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President Obama Will Have Secret Service Protection For the Rest of His Life

Jan. 10, 2013 8:30pm Becket Adams

The Former Presidents Protection Act of 2012 Gives Obama, George W. Bush Lifetime Secret Service Protection

Members of the Secret Service wait after President Barack Obama arrived at Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International Airport March 16, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)

President Barack Obama on Thursday signed into law H.R. 6620, the Former Presidents Protection Act of 2012, granting lifetime Secret Service protection to all former presidents, their wives (unless they remarry), and their children under the age of 16.

“The measure Obama signed Thursday applies to presidents elected after Jan. 1, 1997, specifically Obama and former President George W. Bush,” the Associated Press explains.

“It reverses a 1994 law that ended Secret Service protection 10 years after a president leaves office. Under that law, the Homeland Security secretary could extend such protection on a temporary basis,” the report adds.

Citing increased terrorist threats and “the greater mobility and youth of former presidents,” Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), one of the bill’s chief sponsors, argued that a change in the 10-year limit was necessary.

“Both men are young, enjoy good health, and have long lives ahead of them post-Presidency,” Gowdy said during a speech on the House floor. “This bill proposes to extend that security for the remainder of their lives.”

“There’s an unintended anomaly, Mr. Speaker, that if current law were not changed, Hillary Clinton, Barbara Bush and Laura Bush would receive more protections by virtue of being First Lady than they would if they had served as President themselves. So I hope my colleagues will make sure that the person and the symbol of our Presidency is safe and secure for the duration of their natural lives,” he added.

The House overwhelmingly supported the bill.

Secret Service snipers stand atop containers as US President George W. Bush makes remarks in Jacksonville, Florida, March 18, 2008. (Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images)

“The bill was … passed by voice-vote in early December,” BuffFeed’s Zeke Miller notes.

“Co-sponsors included Republican Rep. Lamar Smith, and Democrats Rep. John Conyers and Bobby Scott. The Senate passed the bill by unanimous consent on December 28th, and sent over to the White House on New Year’s Day,” he adds.

President Obama signed the bill Thursday afternoon.

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Front page photo courtesy Getty Images

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Comments (150)

CathyvanDyke
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 9:19pm
It appears that the democrat elite possess a double standard in regards to the gun control issue. They carry concealed weapons for their possession. They have armed security for their protection … for the protection of their children at private schools.

Ted Nugent and Peter Schiff Talk Gun Control
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CpJt9YL–M

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- 13th Imam
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 9:37pm
  This security will be armed with large Maglite flashlights, Right?
  
  Report this comment
- SUNTZU
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 12:06am
  Good
  I want him and his family to have a long life.
  Would not want to see him miss out on the
  MESS he has made for the rest of us.
  
  Report this comment
- Obama_In_PeePee_Is_Becks_Art
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 12:09am
  “President Obama Will Have Secret Service Protection For the Rest of His Life”
  
  UPDATE (typo-correction): “President Obama W̶i̶l̶l̶ ̶H̶a̶v̶e̶ Has Signed Himself To Have Secret Service Protection For the Rest of His Life”
  
  Report this comment
- Obama_In_PeePee_Is_Becks_Art
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 12:14am
  “President Obama Will Have Secret Service Protection For the Rest of His Life”
  
  All this means is that the next (and REAL) President will sign the law to remove that law AND THEN “try and hang” Barack Hussein Obama, AKA Barry Obama, AKA Barry Soetoro, Kenyan-born illegal alien:
  
  [part 1]
  
  “OBAMA’S KENYAN BIRTH RECORDS DISCOVERED IN BRITISH NATIONAL ARCHIVES”
  Wednesday, July 18, 2012
  http://thedailypen.blogspot.com/2012/07/obamas-kenyan-birth-records-discovered.html
  By Dan Crosby of The Daily Pen
  (Updated 7/23/2012)
  KEW, SURREY, GB – The last place anyone would think to look for a birth record of someone claiming to be a “natural born” U.S. citizen is Great Britain. The very inclusion of the Article II eligibility mandate in the U.S. Constitution was explicitly intended by the founding fathers of America to prevent a then British-born enemy usurper from attaining the office of the U.S. presidency and thereby undermining the sovereignty of the newly formed nation.
  …
  Recall, investigative journalists working for Breitbart.com [you know, the boss who mysteriously and suddenly "died"] have already discovered biographical information published by Barack Obama’s literary agent in which he claimed he was born in Kenya.
  …
  
  Report this comment
- Obama_In_PeePee_Is_Becks_Art
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 12:15am
  [part 2]
  …
  Recall, on August 1, 2009, Dr. Alan Keyes, Pamela Barnett and 42 other plaintiffs filed evidence in a lawsuit challenging Obama eligibility which included a copy of an image of an alleged Kenyan Copy of Certification of Registration of Birth (CCRB). In the hours after the image appeared on the internet, MSNBC and other liberal mainstream, pro-Obama networks went ballistic attempting to debunk the idea that such a docûment exists.
  …
  Several sources show that Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton made a sudden visit to the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the British agency which oversees Public Records Archives from colonial protectorates, to speak with the Chief Executive of the Archives in early August of 2009.
  
  Report this comment
- sillyfreshness
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 2:18am
  “President Obama Will Have Secret Service Protection For the Rest of His Life”
  
  Because he will declare himself President For Life……for our own good, of course.
  
  Report this comment
- DeOppressoLiber
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 10:48am
  This is what the rest of us can expect from the SCOTUS.
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_v._District_of_Columbia
  
  http://gunowners.org/sk0503.htm
  
  http://www.firearmsandliberty.com/kasler-protection.html
  
  Report this comment
- Maji
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 1:45pm
  I’m glad to know”Hugo Chavez”…eh err…the Obama is getting everything he needs.
  
  I get them confused sometimes….their politics are the same
  
  Report this comment
- Walkabout
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 3:24pm
  SUNTZU
  I want him and his family to have a long life.
  Would not want to see him miss out on the
  MESS he has made for the rest of us.
  ***
  I can see Obama safely holed up on Martha’s Vinyard during a period of anarchy with some of the other elitists rich of the left. Then food shipment stop coming. It would be a just for such to happen to an egotistical man, who ran an economy into the ground.
  
  Report this comment
- Maji
  Posted on January 12, 2013 at 12:38am
  I’m glad Hugo Chavez..eh err..Obama has what he needs.
  
  There politics are so close I get them confused!!
  
  Report this comment
Steel
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 9:15pm
With any luck at all, obama will return to his native land (wherever that might be), catch some exotic, incurable disease and we’ll all outlive him. That’s one way, at least, to reduce our taxes. If such a fate should befall him, we won’t have to pay for his secret service detail any longer. Besides, the way the the secret service folks perform their duties (“under cover”, you could say) they aren’t worth their pay anyway!

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- loriann12
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 7:34am
  They claim he has a case of “the slims” now.
  
  Report this comment
heeltar
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 9:12pm
Sure, why not, its not like its coming out of their pockets. Lets see, secret service detail..4 people at lets say conservatively 75,000/yr thats 300,000 per detail per year for 30 years $9,000,000. Chump change to this president.

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- Mapache
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 6:38am
  don’t forget travel costs and living expenses for the agents as Obama flies off to give $3m a pop speeches
  
  Report this comment
- SCREW-WINDOWS
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 8:23am
  What the Black Pansies wouldn’t take the job and he can’t find any brotha’s to fill the positions ?
  Now what was it the Black Panthers believed in ? Oh thats right no black man should die for this country.
  
  Report this comment
- Leerm
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 3:34pm
  It would be cheaper to just lock him up at Gitmo.
  
  Report this comment
Netsurfer2
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 9:11pm
Why don’t we just give him an American Express to Saudi Arabia??? This fits his personality!

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mrunner
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 9:09pm
So, when America wakes up, impeaches him then tries and convicts him of treason- Does the secret service protection end? If it is not written into the law- it probably needs to be…

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TJexcite
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 9:04pm
Big time Obama derangement syndrome going on in the post. This helps George W. Bush much more then Obama as Bush will not get the 450K per speech to pay for the private security in 2018 which Obama will get in 2017.

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The-Monk
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 9:03pm
Sounds like he wanted to do this just for himself but that would look so bad that he added one more POTUS.

I wonder if Hillary had anything to do with Bill being left out.

Valerie Jarret is going to lose her protection one…. read the fine print I would say.

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- The-Monk
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 9:20pm
  Wow that was off.
  Edit;
  
  “one” was supposed to be a ?
  
  Report this comment
- Marine25
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 11:01am
  The Clintons will be protected for life by this law after Hillary is elected in 2016.
  
  Report this comment
- Marine25
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 11:03am
  @salva
  What a fine, patriotic American you are.
  
  Report this comment
- YOURSENSEI
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 12:12pm
  Mr or Ms THE MONK,
  
  This is what you must know:
  
  Nice work if you can get it. And you can get it if you try.
  
  It is so.
  
  Report this comment
- Walkabout
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 3:48pm
  Marine25
  
  It occurs to me that Secret Service protection will not be enough for Obama. He had better restrict his travels. Given the nature of the attack on Chris Stevens, I don’t think that the Secret Service can protect him from such an attack. The jihads of course will continuously upgrade their equipment. It is all a matter if they want to & if they consider it advantageous. If the President went to Kenya after 2016, I don’t think that it would be wise.
  
  The best the Secret Service could do to protect Obama post presidency is to not let jihadis know what flight he was on.
  
  I so do not wish to travel anymore just thinking about all the crap that is going on. The Russian stuff has gotten better & unlike us they don’t try to buy it back to protect the public.
  
  I am starting to doubt that you are a marine.
  
  Well South Africa is still safe. So He could visit South Africa or Egypt in relative safety.Add Morrocco & the coast of West Africa. But in 4 years, who knows.
  
  Report this comment
spirited
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 9:01pm
Perhaps for future presidents; but
~ all four sought the job knowing they’d get only ten (10) years of tax payer paid SS security.
~ all four have lots of money

>~~> “Pay your fair share” (From 2027 on, he and Mrs. should be on their own).

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TJexcite
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:59pm
I knew that this would be over turned. It would be hard for them to do it for Obama and not for GWB. He should will not get used of the “beast” and the 12 car parade and Air force one like planes. No 4 million dollar vacation that has 4 million added for security. At most he will have two agents when he goes to the 450K per speech in 2018. Clinton and Carter have for life protection already.

This all came from when Gerald Ford was in his 90 and out of office and well past the need for protection and the Bush Derangement Syndrome tossed in. Stick it to Bush any way the Dems could and the limit was one more way.

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mbean
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:51pm
The Secret Srvice must be disarmed immediately, possessing guns is a danger to the President. He can only be safe in a gun free environment.

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scrapadapolis
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:50pm
The king Obama will also hire food testers on the American dollar.Someone please do America a favor.I want to dance in the streets again.

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- strawberry411a
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:56pm
  Wonder if the agent will have a gun with him. What a cop out. Obama won’t carry one so he gets US to provide it for him.
  
  Report this comment
- muffythetuffy
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 9:24pm
  THE LAW IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL BECAUSE OF THE POCKET VETO
  
  The law was passed 12-28 but Congress ended on 1-3. That is 6 days and on the 3rd the law was vetoed. Obama was on vacation and forget but its too late. This lame duck law that probably contains other tricks must be re-submitted to the Congress for passage. Why didn’t the Republicans voice an objection to this?
  
  Are the Democrats and GOP systematically voiding each part of the US Constitution without a legal convention?
  
  Report this comment
randy
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:47pm
Well, we can only hope the next president cancels this by Executive order.

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- Keatonc33
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:53pm
  Why would Hillary do that?
  
  Report this comment
- 00100111
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 9:50pm
  Keatie, as much of a dumb@$$ as you are, that was still pretty funny. Impossible, but funny. Now go back to derping around.
  
  Report this comment
- Keatonc33
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 12:38am
  thanks!
  
  Report this comment
- wickedstic
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 8:25am
  @Keatonc33 You can forget about Hillary. Her fall and resulting blood clot, and her admitting she’s an early 20th century progressive, will be enough to keep her out of office. Republicans need to start questioning her health now and lay a foundation that she isn’t fit for office in 2016.
  
  Report this comment
- Marine25
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 11:26am
  @wickedstic
  who you got that can beat her?
  
  Report this comment
- Walkabout
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 3:19pm
  Marine25
  “who you got that can beat her?”
  
  Rubio for one. Why else would they already be attacking him? They started in on him in November.
  
  For another Ted Cruz. The Politico started this month attacking him.
  
  Obviously the TPTB on the left have some trepidation.
  
  Report this comment
kickagrandma
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:44pm
So, who’s paying for it? I AM NOT!

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- Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:49pm
  Sounds like Obama was prepared to lose in 2012 hence the guard detail extended for life.
  
  Report this comment
- Keatonc33
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:57pm
  snowleopard… the most beautiful of the big cats… you however missed the part of the article where it said the house passed the act unanimously in early december…. when was the election again?
  
  Report this comment
- 00100111
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 9:51pm
  Learn to read, Keatie. It didn’t say unanimously, it said overwhelmingly. Close, but not quite the same. If you can’t even read, how can we give you any respect?
  
  Report this comment
TrueColours
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:43pm
Dick ta tors usually do.

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- Keatonc33
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:58pm
  so every american president since the instatement of the secret service have been dictators? how does that work with just 2 terms?
  
  Report this comment
SIXFRIGATES
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:43pm
Blah! Make me vomit!

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CathyvanDyke
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:43pm
Talk about a double standard!!

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Smitty Smithsonite
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:43pm
Protected by guns for life, all while taking ours. How … democrat .. of him.

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mlimberg
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:42pm
Good idea… he’s going to need them……

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- Keatonc33
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:54pm
  did you just threaten the President of the United States of America? you small little man
  
  Report this comment
- DLV
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 9:24pm
  keatonic go away you troll.
  
  Report this comment
- 00100111
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 9:52pm
  Awww, someone insulted keatie’s messiah. Poor little boy. Go back to bed.
  
  Report this comment
- crueltiming
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 10:54pm
  and who watches the praetorian guard?Many tyrants throughout history have been brought low by their own “protectors”.Time will tell.
  
  Report this comment
- getourcountryback
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 12:20am
  He may be Keatonic the idiot’s president but he sure isn’t mine. I hate the POS and hope he gets run over by an errant circus elephant.
  
  Report this comment
- Keatonc33
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 12:42am
  ha a tyrant? really? the guy couldn’t even get Obama care passed without going to court. all beck listeners please check for torn muscles and hernias…. you know.. from all the stretching! ; )
  
  Report this comment
JB7659
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:40pm
He’s not as dumb as we think. He knows that he is poking the hornets nest and will be a target the rest of his life. Of course the gun ban will not apply to his SS detail so he NEVER has to worry about defending his family. How much $$ will this cost, not that he cares.

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- Keatonc33
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:59pm
  how distorted a view do you have of the gun ban?
  
  Report this comment
- getourcountryback
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 12:17am
  keatonic, go suck a 38 special.
  
  Report this comment
TIMEBOMB
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:40pm
That’s right my SS men are rugged and muscular and they hose me with protection 24/7 and they’ll have my back,repeatdly.Since I’m bankrupting new America I might as well keep ripping you off long after I’m done destroying what real American presidents have built before me.

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- muffythetuffy
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:50pm
  SOMETHING IS WRONG SERIOUSLY WRONG
  
  If a law passed by Congress is not signed or vetoed by the President within ten days, it automatically becomes law. But if Congress ends before the ten days and the President does not sign it, then it is called a Pocket Veto. The law was passed 12-28 but Congress ended 1-3. The Law was vetoed because the President was on vacation. This law is illegal and unconstitutional.
  
  Doesn’t the Law of the United States mean anything anymore?
  
  Report this comment
- TSUNAMI_22
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 10:01pm
  muffythetuffy
  
  No. Because the rule of law is dead, just like the original Constitutional Republic is dead.
  
  As soon as more people realize this fact, the sooner they will adjust their thinking and then finally see the truth and the evil agenda being pursued under the Obama usurpation.
  
  Report this comment
RabidPatriot
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:40pm
There will be no President that will need it more. He will need to start the Elite Democratic Guard to further protect him from the Secret Service.

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- decendentof56
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:44pm
  He’ll need it!
  
  Report this comment
- GuruMeditation
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 1:26pm
  Hey may need it, but WE shouldn’t have to pay for it.
  
  Report this comment
Keatonc33
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:39pm
Why is this news? every president gets secret service for the rest of their life! Blaze trying to make something out of nothing… again!

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- randy
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:49pm
  “It reverses a 1994 law that ended Secret Service protection 10 years after a president leaves office.
  Maybe you should spend more time reading, than writing from your Obama talking points next time.
  
  Report this comment
- Keatonc33
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:53pm
  Randy. the reversal was a technicality. no president has ever had a second of their life post presidency without secret service. You see there are more sources than just the blaze..
  
  Report this comment
- CathyvanDyke
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:58pm
  Wrong! The time frame has been extended from 10 years to a lifetime of security service protection. Nevertheless … it is also the hypocrisy when you consider the current attempt by the powers that be to disarm and leave Americans defenceless through gun control. Somehow when it comes to the elite it is reconized that gun control may not be a deterrent to those bent on a mission of wrongdoing.
  
  January 10, 2013
  Obama mulls issuing executive orders on gun control
  
  President Obama will likely take executive action in an effort to tamp down the recent rash of gun violence, Vice President Biden said Wednesday.
  
  “The president is going go act,” said Biden, who is conducting meetings all week on gun control. “There are executive orders, executive action that can be taken. We haven’t decided what that is yet, but we’re compiling it all.”
  
  http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2013/01/obama_mulls_issuing_executive_orders_on_gun_control.html
  
  Report this comment
- 1HonestInjun
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 9:36pm
  Richard Nixon stopped SS protection in 1985 on himself. In 1984 he stopped in on Pat too.
  He said it was a waste of taxpayers money. Kind of ironic with Obama’s spending today. Before you write do your research C33.
  
  Report this comment
TSUNAMI_22
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:37pm
That’s what he thinks.

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- kickagrandma
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:43pm
  We should send sympathy cards to the folks who draw that duty.
  
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- TSUNAMI_22
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:44pm
  I take great pleasure in the knowledge that he and his family will be looking over their shoulders for the rest of their life. I hope they live a long, long time.
  
  Report this comment
Shasta
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:37pm
Notice how all these idiots that want to take our guns seem to have armed teams protecting them. Hypocrisy, thy name is democrat.

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- 83plus
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:51pm
  Yeah, like Dianne Feinstein
  
  8:30 to 9:00 at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lK-ytv3Jq_o&feature=player_embedded#!
  
  Report this comment
- Keatonc33
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 9:00pm
  when has he once said he wants to take your guns? just once? name one instance? oh! you can’t? so shut up
  
  Report this comment
- barber2
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 9:31pm
  Keaton: ” you can’t ? so shut up. ” Now where have I heard that theme before ?? What name did you use before December 4 when you renamed yourself KEATON33 ??
  
  Report this comment
- drs1969
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 11:42pm
  Thy name is also Republican. Trey Gowdy R from SC was a co-sponsor. I think he was just elected a few years ago. Another Republican wasting our money while serving the Imperial Throne.
  
  Report this comment
whatthecrazy
Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:37pm
For the rest of thier lives?Wow aren’t they freakin special.

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- salvawhoray
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 8:49pm
  Again, isn’t the Airforce One due for a crash?
  
  Report this comment
- Keatonc33
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 9:01pm
  this has been the case with every president since the SS was invented.. yes even reagan..
  
  Report this comment
- spirited
  Posted on January 10, 2013 at 9:06pm
  SALVA
  …. whoa 8{
  
  Report this comment
- Welcome Black Carter
  Posted on January 11, 2013 at 11:12am
  From what I have seen, Obammy will need it.
  Some days when I forget to put my tinfoil hat on I think he will be president the rest of his life so this would be redundant…
  
  Report this comment

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