By: E&P Staff With Barack Obama suddenly the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination -- and drawing comparisons to John and Robert Kennedy -- concern has climbed about the issue of candidate vulnerability in crowds, especially this candidate. The Washington Times took a long look at it today, but some may wonder if this kind of attention -- mentioning that "Obama assassinate" already gets 2000 Google links -- may only increase the threat.
Secret Service presence has increased for Obama since his dramatic win in Iowa, amid fears over the safety of the man seeking to become America's first black president, the newspaper reports. "For many black supporters, there is a lot of anxiety that he will be killed, and it is on people's minds," said Melissa Harris-Lacewell, a Princeton University professor of political science and contemporary black culture. "You can't make a prediction like this ? like he has 'a 50 percent chance of getting shot.' But the greater his visibility and the greater his access to people, there is a danger," she told the paper.
The newspaper adds: "At his first morning event yesterday, at least a dozen plainclothes Secret Service agents, most with yellow pins on their lapels, stood guard in and around the Palace Theater, and, unlike other candidates touring the state, uniformed police were also on hand. The theater was emptied early so bomb-detecting dogs could sweep through, and journalists covering the event were corralled for inspection."
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