Bush has Doubled Admin's Secret Service Protection; Readies 103 Full-Time Agents for his Retirement. Soldiers still Lack Armor

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS

The 2008 campaign will require more Secret Service resources than expected, the Washington Post reported Tuesday. The article also brings up some interesting highlights on Secret Service coverage for the Bush administration:

[T]he Bush administration has doubled the number of officials granted Secret Service protection, from 26 to 54, including top White House aides such as the chief of staff and national and homeland security advisers.

Guess the paranoia is justified considering their abysmal approval ratings. We always thought it was just a coincidence that Cheney never leaves his undisclosed location during full moons.

And while the 2008 campaign gets going, the service is also gearing up for January 2009, when President Bush is set to leave office ... The service has begun training agents to fill 103 full-time slots as to be part of the current president's retirement detail.

103 personal, full-time Secret Service agents after he's retired? Bush must not be planning on making any more friends over the next year and a half.

And to think that these are the same folks who didn't want Speaker Pelosi – second in line to the presidency – to have a military plane for official travel (much less a fighter jet to land on an aircraft carrier for a photo op).

If you think it's crazy for the taxpayers to spend millions protecting a man who single-handedly pissed off the world, the American people, and even most of his own party, there is still hope: impeachment and conviction will prevent Bush from receiving the standard protection, office staff, and cushy pension afforded to retired presidents.

In fact, Republican Sen. Arlen Specter proposed doing just that to Bill Clinton… even after he had already left office! Booting our lame duck president now would not only spare the nation months of more torment but would also save us big bucks in his upkeep.

A 1997 law made Clinton the last former president to get lifetime Secret Service coverage, meaning Bush will only get a decade of official protection. After that, well, we guess it's up to Blackwater.

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS

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