Like many supporters and even non-supporters out there, I worry about the well being of our President-elect Obama and his family. Americans can no longer be naive about the threats to our democracy from wackos and right-wing militants. We already see news stories about plots brewing to upend the will of millions through violence.
I have a real-world, common-sense solution to address the fears and the real threat. I propose that the President-elect, having engaged in two years of vigorous public activity, has no more need for public exposure that would pose any danger whatsoever.
What I ask is that the new President, the keeper of the hopes of a nation, if not the world, stays home for a couple of years.
The lengthy campaign and the 24-hour news cycle have made Barack Obama hugely familiar to us all. His has been a true grass roots campaign, with the candidate out in massive crowds, touching the hearts, hands and minds of a multitude. The campaign is over now. We got to know Barack, and he has been approved as the one to take over this desperate mess.
The candidate was given extraordinary security by the Secret Service, beginning earlier in the campaign than we have ever seen before. I believe we owe them a debt of gratitude for their vigilance.
But now...
I implore the President-elect, on behalf of Americans and the world, to end this engagement with the public. Mr. Obama and his family do not need to be in public places. They need to be safe. I propose that for the next two years the Obamas stay home, or within a carefully constructed security cocoon. Our future cannot be left to the impulses of nutjobs.
I want Rahm Emanuel to take charge here and announce the security plan. Give us a couple of years of protection, of fulfillment, of better sleep. Let the wackos give up.
The President's role as a public leader is not compromised in the least; the media will be around the President and he can communicate with the people in all of the modes of the 21st century.
I understand the traditions of the office. Bill Clinton's stroll through Washington, DC after his election was a memorable image to me. But this is a different story. The President and his family should be shielded by bulletproof glass throughout the inaugural ceremonies, then he should wave goodbye to the crowds. It was fun, but any risk now is a stupid risk.