Clinton-Obama Race Ups Stakes for Secret Service

The race for the Democratic nomination is confounding an unlikely group—the Secret Service, which started covering Barack Obama earlier than any previous candidate and has protected Hillary Clinton since Bill's nomination in 1992. And the throngs of passionate supporters—as many as 30,000—at campaign events “definitely add something the Secret Service hasn't seen in a while,'' said an ex-agent.

The Secret Service uses sharpshooters, helicopters, and agents dressed as supporters to protect Obama, codenamed “Renegade.”He got a detail last May, after thousands rather than hundreds began attending rallies. Clinton, or “Evergreen,” has tightened security since the New Year, requiring all rally-goers to pass through metal detectors. John McCain, meanwhile, will get a detail now that he has secured the GOP nomination. (More Barack Obama stories.)