Secret Service Observations

The U. S. Secret Service has evolved over the years. These days, it is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. One of their many duties is to protect the President of the United States and his or her immediate family.

Over time and through various sources, Secret Service agents have disclosed that U.S. Presidents sometimes have a public persona and a private persona.

The Secret Service also assigns codenames to U.S. Presidents and members of their family -- Secret Service codenames are in parenthesis.

John F. Kennedy (Lancer) -- A womanizer who had many affairs. He set up an early warning system to be alerted whenever his wife would approach his area.

Lyndon Johnson (Volunteer) -- A highly immoral man. Very crude personality.

Richard Nixon (Searchlight) -- A moral man but also very strange. Extremely paranoid and kept within himself. Had a terrible relationship with his family.

Gerald Ford (Pass Key) -- A gentleman who treated everyone with respect.

Jimmy Carter (Deacon) -- A total phony. For example, he would exit airplanes and helicopters carrying his own suitcase or briefcase. However, the suitcase or briefcase was always empty. It was merely a prop for photo opts to impress the public. He portrayed himself as a pious non-drinker, yet he and his family consumed alcohol often. The Secret Service always has an agent, near the President, carrying the nuclear "football" (a briefcase with the capability of launching a nuclear attack) for extreme emergencies. According to the agents in charge of the devise, Carter was highly irresponsible with the football. Apparently, he didn't think much of it and kept Secret Service agents at a significant distance from him.

Ronald Reagan (Rawhide) -- A moral, honest, gracious man. Treated everyone with respect. Would take time to get to know everyone around him. Unknown to the public, he often carried a firearm with him, and even had a pistol in his briefcase when he met with Soviet leader Gorbachev.

George Herbert Walker Bush (Timberwolf) -- A kind, considerate man. Always took time to make sure the Secret Service agents were comfortable, which included bringing them meals and warm clothing when they were stationed outside in cold weather..

Bill Clinton (Eagle) -- An untrustworthy man who wanted everyone to like him. He considered the Presidency to be one big party. His wife Hillary (Evergreen) treated the Secret Service with open contempt, as if they were there to serve her and her husband. Her personality would dramatically change depending on the presence of cameras. Vice President Al Gore (Sundance) was a self-centered jerk who was overheard by Secret Service agents telling his son that he'd better do well in school or "you will end up like these guys" as he was pointing at the agents.

George W. Bush (Trailblazer) -- Like his father, he was kind and considerate of the Secret Service agents. He and his wife Laura (Tempo) went out of their way to make it comfortable for the agents. Of all the Presidents, Bush was the most prompt and ran the White House like a well-oiled machine. He also had a strict workout regimen and was in good physical condition.

Barack Obama (Renegade) -- He disdains the military and looks down on the Secret Service.

We all have our public persona and our private persona. In public, I am a quiet loner and potential serial killer. In private, I frolic with dogs and talk to trees.
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Quote for the Day -- "Democracy is the art and science of running the circus from the monkey cage." H. L. Mencken
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Bret Burquest is the author of 7 books, including THE REALITY OF THE ILLUSION OF REALITY and ORB OF WOUNDED SOULS (available on Amazon). He lives in the Ozark Mountains with a dog named Buddy Lee and the haunting spirit of Bonnie Jo Mason.
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