham, anyway. Come July, we'll be under martial law, our young men will be "pressed" into the military, and BOOOsh/Cheney WILL realize their sick dream.

"WWIII - The New World Order"

Coming to a combat theatre near you soon.

[Idiocracy]

Hey Numnutz...

I am not voting for you but i still dont want you to get hurt..

This is NOT Disneyland, this is reality.. Take the protection please.

[ErnestineBass]

Oh, please!?!

McCain is such a joke, he'd be thrilled if someone were to attack him with a butter knife.

[Harrier]

It is my belief Democrats are secretly spiking McCain's drinks with vitamins to do everything to keep him alive.

[ErnestineBass]

Then they need to "give it up" and toss a little Ginko Biloba in there with it...

[forpeace]

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Harrier
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Vitamins & Drinks is a dangerous combination, no wonder the old guy is going nuts!

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[BlazingChalice]

If I live to be 70 I would not fear anyone or anything either.

[Gary47]

Well yes, but running for President isn't just about narcissism. Protection is for the good of the country, not just the candidates.

[JumpyJack]

In theory and for "normal" presidents that's true. But in practice, nobody would miss another Bush. Even he apparently realizes that.

[momofsix]

He's not saving taxpayers any money. When a nominee or a president comes to town that city has to pay for all the extra police protection. No city wants to take the chance of one of these candidates getting shot on their watch and so they are forced to pay for any protection over the secret service. Even with secret service cities have to provide a ton of extra protection and pick up the cost. So McCain
really isn't really saving anybody anything. He's just being stupid!

[EyeballKid]

Isn't Johnny McBombBomb the guy who had to have helicopters, a gunship, and over a hundred soldiers protecting him when he was in Iraq last year?

What about the cost to the taxpayers then, Johnny? Why didn't you take your chances then and save all of us a lot of money? Was the photo-op just too tantalizing for you to cancel? So the photo-op is worth spending the taxpayers' money, but REAL protection is a waste?

Johnny McBombBomb! Have you no judgment?

[themodernleader]

Senator McCain: You must accept secret service protection. These are dangerous times. Your life is irreplaceable. You can not proceed wiithout protection. You can not refuse protection. You have no right to foolishly endanger your wellbeing by refusing secret service protection. You do what the Secret Service advise you to do in the name of the citizens of the nation.

[ErnestineBass]

As in, "Sir, ummmm, maybe you'd like a moment to go and change your Depends?".

[crazyv]

it is not that his life is irrepacable but as the Republican nominee he is a symbol of our democracy. Whether one supports the individual or the party is irrelevant an attack on him is an attack on all of us. Then again maybe he is hoping for somebody to come after him so that they claim it was Iran- anybody remember Gulf of Tonkin?

[haboob]

i do not remember mccain without security in baghdad. he kept saying it was perfectly safe while surrounded by tight military security. am i missing something ?

[Mike O.]

You idiot, the article clearly said that he rejected SECRET SERVICE PROTECTION. Any security detail he had in Iraq would have been provided by State Dept. or directly by the military.

[ErnestineBass]

Now that's a real hair-splitter. You must be a law student.

[haboob]

you can read ? could have fooled me. how is your comprehension ? not so much. esad

[OpusIsUnderTheBed]

Hey everybody. SPELLCHECK!

[ErnestineBass]

OK, opus, I'll bite. Did you just discover spellcheck, or are you advising "someone" to use it?

[OpusIsUnderTheBed]

Let's see if we can analyze McCain's thought process. I am brave. Um, and dumb.

[neocon43]

We will see how dumb he is when the debates get here.Democrats have their beer goggles on.Americans are going to look at the two candidates and see the real deal who can protect America and Obama who wants to set down and have tea with our enemies.watch how good that goes over!

[solid]

"Set down"? Did Uncle Gomer teach you how to speak?

[ErnestineBass]

What's the point?

The man's been dead from the neck up since he buried his face in BOOOsh's armpit four years ago.

Even BOOOsh's faint sweat is toxic.

[neocon43]

Glad it was not Kerrys or we might be dead now.

[uberlefty]

Its not about you John. Its about insuring continuity of command. If you werent completely crazy you would know that. There is nothing noble about this it just nuts.

[ErnestineBass]

Sorry, uberlefty, but at this point in time, McCain isn't in charge of his bowel movements...little less tOUR NATION. Legally speaking, until the man has been "crowned" candidate of his party, he's not "required" to have SS protection.

[MadeinAmericaProud]

If you read the daileyKos.com of his wife family ties to the mob, such as James Hensley and Kemper Marley, Mccain like in the godfather movie went legit . Who need civil service protection when you have the real deal America. The crime boss people are our America way. Anyone going against the legit mob will have hell to play sooner or later.

We as American can not handle the truth. It has years since grass roots of American have stood up enough is enough. Hell no will will not take it any more. We are sick and tried of being sick and tried.
We can go on and on and on. The people have spoken. What the believe now is it is their power, not Obama. It is the people have the balls to I will not take crap any more. Those who want to keep it 1990a
will gently pushed aside, but if need demand they move over because they are not stupid any more they know enough to know a lie, distortion and they want better. It fact they expect greatness as an American.

We share with the world all we had, but just look what we got in return. Us fighting over the few jobs left.

[totalliberal]

Blackwater is doing it for free. Hmmm.

[IraqVet04]

You know why? Because the Secret Service keeps visitors logs. No Secret Service, no visitors logs.