Quote:
Originally Posted by Razor
Large crowds close to the President also present a high degree of risk, especially during "Grip & Grin" events. Perhaps the Secret Service should keep everyone 200m back from the President's route of travel, you know, for his safety and all.
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If the secret service had their way, that's exactly what would happen... But the President gets the final say on how tight the protection gets, and NONE would ever go for that, because the political value of the rope line is invaluable to them and their advisors. So instead the Secret Service makes other provisions for those close up interactions INCLUDING the rope line itself, multiple agents right next to him ready to throw him into a waiting five ton armored car a few feet away, counter-snipers watching the entire scene, and concentric circles of increasing security that include the "No Weapon" zones established by other agents far in advance. Its a calculated risk, but one made less dangerous by the extraordinary work of the men and women of the Secret Service.
The alternative reminds me of something children do in the back seat of a car on a long trip. One child will get bored and start touching the other, who will begin screaming "Dad..... Hes touching me." The parent will turn and say "Stop touching her!" Every parent knows what comes next.... The "toucher" puts his finger millimeters away from the "touchees" face and begins to maniacally chant "I'm not touching you...I'm not touching you..." As if Dad cant intervene because the actual harm addressed earlier hasn't occurred.... But in this case, the "toucher" is a would-be assassin and what? Can glibly say "Im not shooting him... im not shooting him" and the parental Secret Service have to WAIT until he does before they can intervene? NO! They do what dad does: "KNOCK IT OFF OR YOU'RE GOING TO GET IT!"