The other three remaining GOP candidates are either under the Secret Service’s watchful eye or have requested their services. According to cbsnews.com, the Santorum campaign says the former Pennsy Senator will have guys with mirrored shades and microphones in their sleeves following him around starting tomorrow. That’s either a tacit acknowledgement that it’s now a serious two-man race for the nomination or a PR ploy by his campaign to let everyone know he’s for real. As for the other three . . .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cmw8q3aeYJo
Romney, the nominal frontrunner, has had federally paid bodyguards for a while now. Not to be left out, the Gingrich campaign’s asked for protection, too. But that may be little more than a bid to still be seen as relevant rather than a response to any real or perceived threat.
And then there’s the, well, independent Ron Paul who’s neither requested nor been offered protection. “He has said before that he would not ask for Secret Service protection before he was president because it would be a waste of taxpayer money.” Long a gun rights advocate, would it really surprise anyone to find out that Paul packs heat? Not us. The only question most members of the Armed Intelligentsia would want know is, what’s his gun of choice and what rig does he use to carry it?