Psychology of the Secret Service members . . .

[Bullwinkle925]

what do you suppose? are they politically active? do they vote?

i would be hard-pressed to serve this particular pResident. it would be difficult for me to be able to see beyond the *person* and work to defend and protect the *office*. what sort of person is able to do so?
totally emotionless? if so, that makes me wonder why they would sign up to serve in such a position in the first place? for me, at any rate, i would want to have such a job out of duty and loyalty to my country and to the constitution. do you think the current SS staff sees the destruction of the constitution going on - or are they so committed to the actual job of serving the *office* that they truly are oblivious to the actions of the *office*? do any of you know/knew a SS person? what is their demeanor in their 'off hours'?
i truly am curious as to what these people think or if they allow themselves to think at all? are they totally automatons?

[aquart]

1. What a ridiculous supposition.

Do you know any human being who is a "total automaton"? They protect the POTUS, not George Bush. Because the symbol of a nation is a target.

It's good to know you are too morally pure to do this work. I'm glad they're not.

[Bullwinkle925]

3. good grief . . .

i am curious - as i've stated. i couldn't do it. period. i could for the first Bush - but not for this one.
morally pure - no - not me - as i've said - there is no purity in the fact that i couldn't do this job satisfactorily due to my own conflicted feelings towards this person.
what set you off?

:hi:

[supernova]

2. I've met a couple

and they seemed to be normal law-enforcement types. People who could have joined the highway patrol or the sherriff's office, but with a strong interest in current affairs.

I met a couple of the people in 96 working on the Clinton Campaign and again in 2000 working for Gore because I was voluteering at events and was part of the local set up. I sorta surmised from them that they can voluteer for candidate security based on their own political inclinations. People who were protecting Gore IOW, were predisposed to liking him anyway.

edit: These were people in the Greensboro and Charlotte offices btw.

[Bullwinkle925]

4. okay - i would suppose then that the current members who are on the

*pResidential detail* are in line with the policies and decision-making of the Prez and Vice-Prez. hard to believe, but i guess it's true.

[supernova]

6. Maybe maybe not

But you can bet that anybody who started out with him as a candidate and is still there, then yes, they agree w/ his policies. As for people who rotate in later, that's open to debate.

[Bullwinkle925]

8. interesting . . .

i wonder if any of them have :wtf: moments???

[supernova]

9. At this point

I wouldn't be surprised if they did, just like other conservatives. I don't think the Secret Service is all that different than the general population when it comes to what's going on right now.

The SS guys protecting our guys, btw? Some of the coolest, sharpest people I've ever met. :thumbup:

[Bullwinkle925]

12. I very much remember what appear to be the grief-stricken SS men . . .

in November 1963. There were some of them who were truly agonizing over their efforts at not protecting the President.
I know some people in law enforcement - one of whom is a staunch Democrat - I wonder if he would be able to put his feelings aside and do 'his duty' if he were a SS agent now. Dunno.

[CGowen]

16. I would be pissed, too

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFpPjjKdUds&mode=related&search=

[beaconess]

21. No, they aren't

The agents move up to the detail, not because of their political views, but based on how well they perform in the path leading to the top. I've gotten to know many agents over the years. Some are liberal, some are conservative, and some just don't care. Some like the president they're protecting, some can't stand him. Some are sweet, wonderful people, some are jerks. But they all work their asses off to guard their protectee and every one of them that I know would take a bullet, if necessary. They are, in my view, some of the most outstanding public servants working for our government.

FYI - remember back in 1998-99 when President Clinton's lead agent - the first African-American to serve as Special Agent in Charge of the presidential detail - fought tooth and nail NOT to testify about Clinton's private conversations after Ken Starr hauled him before the grand jury?

[MonkeyFunk]

5. So you start a few threads

about a military coup, and now want to know about Bush's secret service detail?

Are you so lonely you need a visit from a few guys in black suits?

[Bullwinkle925]

7. do i need to go into hiding?

:hide:

or is it truly possible that it is "1984" now? i certainly hope not.

i'm always curious as to the psychological aspects of current events. surely, i'm not the only one who is sitting here with questions??

o well - i guess if it makes them feel good to imprison a 57 (amost 58 yr.) old woman who is taking care of her husband with a cancer dx - then i have my answers, don't i?

:cry:

[MonkeyFunk]

10. No, you don't hve to hide

I just think it would be wise to stop posting about coups and then asking questions about the President's secret service detail.

[Bullwinkle925]

14. you're probably correct in your assumptions . . .

i was watching something the other day (jeez - getting older is the pitts when the memory isn't as sharp as it used to be) entailing something about speaking up being a patriotic thing to do. that got me to thinking along these lines and wondering if there is anyone 'at the top' in a position of power who will ultimately speak up? Could be when I was reading some Thomas Paine that got me thinking. Who knows??
:hi:

[Spangle]

11. The more you like a person, the harder it is

You can't become to close to your 'charge.' If you do, then you would have to ask for a trasfer.

That is what little I know about it.

It would be easier doing someone you didn't like. YOu would be able to keep your emotions out of it, etc. It would be just a 'job' and if you didn't like the person.. I would think the 'guilt' would keep a person on their toes. Afraid their 'dislike' might cause a mistake, hence, guilt.

[Bullwinkle925]

13. that's a unique take on it - and you could have a very valid point there.

it does take certain individuals to be able to put their personal feelings aside and just 'do a job', i guess. that totally does leave me out of being able to do that kind of work.

[Frogger]

15. It seems to me that

if they had your feelings about it, they would resign, maybe become political activists against the president? Or perhaps they see the president's actions as within legitimate political activity rather than as unconstitutional actions? Or maybe they are mind-numbed robots?

I mean I wouldn't wanting to be putting my life on the line on a daily basis, and those that do, how can I hope to understand them?

[Bullwinkle925]

17. not really knowing the 'in's and out's' of the SS . . .

those who are surrounding the top figures of the government are surely hand-picked and have passed through rigorous psychological exams . . . - just what is contained in the make-up of the exams would be interesting to know. i would think (hope) that if you know you cannot fulfill this duty - you would be able to be placed on a different detail/duty in which you wouldn't have such contradictory feelings.

[Magrittes Pipe]

18. I'm going to laugh my ass off when you're in a federal penitentiary.

:rofl:

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

19. Very nice

She is a curious person with a legitimate question. What do you know about it??

[Bullwinkle925]

20. Well - if they send me to Leavenworth . . .

I'll just be going home to Kansas. I did escape from there in '68 - I'm much older now, so it would be a bit difficult to escape now. I'd just have to do more knitting, I suppose.
Thanks for your support.

:hippie:

[illinoisprogressive]

22. I would think some of their protectees would be terrible to cover.

[bluedigger]

23. I had dinner with one

about a year and a half ago. He was dating a coworker of mine and we all went out. He was young and no doubt very junior in the hierarchy. I thought he was a very nice and intelligent guy. We avoided overly political or operational topics in general, but a couple of cracks were made about our "leaders", and he didn't rise to the bait...or try to defend them. I suspect that much as we avoided politics when I was in the army, the Secret Service probably attempts to be non-partisan and serve the country regardless of which party is in the office. That being said, I got the distinct impression that he would not miss the Bush presidency.