PRESIDENTIAL SECURITY

[Stanley]

PRESIDENTIAL SECURITY

22 January 2005

I noticed yesterday that at least one UK reporter noted with incredulity that ‘manhole covers had been welded shut’ in Washington as part of the security preparations for the Inauguration. I’m afraid he was displaying his ignorance as to what is seen as normal security measures whenever the President appears in public.
I was in Northfield in Minnesota in 2000 during Bill Clinton’s last year as President. He came to Carleton College as the guest at Commencement, the US equivalent of our degree day. For five weeks beforehand the town and the surrounding area was treated to close aerial surveillance by helicopter and a large C35 transport plane no doubt loaded with electronic equipment and cameras. Large four wheel drive vehicles with smoked glass windows circled the roads on the campus and men in suits, despite the hot weather, were seen all over the college. A few days before the event the heavy gang moved in and welded shut all the doors in the access tunnels under the college which carried the pipes and cables for services. All manholes were welded shut. The number of men in suits increased.
The Presidential flight for the visit consisted of ‘US One’ the presidential 747, another 747 for press/security and a C-17 Globemaster III, the largest transport plane the air force operates containing armoured limousines and the presidential helicopter. When US One landed at Twin Cities the President transferred to his helicopter and was flown to a small airfield near Dundas close to the college. This private airport had struggled on for years with two telephone lines despite repeated requests to Ma Bell for more capacity. In the weeks before the President arrived, 20 extra lines were installed.
The President was met at the airport by an armoured limousine and driven to the College. Every road junction and intersection was guarded by State Police and National Guard. At the College, a security cordon had been set up and there was only one entry. Every person was questioned, searched and put through a metal detector. The whole place was crawling with the men in the suits and dark glasses. I found out afterwards that the reason for the suits was to conceal the armoury of automatic weapons they were carrying.
I was leaving Northfield the day he was due to speak and I had to take my bags to a friends house the night before because the house where I stayed was inside the security cordon. My point is that these precautions were only the ones I observed, I am certain that there would be more. As my plane took off from Twin Cities the pilot pointed out the presidential planes parked on a remote corner of the airfield. If this level of security was seen as necessary five years ago for a visit to an obscure mid-west college just think of what would be done in Washington last week.

22 January 2005