Posted on 10/04/2006 8:59:53 AM PDT by dvan
We had a neighbor, when I lived in DC, who was part of the secret service presidential detail for many years. His stories of Kennedy and Johnson were the same as those I heard from the guys who flew the presidents' plane.
Yes, Kennedy did have Marilyn Monroe flown in for secret "dates," and LBJ was a typical Texas "good ole boy" womanizer.
Nixon, Bush 41, and Carter never cheated on their wives. Clinton cheated, but couldn't match Kennedy or LBJ in style or variety.
The information below is accurate: The elder Bush and current President Bush make it a point to thank and take care of the air crews who fly them around. When the president flies, there are several planes that also go. One carries the armored limo, another the security detail, plus usually a press aircraft.
Both Bush's made it a point to stay home on holidays, so the Air Force and security people could have a day with their families.
WHAT WAS: Hillary Clinton was arrogant and orally abusive to her security detail. She forbade her daughter, Chelsea, from exchanging pleasantries with them. Sometimes, Chelsea, miffed at her mother's obvious conceit and mean spiritedness, ignored her demands and exchanged pleasantries regardless, but never in her mother's presence.
Chelsea really was a nice, kindhearted, and lovely young lady.The consensus opinion was that Chelsea loved her Mom but did not like her.
Hillary Clinton was continuously rude and abrasive to those who were charged to protect her life.Her security detail dutifully did their job, as professionals should, but they all loathed her, and wanted to be on a different detail. Hillary Clinton was despised by the Secret Service as a whole.
Former President Bill Clinton was much more amiable than his wife. Often the Secret Service would cringe at the verbal attacks Hillary would use against her husband.They were embarrassed for his sake, by the manner and frequency in which she verbally insulted him, sometimes in the presence of the Secret Service, and sometimes behind closed doors. Even behind closed doors, Hillary Clinton would scream and holler so loudly that everyone could hear what she was saying.Many felt sorry for President Clinton and most wondered why he tolerated it instead of just divorcing his "attack dog" wife.
It was crystal clear that the Clinton's neither liked nor respected each other, and this was true long before the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Theirs was genuinely a "marriage of convenience."
Chelsea was much closer to her father than her mother, even after the Lewinsky scandal, which hurt her gravely.
Bill Clinton did in fact have charisma, and ccasionally would smile at, or shake hands with his security detail. Still, he always displayed an obvious air of superiority towards them.
His security detail uniformly believed him to be disingenuous, false, and that he did nothing without a motive that in some way would enhance his image and political career. He was polite, but not kind. They did not particularly like him and nobody trusted him.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN: Al Gore was the male version of Hillary Clinton.They were more friendly toward each other than either of them were towards former President Clinton. They were not intimate, so please don't read that in. They were very close in a political way.
Tipper Gore was generally nice and pleasant. She initially liked Hillary, but soon after the election she had her "pegged", and no longer liked her, or associated with her, except for events that were politically obligatory
Al Gore was far more left wing than Bill Clinton. Al Gore resented Bill Clinton and thought he was too "centrist." He despised all Republicans. His hatred was bitter, and this was long before he announced for the Presidency. This hatred was something that he and Hillary had in common. They often said as much, even in the presence of their security detail. Neither of them trusted Bill Clinton and, the Secret Service opined, neither of them even liked Bill Clinton.
Bill Clinton did have some good qualities, whereas Al Gore and Hillary had none, in the view of their security details. Al Gore, like Hillary, was very rude and arrogant toward his security detail.
He was extremely unappreciative and would not hesitate to scold them in the presence of their peers for minor details over which they had no control. Al Gore also looked down on them, as they finally observed and learned with certainty on one occasion. Al got angry at his offspring and pointed at his security detail and said, "Do you want to grow up and be like them?"
Word of this insult by the former Vice-president quickly spread, and he became as disliked by the Secret Service as Hillary. Most of them prayed Al Gore would not be elected President,and they really did have private celebrations in a few of their homes after President Bush won.
This was not necessarily to celebrate President Bush's election, but to celebrate Al Gore's defeat.
WHAT IS: Everyone in the Secret Service wants to be on First Lady Laura Bush's detail. Without exception, they concede that she is perhaps the nicest, and most kind person they have ever had the privilege of serving. Where Hillary patently refused to allow her picture to be taken with her security detail, Laura Bush doesn't even have to be asked, she offers.
She doesn't just shake their hand and say, "Thank you." Very often, she will give members of her detail a kindhearted hug to express her appreciation.There is nothing false about her.
This is her genuine nature. Her security detail considers her to be a "breath of fresh air." They joke that comparing Laura Bush with Hillary Clinton is like comparing "Mother Teresa" with the "Wicked Witch of the North."
Likewise, the Secret Service considers President Bush to be a gem of a man to work for. He always treats them with genuine respect, and he always trusts and listens to their expert advice. They really like the Crawford, Texas detail.
Every time the president goes to Crawford he has a Bar-B-Q for his security detail, and he helps serve their meals. He sits with them, eats with them, and talks with them. He knows each of them by their first name, and calls them by their first name as a show of affection.
He always asks about their family, the names of which he always remembers. They believe that he is deeply and genuinely appreciative of their service. They could not like, love, or respect anyone more than President Bush. Most of them did not know they would feel this way, until they had an opportunity to work for him and learn that his manner was genuine and consistent.
It has never changed since he began his Presidency. He always treats them with the utmost respect, kindness, and compassion.
It's kind of obvious why he wouldn't divorce her--his political viability--so I have to take this with some skepticism.
About 3 years ago I had the priviledge of dining with a secret service member and he said exactly the same thing.
THIS is why we love our President, and why the left despises him. For he is a man of humility and grace and such traits are utterly foreign to his political enemies.
I pary that Clinton's SS guy that looked like him with the grey hair, would write a book!!!
A wonderful post.
Thank you!
Nice read! Thanks for sharing!
They need to re-read their Oz. The Wicked Wtiches came from the East and the West. I believe the witches of the North and South were good witches.
Thank you, I found that very interesting. I never cared for HIllary, her and Gore do come across as condescending people. I recall hillary's little comment about staying home to bake cookies, how much more condescending can you get, as if stay at home moms have nothing else to do but bake cookies.. I hope i never have to hear madame president rodham clinton.
Gary Aldrich wrote the book on the Klinton's. It was ignored and the pig was re-elected along with her husband.
class act versus crass act.
I just have a hard time believing that the Secret Service, current or retired, would share such inside information with any nieghbor or acquaintence. I believe they are constrained by securtiy clearance from doing so.
Not to nitpick, but "Wicked Witch of the North" ought to refer to the West. North and South were good witches. Witch of the East had a house dropped on her. Witch of the West was played by Margaret Hamilton.
I believe every word of our post. President Bush is a gem and Laura is spectacular. I've observed both "up close and personal" on various occasions and believe that there are no two finer people on earth.
Thanx! What we all cannot prove,but knew in our hearts,believed, written in very readable fashion.
Great post - thanks
Does anyone remember the details better than I or have the video?
Thanks for this! Made me wonder how hard the Secret Service is praying that Shrillery does NOT become President, or even a candidate that they'd have to protect.
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