Presidents - Secret Service Perspective

From: rapa & baja Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2011Subject: Presidents: Interesting Secret Service Perspective

Sent by a friend:
Reading a book about the Secret Service where they reveal an awful lot about  the presidents and Vice Presidents...very interesting..recap thus far:
• JFK and LBJ = Philanderers of the highest order.  Both kept a lot of  women in White House for affairs.   Both set up "early warning" systems for it and when their wives were nearby.  Total immoral men.  In addition, LBJ was as crude as the day is long.  (FHW - I heard some real horror stories about LBJ in particular.  But, a few good things too.  LBJ respected people who stood up to him).Publish Post

• Nixon = Weird, moral man but very odd and weird. Paranoid etc. Horrible relationship with his family, almost a recluse.

• Agnew = nice, decent man, everyone was surprised at his downfall.
• Ford = A true gentlemen who treated them with respect and dignity
 • Jimmy Carter = A complete phony who would portray one picture of himself to public and very different in private.   I.E. Would be shown carrying his own luggage, suit cases were always empty, he kept empty one just for photo ops. Wanted the people to see him as pious and a non drinker, but he and family drank alcohol a lot. Had disdain for the Secret Service, and was very irresponsible with the "football" nuclear codes.  Didn't think it was a big deal and would keep military aides at a great distance. Would never acknowledge military or Secret service they were there to serve him.
• Ronald Reagan = The real deal. Moral, Honest, respectful and dignified. Treated Secret Service and everyone else with respect and honor.

     Would always thank everyone all the time. He took the time to know everyone on a personal level.   One story was early on in Presidency the President came out of his room with a side arm attached to his hip.   The Agent in charge said "Why the pistol Mr. President."  Ronald Reagan replied, "In case you boys can't get the job done, I can help."  It was common for him to carry a pistol. People do not know that when he met with Gorbachev, he had a pistol in his briefcase.  Upon learning that Gary Hart was caught with Donna Rice during the election Ronald Reagan said, "Boys will be boys, but boys will not be President"
• Nancy Reagan = Very nice but very protective of the President..the Secret Service was always caught in the middle. Nancy would try to control what the President ate all the time (healthy) and he would say to the Agents  "come on you gotta help me out."   The Reagans rarely drank alcohol. Secret Service said they could count on one hand the times the Reagans were served alcohol other than wine during dinner. They made the comment for all the fake bluster of the Carters it was the Reagans who lived life as genuinely  moral people. 

     (FHW - I spent several weeks at the Reagan Pacific Palisades res. while he was campaigning and before being elected.  Everything above fits.  A genuinely nice and garrulous guy, and Nancy was a lady quite devoted to and protective of her Ronnie.  He was patient with her overprotectiveness, obviously devoted to her also, but occasionally would bark at her when he needed a little more space and independence.  And then she would give him some space, but not for too long). 
• George and Barbara Bush = Extremely kind and considerate. Always respectful. Took great care in making sure the agents comforts were taken care of. They would bring them meals etc. One time Barbara Bush brought warm clothes to agents standing outside a Kennebunkport.  One agent who was given  warm hat tried to nicely say no thanks when he was obviously freezing and President Bush said "Son, don't argue with the first lady, put the hat on."

      (FHW - In 1982, with an ATF partner, I stopped by the Secret Service command post for the Bush residence detail in Washington, D.C.  Bush was home at the time, but they were in residence and we did not see them, only talked with the detail and shared some food with them for a while. Several spoke up and expressed what great people and a great family they were.  Said that their kids and grandkids often came to visit, and without exception it was always happy times.  I was impressed at such intense enthusiasm.  With eveyone else I always heard at least some negatives (with the Reagan's, it was trying to manuever around Nancy and her overprotectiveness), but no negatives about Bush the Mom and Dad.
• Bill Clinton = Presidency was one giant party. Not trustworthy, he was nice because he wanted everyone to like him but life is just one big game and party to him.
• Hillary Clinton = Another phony. Personality would change the instant cameras were near. She hated with open disdain the military and Secret Service. Again another one who felt people are there to serve her. She was always trying to keep tabs on Bill Clinton..
 • Al Gore = An egotistical ass who was once overheard by his Secret Service detail when he told his son he needed to do better in school or he "would end up like these guys" and pointed to the agents.

     (FHW - In 1984, on a detail, I laid eyes on and had one little interaction with AlBore while he was campaigning in Iowa, and egotistical ass is putting it mildly.  Strangely, he seemed much more insecure and fearful than he actually did egotistical.  Even though he really wanted to be somebody, I think he knew he was faking it and was in way over his head).
• G W Bush = They loved him and Laura Bush. They said no one is a nicer person than Laura Bush who never has a harsh word to say about anyone.

     The Bush's went out of their way to take care of the Secret Service and made sure they were well cared for with meals and other comforts. GW was the most prompt of the Presidents. He ran like a well oiled machine. He was also the most in shape who had a very strict work out regimen. The Bush's made sure their entire administration understood to respect and be considerate of the Secret Service.

• Karl Rove was the one who was the most caring of the Secret Service in the administration.
• Barack Obama - Clintons over again - hates the military and looks down on the Secret Service.

---