September 22, 2015

How will the Secret Service go about "protecting a pope who does not want to stay in his popemobile"?

It's a bit of a mystery, because, of course, they won't talk about it, but:
Large holding pens will be erected along the pope’s motorcade routes for onlookers who have been screened for weapons and explosives. No selfie sticks will be allowed near the pope. In New York, it will be illegal to operate a drone, and there will be no postal service in some areas....

Vatican officials say that the pope has insisted on using an open-air vehicle in some instances in the United States.... “When I’m going down the street, I wind the window down, so I can put out my hand and greet people,” he [once said]. “It’s all or nothing. Either you make the journey as you have to make it, with human communication, or you shouldn’t make it at all.”...
“Look, life is in God’s hands. I told the Lord: ‘You are taking care of me,’... But if your will is that I die or that they do something to me, I ask you only one favor: that it doesn’t hurt,” he said in a light tone. “Because I’m a big coward when it comes to physical pain.”

29 comments:

rehajm said...

Hire Hillary's people who are the most qualified in the world to insulate him from any undesired externalities.

cubanbob said...

If the Pope wants to take risks, so be it. As for the secret service they should make it crystal clear that they will do all they can except take a bullet for him.

Robert Cook said...

Won't God protect him?

Michael K said...

The KGB wanted to kill John Paul II. Nobody cares about this leftist politician.

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

If you meet a buddha, kill the buddha, but nobody makes any money off of that.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

...and there will be no postal service in some areas....

Is going postal still a thing?

Anonymous said...


How will the Secret Service go about "protecting a pope who does not want to stay in his popemobile"?


That is the same issue they have with every POTUS

Ignorance is Bliss said...

Maybe he could appoint Joe Biden as vice-pope.

Nichevo said...

Hopefully he will get the same quality service from the USSS as Obama does.

traditionalguy said...

He can always run away crying to his Mother.

Mark said...

I will be interested to hear from my father what security is like at the White House event tomorrow.

I am sure it will be a unique level of security theatrics.

madAsHell said...

“It’s all or nothing. Either you make the journey as you have to make it, with human communication, or you shouldn’t make it at all.”

He is forced to walk the fine line between bravado, and foolishness. Be careful where you step.
Godspeed, Francis.

lgv said...

Why are they protecting him anyway? He has the entire Swiss Guard. Let them take care of him. No sense taking on liability on this one. If he can't bring his own troops, then he can hire private security.


CStanley said...

Maybe he could go get a burrito with Hillary. No one will notice them.

Qwinn said...

I agree with Michael K. I can perceive no reason why any Leftist would want this particular Pope dead. He is therefore reasonably safe.

garage mahal said...

Francis is not well liked by conservatives. Hope the Pope has safe travels in the U.S.

Brando said...

The rule should be the SS will protect you if you follow certain reasonable procedures, but if you decide not to follow those procedures then get your own security, and the SS and local police will only provide crowd control to protect the public.

JFK was killed because he wasn't willing to use a glass top for his convertible. But his shortsightedness--which was pointless, because it wasn't like there was any benefit to him being in the open air for the crowd--got him killed and a governor shot, and endangered more lives in the process. Maybe if the SS refused to protect people who are uncooperative they would think twice about taking needless dangers.

Brando said...

Consider if the Pope in this case insists on taking a stupid risk and this is enough to tempt some nut to take shots at him, and he survives but some of his guards or innocent bystanders die. Would that not be mindlessly selfish?

Nichevo said...

Garage,

You think if had the Pope and the President together downrange and had only one shot, he'd waste it on Bergoglio?

kentuckyliz said...

"I've said some stuff I can't walk back, and now the World Meeting of Families is beginning, and expectations are running high, and I'm not going to change Catholic teaching, so please shoot me now while I'm still popular."

Marc in Eugene said...

I suspect that it won't be too many more years before the secular-minded compel the US to withdraw its ambassador from the Holy See, and then the feds won't be obliged to provide SS protection etc when a Pope comes to the US.

Thorley Winston said...

Consider if the Pope in this case insists on taking a stupid risk and this is enough to tempt some nut to take shots at him, and he survives but some of his guards or innocent bystanders die. Would that not be mindlessly selfish?

That was pretty much my thought as well. Any head of state assumes a certain amount of risk when they got out in public – not just for themselves but also for the people who travel with them including those charged with their protection. When I read the quote I didn’t think “there’s a brave man with the courage of his convictions” but rather “I hope that no one else gets injured or killed because of his choice.”



OLDFART said...

Who cares? He's the worst pope ever.

SukieTawdry said...

The Pope had to go into a holding pattern over North Carolina because Obama and Biden were late getting to the airport. Traffic or something.

Fernandinande said...

OLDFART said...
Who cares? He's the worst pope ever.


Pope Francis Reverses Position On Capitalism After Seeing Wide Variety Of American Oreos

Achilles said...

If he does get killed by a Muslim, it will be because of the crusades and totally justified. Just ask Obama.

Paul said...

Has anyone noticed Obama has not bowed to the Pope. Bowed to Muslim leaders often but not to the Pope.

Brando said...

"Pope Francis Reverses Position On Capitalism After Seeing Wide Variety Of American Oreos"

I think if Lenin was alive today he'd renounce communism once he tried peanut butter Oreos.

Nichevo said...

Paul, Obama has a weakness of character that expresses itself in submission to persons, like the Emperor of Japan or the Saudi King, whom he instantly recognizes as his superiors.

Nobody could regard Bergoglio as his superior and the reflex did not present.

Frankly I don't blame Francis. I blame the College of Cardinals that elected him.