Remember When...Secret Service

 

The Blue Roof - Central LA Area 590

If I were to guess the Secret Service has succumbed to some changes in hiring and standards have been lowered. At least for those in Upper Management Positions.

From 1979-1991 I was a member of the California Highway Patrol and during that period in my career I was assigned to the Protective Services Detail, PSD. For seven years while serving in Los Angeles as a Motor Officer. Our duty was to move the Principal from Point A to B to C and to conclusion. Principals ranged from Presidents, Vice Presidents, dignitaries from foreign allies like the Queen of England, Princes, and Minsters of Foreign Affairs from not so friendly countries like China.

If the movement was within the City Limits that responsibility was assigned to the Los Angeles Police Department. If both departments were involved one thing was paramount, then and should have been on July 13. Whether one agency or several…communications. None of us were on the same frequency, ever.

But one thing was always true…Secret Service was accompanied by a CHP Supervisor, and a supervisor from any agency that was accountable to the Secret Service during the movement or site protection from Pick Up to Point A to conclusion. That held true when on site as well. It was applicable of one to two hour movements to movements that spanned several weeks. If the Secret Service was involved, they knew within seconds of CHP radio traffic that involved the movement/site security of the principal. Even minor events were immediately broadcast to their personnel. We used to joke about the Agent and CHP Supervisor being conjoined. During a movement and on site you wouldn’t see one without the other.

Whether you were “Rawhide” or “Panda” the Secrets Services policies and procedures required to be followed to the letter. We all knew if there was an attack on the principal it would be best not to get in the way. There was a unit in the motorcade that had one duty…put themselves between the assault and the principal…don’t be in the way.

This was how we trained, practiced, and conducted our duties when assigned to Dignitary Protection and the training with the Secret Service was a standard that we inherited and adapted to all movements we participated in whether the Secret Service was involved or not. We are a little biased, at the time there was no finer traffic law enforcement agency than the CHP. They now have taken on many more law enforcement duties beyond traffic law enforcement. But if I were to guess, they still train, practice and conduct required dignitary protection movements and work closely with some of the finest federal law enforcement agents under the banner of Secret Service.

Here's hoping they can get their agency’s leadership back to the caliber consistent with the standards I recall. Will Roges said, “I never met a man I didn’t like.” I never met a Secret Service Agent I wouldn’t trust with my life. But then they didn’t have the leadership they have now. Politics, if nothing else it has tainted one of the finest agencies in existence.  

“All units, Mogul is on the move to 47.”

That is if JB doesn’t quit altogether, and Harris takes the number and then it’s 48. Considering JB may be on life support in the basement.  

"DAVE"

The movie Dave comes to mind. He could literally be in the basement this time connected to life support. There is no more serious question than...Who IS running the country? It certainly is not the demented quitter that was all in. Nor is it the the hyena that was posing as the VP for the last 3+ years. There should be a legal and systematic way to hold all media that intentionally covered up theft, corruption, dementia and abused the First Amendment daily. Now they are attempting to prop up an individual for the highest elected office of our Republic through lies and propaganda. 

The door to becoming a third world country has been unlocked by those posing as Democrats. FDR, JFK, RFK, and HST are examples of what were true Dems. What we have today is a herd of liars and thieves making claims and accusations to enhance their personal agenda. The left has done and are doing everything that they falsely claim President Trump has and will do. 

There is now and has been since President Trump announced his run for 2024, only one factor that should be used as an intelligent and basic sense reason for one to make their choice as who deserves their vote. The documented facts regarding National Security, Border Security, Energy Production and independence, rate of inflation, illegal immigration and crime from January 20, 2017, up to January 20, 2021. When compared to January 20, 2021, to this date, well it is like comparing Atticus Finch to Hans Gruber. 

The unjustified hate for this one man, who has and will put American First is nothing more than a prejudice that makes the worst of our biased history pale in comparison. I didn't care much for his Tweets and his arrogance can rub a raw nerve. But, going to the store and filling up the car was not a choice, but a routine. Prove to me he is not a patriot and does not have the future of this country and its citizens at the forefront of his actions. 

Name one other politician in modern history whose net worth was depleted, significantly (one billion dollars), while in office. I'll wait. 

Frying Pan to the Fire

 

Watched the campaign speech from Mamala last night at the campaign facility. She was introduced by her current husband. Compared her Attorney experiences like CA AG to Trumps felony convictions...and like the convictions, trumped up. Pun intended. I'm pretty sure that is a box she really doesn't want to open.The first political ad from the MAGA side, that has already aired, will be the tamest.

All in all, it turns out that Biden is in fact not only demented, a liar since his first campaign, which continued throughout his 50+ year career, a bigot to the core, he can add quitter to the list. I'm from the camp...if you can't run you can't serve. So, will Mamala be the 47th?

Not being a qualified political analyst, I'm only guessing here. The democratic side of the aisle is so screwed up we really won't know who Trump and Vance, Oorah, will be debating and facing in November...or even if Mamala will be on the ticket. Obama really hasn't decided yet. Be interesting to see if he does endorse. If so, he is as well a puppet. Pretty obvious that the money talks and the puppets just fall in line. Biden quits the race, Mamala raises 80 million in 24 hours. Or, in reality, the money held back was released, not raised.

Being from PA I have my mail in ballot approved and will vote as soon as I can.
I do have some concerns. My lovely bride says if PA goes Blue, we move. Please, get out and vote, RED, please. Selling and buying again, in this inflated market, will not help us month to month. The odds of getting a 2.65 interest rate for the next decade or so is slim. I am totally serious when I say to all that really care about our freedoms, energy costs, crime, inflation, jobs, the military strength and our world standing and alliances, don't sit on your hands and stay home on November 5th if you haven't voted by mail or absentee. This is not the time nor the election cycle to be complacent. Polls are just polls and don't necessarily reflect the outcome of an election. Ask Hillary.

The chaos within the Democratic Party that has cast doubts on its unity, its platform, its divisive tactics to condemn half of this Republic is the future if they remain in political control. Instead of saying to the citizenry of our land what direction she will take regarding the border, illegal immigration, crime, inflation, energy and the curtailing of reckless spending...she cast stones of sexual abuse, fraud, racist attitude and iced it with corruption. She obviously doesn't have a mirror. Nor did she state HER stance on Ukraine or Israel. But then she is restricted to what the puppet masters allow.

How hard would it be to have a trained Belgian Malinois on Campaign sites? How quickly could the dog be dispatched to a roof and subdue any attempt to assassinate the Protectee with the same warning and observations of a shooter that existed in Butler, PA? Or, in closer quarters attack and disarm a would be assassin? Asking for a friend.

Stay safe, don't let yesterday use up too much of today,

Remember When...

 

Just about everyone has a remember when. First love, first kiss, first beer, first date, first car, where you were when JFK was assassinated, MLK Jr, RFK, September 11, 2001…it is a long list. Too often they do involve events that are etched in memory by tragedy and not as gentle as the first kiss or first date.

Sadly, this remember when involves tragedy as well. The event itself was tragic. No matter the circumstance, loss of life is tragic. But the circumstances that took place during the investigation and the rapid development of a process that would become a major part of my law enforcement career took the edge off, sprouted some humor that resides within the boundaries of the brother/sisterhood with those you work with and helps maneuver through the tragedies dealt with almost daily.  

It is in the early hours of the morning, around 0100, (1:00AM) when we got the dispatch broadcast a traffic collision southbound Hollywood Freeway south of Sunset On Ramp. My Field Training Officer (FTO) grabbed the microphone and with a commanding voice announced that 15-70 would handle the call. It was my third day on the job, my first accident call and my wakeup call of what all that academy training over the last five months was about.

Within a few minutes we arrived at the scene. Two vehicles, one up the embankment that bordered the S/B Hollywood Fwy at this location. Two individuals lying injured on the pavement, one male individual (later determined as one of the drivers) crawling around on his hands and knees patting the pavement and another male seated behind the wheel of the second vehicle. The latter being the driver under the influence and later convicted of Felony Drunk Driving. One individual was still in the car upon the embankment. Arriving at the scene my FTO uttered something like,

“You get all the statements and evidence you need. I’ll start the diagram of the scene.” Then disappeared into the darkness.

Thankfully, other units began arriving, the scene had been isolated, traffic lanes blocked, and others had taken up the task of directing freeway traffic safely by the scene. Ambulances were in route, as were tow trucks.

I will admit to being totally in the dark…which had nothing to do with the clock or the position of the sun. All I could recall of the last few minutes was “get all the statements…” Like I said, other units arrived, my FTO returned and I began walking through, with a lot of help, the process of collecting evidence, driver’s statements, as well as motorists who had witnessed it all and stuck around to provide their description of the events that led up to this collision and taking photographs of what would become a double fatal, felony DUI traffic collision.

We were at the scene for some time and then to the hospital, morgue, and to the office to begin the long process of reports. Once the sun came up, we were back at the scene for more photos and recovery of evidence that may have been overlooked in the darkness. This in itself was quite a task. With the help of Cal Trans, picture this, we had to close the S/B Hollywood Freeway a little after 0900, (9:00 AM). It was for only about 15 minutes, mainly for photos of skid marks and any evidence that we may have missed. You remember the man crawling around patting the pavement. We found his glasses. One victim succumbed at the scene while the second expired at the hospital. The at fault driver determined to be under the influence of alcohol was arrested and booked at LAPD’s Parker Center.

It took three days to finalize the report. Log evidence and complete the diagrams and catalog the photos. I learned as well that your lack of experience can be the brunt of some off color humor. Apparently, there was a span of time, someone related equal to an extra inning baseball game, that I stood in one spot looking around in the dark for the door marked “EXIT.” It was these same individuals that came to my rescue. Pointed me in the right direction, assisted me in every possible way and cemented my choice of careers to be the right choice. At the right time, in the right office, with the right FTO, and 119 California Highway Patrol Officers that I shared the tragedies, victories, failures and successes with in the beginning that makes this “remember when” more than just a memory. It also stood as a reminder of the lessons learned from my father and grandfather, that the development of thick skin will go a long way in life. A lesson not frequently alluded to today. 

When we got back in our unit to leave the scene for other tasks, to this day I remember my FTO’s comment. “Welcome to the CHP.” 

 Don’t let too much of yesterday take up today.

He won't leave.

 

Let me get this straight…

If Trump gets elected, he’ll be a dictator and not want to leave the White House.

He will cause major inflation issues and increase our national debt. 

He will destroy the foreign policies around the world causing war, death and destruction.

He alone will be the cause of price increases on energy and deplete our reserves.

Weaponize governmental departments to indict, falsely charge, prosecute, and use the office to subvert the Constitution and Supreme Court.

Increase federal legislation on businesses, large and small, resulting in moving to other countries or having to close their doors.

He will continually lie, fabricate statistics, claim credit for the work of others, be incoherent, plagiarize the words of others and blatantly articulate them in his speeches.

Without any remorse blame all of his miscues, mumbles, gaffes, and incoherent rhetoric on jet lag, colds, his staff, long hours that fall outside of 10AM and 4PM.

He will, at times, have absolutely no idea where high ranking Cabinet Members are.

He will send billions of dollars to foreign interests and ignore the crime, violence, invasion of illegals, and allow an unknow population of enemies and terrorists to take refuge on American Soil. 

We don’t need to wait one second more…this is reality now. It appears we have two choices, currently according to Biden…”I’m all in.” There are two totally different records on the table. One with 1.4% inflation, peaceful avenues in place around the world, energy independence, a broke and ineffective Iran, and some bad Tweets. An individual who is being compared to Hitler…think about that. How sick does an individual have to be to compare a successful businessman, who speaks his mind, and puts America First to the worst and most vial human being ever to exist. It is scary to think that his record, accomplishments and his defeats, his right to speak freely and express himself, would cause so much hate in a large portion of our population that they would vote for a party that without question has taken this Republic to the doors of a third world country. Your second choice. 

There are reasons Biden still stands. They keep the sandbags stored, they’ve shortened the stair path to Air Force One and Jill helps him to get on and off stages, he even has some special shoes. All the political stuff is controlled by the left wing extremists. The money, the corruption that could be exposed, and the ability of a very well oiled machine that has proven they can outmaneuver the Republican Party. They failed in 2016 and regrouped. Succeeded in 2020, 2022. If the Republicans don’t pay attention, monitor each and every avenue of voting and get out and vote, absentee, mail-in or at the Polls on November 5, 2024…we will continue to be dictated to by those left extremists. If Biden does stay in and can mentally survive and be kept juiced up until January 2025 the puppeteers will transfer their manipulation over to Harris in a short time after the Inauguration Ceremony. Without question, then the doors to Third World status will be swung wide open. 

With great sadness and a glimmer of hope…all of those from the Greatest Generation will be at peace…and not have to witness this Democratic Party’s destruction of the United States that they all, civilian and military, sacrificed life, time, money, loved ones, friends, relatives and neighbors to protect that which our Forefathers envisioned. A vision that has lost all meaning to a very large portion of both Party’s. It is not a swamp, a vital key in our ecological system, but a Septic Tank that is in dire need of a pumping out. Pumping out on a routine and regular basis is always recommended…you know term limits.

 Don’t let too much of yesterday take up today.

Potpourri Of Thoughts…

 
There are times when I wish I had written down and passed on my thoughts…in advance…of an event or in some cases a sporting event. The recent Presidential Debate would be an example. I missed the first two thirds and was only able, due to other circumstances, to watch the last 30 minutes. I wish I had seen the first ten and I wouldn’t have wasted the other 20 minutes of my life.
 
I never, not once, nada, zilch, zero, for a split second or a micro of an instant believed Joe Biden’s performance would be equal to the height of the bar that was set. I doubt any previous setting, of any bar, in any category of performance, has ever been or will ever again be set this low. Anyone with a “lick of sense” as my Ka Ka would say, would believe this appearance would be different, less mumbling, fewer lies and gaffes than the many others over the last three and a half years have been. He missed it by miles…and only had to walk a few steps to reach it. I will say I am grateful that Madame President was there to get him safely off the elevated stage. Considering it was a CNN event I would have assumed they would have kept everything at the same level as the bar. Low and flat.
 
For the remaining idiots that support this individual and his Party my sympathy to you and your untreatable mental illness. There may have been a time when he did have a clue…I haven’t seen any evidence to that fact…but putting aside all the footage and rhetoric from the past, when there were journalists writing and broadcasting the news, he didn’t fare well back then either. Now we can see how easily the mainstream is manipulated by an elite few. Moments after the debate they were calling for him to step down. Then as quickly as they turned, they returned and echoed Obama’s “he had a bad debate.” Duh! We hear Kamala spew out, on too many occasions, "We have the ability to see what can be, unburdened by what has been, and then to make the possible actually happen." I must admit, it lacks any real meaning, we as a country had no concept of what “could be” under this administration. The burden of “what has been” with seven more months to go as well falls into an unseen “what can be. It appears the senselessness of the quote was the main reason Joe didn’t plagiarize it and use it in his closing. Not that he could complete a thought that long or his own make sense. …”we finally beat Medicare.”
 
It appears he and his dementia are sticking around. Which brings me to my greatest fear for our future. The left elitist, the puppeteers, the Democratic Party and the corrupted and weaponized justice system have failed in every avenue they have attempted to keep Donald Trump off the ballots, off the campaign trail, off the streets and off the platforms behind the podiums from coast to coast. Every attempt has failed. With each attempt increasing the favorable polling numbers for President Trump even greater. My fear is what will they try next?
 
Joe Biden is a victim of elder abuse by his family. With him gone, sooner rather than later…pardons will be vacated, Jill will have to go back to Delaware, permanently, and make weekly visits to his Care Facility. While Hunter and the rest of the crime family hope what they have already stolen is not frozen or seized and will keep them in the lifestyle their criminal activities have provided.
 
There will be many claims that Trump spewed lie upon lie. Trump is a businessman, a salesman and a politician that has never been proven to be corrupt in any court not biased and truly guided by a blind Lady Justice. The 34 counts that labelled him a “felon” will be vacated through appeal. E. Jean what’s her name will never see her millions. Stormy Daniels will leave a legacy associated with pornography and lies. Trump is someone that exaggerates the truth. If he were a fisherman his rhetoric would be classified as the one that got away. “I swear it was half the size of the boat.” His problem is he is so scrutinized that when he says “everyone” but is only speaking of those in the room, under that scrutiny, ‘everyone” gets interpreted as the whole population. His exaggerations, overstatements of the truth, are not lies. He is currently held to the highest standards of all on this planet. Oh wait, that’s a lie. Sorry, I overstated the truth…I forgot about the Pope.
 
My mail in ballot has been approved. Can’t wait to cast it.
 
Busy month, birthday, too many to count. Wedding anniversary, Elaine will see this post, so I won’t mention how many…she doesn’t like being reminded.
 
Since 1851 there have been 33 June hurricanes. Which means about 6% of them occur in June. While August, September and October take the brunt of the storms with 79%. This year we had one of those that fell into the 3% category, Alberto, in May. There will be those blowhard’s that make the claim it is due to Climate Change. They will be correct…the climate changes. Hell, here in PA yesterday we had three weather patterns. I can imagine in the early 1900’s they too talked about climate change. I know here in America it was a big deal in mid-1930’s. What was the cause, too many automobiles, farting cows or right wing extremists? Maybe some serious wind and dust storms. I’m leaning towards nature, well at least Mother Nature. The climate change and global warming rhetoric are both true…climate changes and for more than 10,000 plus years, since the last glacial period our home planet has gotten warmer. Unlike “Bidenomics is working” there is some truth behind the other two. Just not the end of the earth fear mongering that drives the “green” goblins.
 
Fingers crossed…things remain the same. Biden lives long enough to digest the concept that he was in fact the worst President in the history of the Republic when Trump is sworn in. Trump lives long enough to be sworn in and serve a full term as the 47^th President. His VP pick will take the baton in 2028 like Sydney McLaughlin did in 2022 from Britton Wilson in the Women’s World 4X400 Relay. If so, the win will be as sweet, the Republic will survive, democracy will actually be restored, the weaponized justice system will be dismantled, and the world will take notice.
 
Have a great day. Don’t let too much of yesterday take up today.