Presidential Threat Task Force Formed because of increase in threats

[RamboLiberal]

Book: In the President's Secret Service - Additional Chapter in just released paperback edition. Task Force includes Secret Service, FBI, CIA.

For this paperback release, Kessler added a chapter about President Obama, whom he notes has seen a 400 percent increase in threats on his life since the tenure of President George W. Bush. An afterword reveals new details about Kessler’s discovery of a third uninvited intruder during last year’s White House State Dinner (see below). The behind-the-scenes anecdotes are delightful, but Kessler has a bigger point to make, one concerning why the under-appreciated Secret Service deserves better leadership.

1. Red lights are flashing. The increased number of threats to President Obama sparked the creation of a Presidential Threat Task Force, but not all its recommendations are being heeded: the Secret Service has at times failed to screen everyone with magnetometers at presidential appearances. Kessler says it’s senseless frugality driving the move, and it upps the odds of an assassination attempt (page 222).

2. High turnover is an ongoing problem. The ranks are stretched so thin that Secret Service agents sometimes work 18- to 20-hour days and routinely miss requalification training and physical training tests. Advancement is all about “juice” (connections), so Kessler says it’s no wonder there’s a high attrition rate, of 5 percent a year. In the Uniformed Division of the service, the rate is even higher: 12 percent. Kessler says more seasoned agents have watched most of their intial classes depart for other government agencies or the better-paid private sector (page 124).

3. About those White House party crashers. After Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan claimed that the Salahis were the only ones who were not on the guest list, Kessler received a call from a high-level Secret Service official who told him that the agency was covering up its missteps and there was a third intruder—Carlos Allen, a Washington party promoter. Kessler broke the story

http://www.newsweek.com/blogs/we-read-it/2010/08/04/in-the-president-s-secret-service-behind-the-scenes-with-agents-in-the-line-of-fire-and-the-presidents-they-protect.html

[RandomThoughts]

1. Doesn't sound right.

Whoppi comming out and telling the lady to 'go back to the white house' sounds more like it was some manufactured event.

That is just a guess though.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

2. Does Newsweak still exist?

:shrug:

[DevonRex]

3. I doubt very many people here give a shit. Really.

Or is that just too cynical of me.

[kestrel91316]

4. Lots of them are cheering at the threats, I suspect.

[DevonRex]

5. ...

So do I. Wonder when somebody's gonna start questioning his citizenship and religion. Might as well.

[kestrel91316]

7. Some DUers already did that in not so subtle ways a few months ago.

They hopped right on the RW bandwagon, parroting Faux talking points all the way.

[Phx_Dem]

6. Wouldn't surprise me.