According to a new book U.S. President Barack Obama is the target of over 30 potential threats per day. The book also claims the the Secret Service who protects the president and his family are over-stretched and under-resourced.
Ronald Kessler, the author of the new book "
In the President's Secret Service" says budget cuts are so deep and "culture change" is so pervasive that the Secret Service is putting the President's life at risk due to agents having to cut so many corners
reports CBS News.
The Secret Service denies Kessler's allegations.
Since President Obama (codename Renegade) took office threats have increased 400 percent from a year or so ago. President George W. Bush received around 3000 threats per year according to Mr. Kessler.
After Mr. Obama became President his family began receiving Secret Service protection. His wife Michelle is codenamed Renaissance, Malia, 11, codenamed Radiance, and Sasha, 8, codenamed Rosebud.
Some threats to the President have been publicised such as the alleged plot last year by white supremacists in Tennessee to rob a gun store, shoot 88 black people, decapitate 14 more and then to shoot the first black President of the United States. Most threats are not publicised as agents fear that releasing details may cause copycats to carry out these threats reports
the Telegraph.
In a recent interview on "The Early Show", Kessler said,
Some agents were absolutely outraged that the Secret Service has been cutting corners lately, to the point where they'll actually shut down metal detection when an event is about to start and there are stragglers or even, in the case of Joe Biden, when he threw the first pitch at the Orioles game, they'll have no metal detection
He also said the President was still smoking "on a regular basis".
When Kessler was asked whether the budget cuts were causing the President's life to be at risk he said,
Oh, there's no question his life is in danger. How basic can it be that they don't do metal detection when you go to an airport? Everyone goes through a metal detector. When George Bush was in the country of Georgia, someone got through with a grenade because metal detection was shut down. It's exactly the same thing, the same chance. Tomorrow, (Mr.) Obama could be assassinated, Biden could be assassinated, simply because the Secret Service was not doing what it used to do until Homeland Security took it over.
The Secret Service is saying that Kessler's statements are not true and they add,
The safety of those we protect remains this agency's highest priority. Failure is not an option.
