Morbid poll: are US Presidential candidates now assassin-proof?

[This user has not been convicted of 34 felonies]

Seeing how security in general in the US has drastically changed since 9/11 and security at campaign events has become a top priority, do you think it's still possible for a US Presidential candidate to be assassinated? Or have candidates become assassin-proof?

Heavy stuff, I know. But indulge me for the sake of the poll.

[GM Team Member and Deputy PPT WB]

by one man, it's unlikely they can do it. by a group of coordinated people? absolutely possible.

[Former President tack50]

It is perfectly possible although it is probably more unlikely now than it used to be. For example, to keep the 20 year curse, Reagan was shot, so just have him die from said shot.

Bush also had an assasination attempt.

[Alben Barkley]

by one man, it's unlikely they can do it. by a group of coordinated people? absolutely possible.

I actually think a lone nut has a better chance to fly under the radar enough to do it than a coordinated group, whose activities likely have a higher chance of being picked up on by the Secret Service/other law enforcement. Both Hinckley and Oswald were loners. (Yes, Oswald was, the conspiracy theories are BS.)

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

only one way to find out!

(GCHQ this is a joke ftr)

[Lumine]

Of course not.

[Storr]

by one man, it's unlikely they can do it. by a group of coordinated people? absolutely possible.

Exactly, unless there is a perfect alignment of circumstances (as there arguably was with Oswald) it would be near impossible to a lone individual or small group to kill Presidential candidates. But if Russia, for example, wanted to take out the US President or a candidate and pushed aside/ignored/didn't care about all of the consequences, they absolutely could.

[Hope For A New Era]

No political leader is ever assassin-proof.

Except Fidel Castro, apparently.

[Alben Barkley]

by one man, it's unlikely they can do it. by a group of coordinated people? absolutely possible.

Exactly, unless there is a perfect alignment of circumstances (as there arguably was with Oswald) it would be near impossible to a lone individual or small group to kill Presidential candidates. But if Russia, for example, wanted to take out the US President or a candidate and pushed aside/ignored/didn't care about all of the consequences, they absolutely could.

Well that’s different if we’re talking about a nation voluntarily starting WW3. But I was thinking more small time domestic terror groups and such. I still think if anything those groups might have an even harder time coordinating everything without somebody slipping up than a lone gunman would.

[Battista Minola 1616]

I mean, a Representative was almost shot to death in 2011.
The House Majority Whip was wounded by a shooter in 2017.
I know that presidential candidates have better security than Representatives, but...

[Alben Barkley]

I mean, a Representative was almost shot to death in 2011.
The House Majority Whip was wounded by a shooter in 2017.
I know that presidential candidates have better security than Representatives, but...

Representatives often have literally no security. It is not at all uncommon for them to walk around in public in their district talking to people, with no security whatsoever. I've seen it firsthand. It wouldn't be practically feasible to provide 435 representatives with a full-time security staff. And many wouldn't want it anyway, as they like to be hands-on with voters in their communities.

Hell, it's even pretty easy to just waltz into a representative's office in DC. I've visited the Rayburn building, and though they screen you through a metal detector you don't have to show any identification or anything to get in. It's open to the public. And once you're inside, you can just wander around into any Representative's office, and if they're not in the Capitol building there's a good chance they'll be there.

There is simply no comparison at all to the Secret Service, which is possibly the best security guard force in the world today and which severely restricts the president's movements and the public's access to him.

[NewYorkExpress]

Putin might well have Biden killed if he really wants Trump to win...

Seriously though, the answer is no. The Secret Service is incompetent at best, and the fact we haven't seen an assassination of the President, Vice President or a Presidential nominee in quite some time is really all just down to luck in my opinion.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Yes, we have intelligence that short circuits assassinations. But KGB and Russia was behind all of the 60s assassins and the Cold War days are over.

KGB was known for having connections with Lee Harvey Oswald whom wife was Russian

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Putin might well have Biden killed if he really wants Trump to win...

Seriously though, the answer is no. The Secret Service is incompetent at best, and the fact we haven't seen an assassination of the President, Vice President or a Presidential nominee in quite some time is really all just down to luck in my opinion.

If any threat from Russia comes to a head the FBI would heard them off

[NewYorkExpress]

Putin might well have Biden killed if he really wants Trump to win...

Seriously though, the answer is no. The Secret Service is incompetent at best, and the fact we haven't seen an assassination of the President, Vice President or a Presidential nominee in quite some time is really all just down to luck in my opinion.

If any threat from Russia comes to a head the FBI would heard them off

An FBI, that for all intents and purposes, works for Trump, Biden's political opponent. Forgive me if I am a bit skeptical of that.

[Alben Barkley]

Putin might well have Biden killed if he really wants Trump to win...

Seriously though, the answer is no. The Secret Service is incompetent at best, and the fact we haven't seen an assassination of the President, Vice President or a Presidential nominee in quite some time is really all just down to luck in my opinion.

If any threat from Russia comes to a head the FBI would heard them off

An FBI, that for all intents and purposes, works for Trump, Biden's political opponent. Forgive me if I am a bit skeptical of that.

The FBI kinda hates Trump now, and what is your source for the Secret Service being somehow incompetent? I really doubt it’s all down to luck that there hasn’t even been a serious attempt in a long time. At least not one we’ve heard about.

[Battista Minola 1616]

I mean, a Representative was almost shot to death in 2011.
The House Majority Whip was wounded by a shooter in 2017.
I know that presidential candidates have better security than Representatives, but...

Representatives often have literally no security. It is not at all uncommon for them to walk around in public in their district talking to people, with no security whatsoever. I've seen it firsthand. It wouldn't be practically feasible to provide 435 representatives with a full-time security staff. And many wouldn't want it anyway, as they like to be hands-on with voters in their communities.

Hell, it's even pretty easy to just waltz into a representative's office in DC. I've visited the Rayburn building, and though they screen you through a metal detector you don't have to show any identification or anything to get in. It's open to the public. And once you're inside, you can just wander around into any Representative's office, and if they're not in the Capitol building there's a good chance they'll be there.

There is simply no comparison at all to the Secret Service, which is possibly the best security guard force in the world today and which severely restricts the president's movements and the public's access to him.

I perfectly understand, but the OP was about "presidential candidates". I don't know what's the protocol after someone wins the nomination, but if I am not mistaken Biden had extremely light security during the primaries?

[ηєω ƒяσηтιєя]

I mean, a Representative was almost shot to death in 2011.
The House Majority Whip was wounded by a shooter in 2017.
I know that presidential candidates have better security than Representatives, but...

Representatives often have literally no security. It is not at all uncommon for them to walk around in public in their district talking to people, with no security whatsoever. I've seen it firsthand. It wouldn't be practically feasible to provide 435 representatives with a full-time security staff. And many wouldn't want it anyway, as they like to be hands-on with voters in their communities.

Hell, it's even pretty easy to just waltz into a representative's office in DC. I've visited the Rayburn building, and though they screen you through a metal detector you don't have to show any identification or anything to get in. It's open to the public. And once you're inside, you can just wander around into any Representative's office, and if they're not in the Capitol building there's a good chance they'll be there.

There is simply no comparison at all to the Secret Service, which is possibly the best security guard force in the world today and which severely restricts the president's movements and the public's access to him.

I perfectly understand, but the OP was about "presidential candidates". I don't know what's the protocol after someone wins the nomination, but if I am not mistaken Biden had extremely light security during the primaries?

Former VPs only have Secret Service protection for 6 months after leaving office. So that means Biden's Secret Service protection had originally expired in July 2017.

However, Biden being a "major presidential candidate" and now securing the Democratic nomination has FULL Secret Service protection.