I'm concerned about the codename renegade: it can mean "traitorous, deserter"

[kerry-is-my-prez]

At first I didn't think it was too great but not horrible - thinking it was sort of like "rebel." I decided to looked it up in the dictionary:

ren·e·gade (rn-gd)
n.
1. One who rejects a religion, cause, allegiance, or group for another; a deserter.
2. An outlaw; a rebel.

adj.
Of, relating to, or resembling a renegade; traitorous.
intr.v. ren·e·gad·ed, ren·e·gad·ing, ren·e·gades
To become a deserter or an outlaw.


I don't feel real comfortable with seeing these people guarding him. My boyfriend who is an indy who is not a big Obama fan but did vote for him is REALLY alarmed and he's not usually one to get alarmed.

[asdjrocky]

1. Yeah, but it's also a kick ass song by Styx.

[Touchdown]

48. Oooh' Don't bring that song up. Remember how it ends.

"Hangman is coming down from the gallows..."

Best not to go there.:hi:

[snake in the grass]

61. So is...

..."Blue Collar Man".

[Mike Daniels]

77. About the only such song by that band

Most people seem to acknowledge that's about the only decent song the band ever released.

[progressoid]

82. What about Mr. Roboto?

:sarcasm:

[last_texas_dem]

81. Haha- Good point

Maybe the Secret Service is just populated by a disproportionately high percentage of Styx fans!?!

[liberalmuse]

2. It can also mean, 'bucking the system.'

Obama has a very good relationship with his SS. He's actually pretty close to them. I think they will do their best to protect him.

[Solomon]

66. The SS was involved in another famous incident of which I will not

mention.

[gatorboy]

3. What's the point of code names if they're being made public?

I mean, what's the point??

[illuminaughty]

46. I thought that was so weird to offer up

the entire families code names. News said it's now "no big deal" to release them as it was in the past. But, really?

[boppers]

54. Code names date back to when communications weren't secure.

In the days of teletype and early CB radio, anybody could have listened in to hear travel plans, private info, etc.

Now that technology has passed the point where people can "listen in", code names are just a cute bit of nostalgia.



edit:typo

[dbmk]

56. First part is true

Second (the cute) part, not so much.

They are still used for clarity of communication purposes. Having to refer, the other day fx, to Obama and Bush as President and President-Elect, if a situation arised, would not be the clearest thing.

[PearliePoo2]

4. That name set off my alarm meter too

The other names were fine....but I saw "Renegade" and thought...oh...oh.....not good.

[The Wielding Truth]

5. What are the Bush's code names?

[npk]

Didn't bother giving him one

They assumed he would be immediately impeached shortly after taking office, according to a good source of mine.

[buzzard]

11. It was tumbler according to wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_Service_codenames

[rvablue]

33. Looks like that "good source" was a pretty shitty one as that never happened! n/t

[cliffordu]

10. Bevis

[kerry-is-my-prez]

13. dumbass, dimples, dork and douche (sorry - couldn't resist).

Tumbler for Bush. But usually they've been pretty noble names.

Eagle (for Clinton), Timberwolf for Poppy, Rawhide for Reagan.

[gatorboy]

19. Heh! Tumbler...

It's fitting considering all the falls he's had :P

[Withywindle]

42. Perfect nickname for a drunk who falls down a lot.

Too many tumblers full and you take a tumble off your Segway...

[Sebastian Doyle]

39. Chimp? Dumbass? Half-assed monkey boy?

Just guessing.

[awoke_in_2003]

51. Laura's is Dumb

W's is Dumber

[Sarah Ibarruri]

6. It also implies the one that takes off and gets way ahead!

He did that in this election race!

[FrenchieCat]

7. I'm concerned that you're concerned......

When I heard Renegade, it conjured someone out of the box, ain't gonna do it like conventional wisdom says it should be done.

[The Traveler]

8. In the mind set of the Secret Service types

Renegade ain't always bad at all. Bucks the system. Robin Hood was a renegade. So was George Washington.

And a big clue ... Michelle is Renaissance. The girls are Radiance and Rosebud.

Cindy McCain was Parasol. McCain was Phoenix.

Get it, yet?

And at this point, the real use for codenames is to have consistent sounds that the ear can be trained to notice against background noise or static. These guys are all using encrypted freq hopping communications gear ... damned hard to intercept.

Trav

[pirate_satellite]

60. Cindy McCain is "Parasol"?

LOL. That's too perfect.

[Skink]

9. Code name Skink at your service.

[TommyO]

12. I suspect the code names were approved by Obama or his staff

At least we don't have "Retired" and "Rogue" as the President Elect and VP Elect.

[iamjoy]

14. Democratic Renegade...

He was given the name back in 2007 when most people expected Hillary Clinton was going to be our nominee. Then along comes this guy who just won't play by the rules and get out of her way.

I mean, that's just another way of looking at it...

I think it's kind of cool anyway. I also like that Malia is Radiance.

[Occam Bandage]

15. It's a coded message from the Secret Service. They're warning us all

that Obama is actually a terrorist who will turn traitor and desert America.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

17. That's what I'm afraid they're insinuating..... They're usually right-leaning types.

n/t

[blondeatlast]

18. As to your last point--you'd be shocked at how utterly wrong you are.

See my post below.

[Occam Bandage]

20. Wait, you're serious?

:rofl:

Hold on, that wasn't quite enough.

[rvablue]

34. You need to do a little history reading

and you are verging on freepiness with your post and the follow ups.

The Secret Service is THE BEST security force in the world and screened more than any other agency in the US government and have sworn their lives to protect their charges...including the POTUS.

This post is unhinged, frankly.

[Marrah_G]

71. Holy Crap- buy more tinfoil, your's has worn thin.

Seriously- seek help.

The SS guys are damn good at their jobs and they protect whoever is present- regardless of party.

They put their lives on the line.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

74. Sorry, But Your Fears Are Monumentally Dumb.

Get a grip. For real.

[AtomTan]

75. Wow. And how many secret service agents have you actually known?

Or is there some kind of database on the web where each agent's "leaning" is disclosed?

[blondeatlast]

16. Secret Service agents see there job as protecting the country by protecting her interests.

That's how they leave politics out of it.

[Beausoir]

21. A life. Get one soon.

Stop with the stupid and get a life.

[chollybocker]

22. I'm concerned that you spent 5 minutes of your life worrying about this.

I hope you don't spend so much time worrying about the name of the Obama family dog.
Come on, people!

[MsTryska]

23. i wonder if the dog's codename will be Rover? nt

nt

[kerry-is-my-prez]

24. Sorry - I'm a psych major who believes that a lot of things are not accidents.

What people name their children and other types of decisions like that tell you something about the people and about their attitudes.

I'm sticking to my guns about this one....

[rvablue]

37. I suggest with your new found expertise, you go self-analyze for awhile n/t

[Marrah_G]

73. You are a psych major?

:wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow:

Run your theory past your professor.

[blondeatlast]

76. Why is it I never invite psych majors to my parties? I'm just certain it's an accident...

:rofl:

[apocalypsehow]

25. Time to buy more stock in Reynolds Metals (now owned by Alcoa): someone is clearing the shelves. n/t

[blondeatlast]

80. I already own some from inheritance. I'm hoping to paint my house soon...

:rofl:

[Danger Mouse]

26. oh FFS...

:eyes:

[MrSlayer]

27. I'm not. It's a cool codename.

We have much bigger worries.

[ACTION BASTARD]

28. OP is silly. The name is bonafide KOOL

[Renegade08]

29. I don't have a problem with that name.

[crispini]

79. LOL. Welcome to DU.

You've got to be somebody's sock, yes? :hi:

[Renegade08]

83. You got me. I just want to know what it's like to have a bad-ass secret service nickname.

[RamboLiberal]

30. Just when I thought I've seen it all on DU

:rofl: Your :tinfoilhat: is too tight - it's cutting off your blood flow to the brain.

[rvablue]

31. I'm worried about the username kerry-is-my-prez b/c maybe it means U don't support Obama!!

Seriously, given your DU name, do you not see the absurdity of your post.

Get a clue. And move on.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

36. I'm going to change it - it was a leftover from 2004 - when Kerry really won.

Sorry - but I worry about Obama's safety - this code name just makes me more so. I won't bring it up here again, however, that's for sure.

[rvablue]

38. If this is sincerely worrying you, you need not be.....

I have been witness to the Secret Service at events and they are going to do everything in their power which includes the best snipers in the world, state of the art weapontry, the best mental and psychological screening training in the world, bullet proof and bomb proof cars and a not so small army of men and women to make sure that President Obama is safe..........oh, and they have the best surveillance and intelligence aparatus in the world to0....you realy don't have anything to worry about. Obama is surrounded by the best of the best.

Worry about if health care is going to get better. And tax cuts for the middle class. And the safe return for our troops....your anxieties would be much better spent worrying about these things.

[DU GrovelBot]

32. ## PLEASE DONATE TO DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND! ##

==================
GROVELBOT.EXE v4.1
==================



This week is our fourth quarter 2008 fund drive. Democratic Underground is
a completely independent website. We depend on donations from our members
to cover our costs. Please take a moment to donate! Thank you!

[Muttocracy]

35. Maybe the Secret Service never looked it up in a dictionary and were just going for

the rebel/maverick/challenger sort of idea? they didn't call him "Radical"

I have no idea what all the previous presidents were called and it wouldn't change my opinion of any of them.

Obama will be not radical/renegade/etc. enough for many progressives, and he'll be way too liberal for conservatives.

I'm OK with a leader who doesn't follow party blindly.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

40. I know that he isn't and you know he isn't - but there are many who do....

That's what scares me.

[nomorewhopper]

41. RENEGADE IS A FUCKING AWESOME NAME

why are you "concerned"? does it even matter?

[Radical Activist]

43. Let them call me rebel (or renegade).

People like outlaws. It's an awesome name. I'm jealous of Obama even more now.
Bonus points if people recognize who the subject line quote is from.

[cemaphonic]

44. I'm concered about your tone-deafness to our linguistic culture.

Americans love renegades - I think it's intended as a compliment, if there was any intention in the first place.

I bet they're happy to be serving under Obama - Imagine being professionally obligated to take a bullet for someone that a majority of Americans would just as soon spit on as talk to.

And if not, big deal. SS are dedicated professionals who take their job totally seriously.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

50. I was around when both Kennedys got shot. Reagan almost died, Ford had 2 people get close.

Jerry Ford was shot at once and it was a BYSTANDER who got the gun out of the person's hand. There was another person who got close to Ford with a gun - but it turned out to be empty.

The Bobby Kennedy assasination made me a bit concerned about the secret service. You'd think that after his brother got shot and killed just a few years before that - they'd be very careful - but no....

I was glad to see that they had that screen around Obama at Grant Park, however.

I also dated a secret service agent who had guarded Jesse Jackson during his Pres. runs and he was a bit of a goof-ball. Ironically, one of my friends is now dating a guy who used to be a secret service agent and he's a big fat repub. So I'm not extremely secure about the secret service.

Sorry....

We here may like the term renegade but a lot of others are not so crazy about renegades - especially in their Presidents. I think the Secret Service has gotten a bit better, however so it makes me fell a bit better.

[dbmk]

57. I think we can safely say that it is not the majority.

But the rest I agree with.

[illuminaughty]

45. Too close to "maverick" n/t

[amborin]

47. i thought it was odd, too, and the ny times had an unsettling article about

the secret service several months ago....made me scared to read it

[BlooInBloo]

49. Concern noted.

[TheDonkey]

52. I'm not a big fan of that code name.

[Waiting For Everyman]

53. Renegade has a maverick-y connotation to it.

Maybe it's a little Secret Service dig at McC?

[dbmk]

58. This is completely unsupported by concret information

But someone here said in another thread that the names were supplied by the military. Or thought they were to be precise.

[Waiting For Everyman]

62. ? What - that there's a connotation is unsupported?

:shrug:

[dbmk]

63. No, sorry. Wasnt particularly clear.

The information on that it was the military, and not the SS deciding on the names, was not supported by solid information. When I posted it.

Found more info on that though. See further down.

[votetastic]

55. "Renegade" is a popular Jay-Z and Eminem song

I'm sure Obama knows the song.

[dbmk]

59. To correct my post somewhere else in this thread and for general knowledge:

"The Secret Service does not choose these names, however. The White House Communications Agency assigns these names."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_Service_codenames

"The White House Communications Agency (WHCA), originally known as the White House Signal Detachment (WHSD), was officially formed by the United States War Department on 25 March 1942 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The WHSD was created to provide normal and emergency communications requirements in support of the President of the United States. The WHSD provided mobile radio, teletype, telephone and cryptographic aids in the White House and at Shangri-La, now known as Camp David. The mission of the WHSD was to provide premier communication systems that enables the President to lead the nation effectively."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_House_Communications_Agency

It seems to be a militarily based group.

"In 1954, during the Eisenhower Administration, the WHSD was reorganized under the Office of the Chief Signal Officer, Army Signal Corps as a Class II unit and renamed the White House Army Signal Agency (WHASA). In 1962 WHASA was discontinued by order of the United States Secretary of Defense under President John F. Kennedy. Its duties were transferred to the auspices of the Defense Communications Agency under the operational control of the White House Military Office, and reestablished as the White House Communications Agency."

[Muttocracy]

68. thanks for that. nt

[sufrommich]

64. I'm concerned that your lack of a sarcasm smiley may

cause some to take the OP as a serious one as opposed to being an obviously satirical jab at over the top "concern" posts. Because that's what it is,right? Right??

[mmonk]

65. His codename now is 44.

I know someone in the SS and they aren't a threat to those they guard but the opposite.

[theboss]

67. But it makes me him sound like one of the X-Men

So...good times!

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

69. Or maybe they're big fans of this guy.

[Marrah_G]

70. OFFS.............

:nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke:

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

72. Oh God, You Weren't Joking.

:eyes:

[genna]

78. wHEN i HEARD renegade I thought it is FITTING

He came out of deep, deep left field (hasn't Chicago been spit on since the first Mayor Daley?), ran hard, engaged the competition, and forged his own path...RENEGADE. When I think about what I, my family, and other Black people I know were saying about Obama is WE CAN'T WIN! Didn't you read the memo? We are Americans but not the majority of Americans...so we are like American lite.


He shucked off all the stereotypes most of us carry. He flummoxed the Chicago strain of defiance that says we're not second city, we are the first city period BUT HAVE NOT GONE OUTSIDE OF ILLINOIS AND PROVED IT. He lived on the South side for crying out loud! Most people know there is not anything going on past 22nd Street on the South side. Hyde Park is surrounded by at least 3 neighborhoods which aren't the most friendly places I've ever lived.


When I think about all the hard and fast rules there are about Christians being the right wing Evangelical COGIC (I have no problem with the Pentecostal movement) BIG CHURCH movement, then see Obama rising out of a large left leaning United Church in Christ congregation. Their missionary work in Chicago is staggering. Then there was the extraordinary discomfort of liberation theology and its inherent demand of freedom in the truest sense of the word. This is not your standard fare in American society.


I truly enjoy the term of renegade and its uses. How anyone could not see the outsider comes to town and cleans house term without endearment is beyond me? I've read what was said here. I scratch my head. Maybe it is a life experience difference?