The tank on Pennsylvania Avenue

I was surprised seeing a news video on NBC news last night. It was of President Obama reentering his limo after walking for a few minutes on Pennsylvania Avenue yesterday. I was pleased that he actually walked those few feet as a symbolic gesture of being one with the public. It was symbolic, only that. But what I really noticed was his limo’s door. It looked like it belonged on a tank. And a big tank at that. The door had to be over 10″ thick and obviously armor plated.

I saw the video on last night’s NBC Nightly News and tried to find that shot of the open door. The NBC “full show” on its web site had that ten second shot edited out, so if anyone has that DVR recording and can take some photos from that open door and send them, I’ll publish one.

These are low quality photos taken from the Frontline show showing the same car tank.

It used to be that presidents didn’t need the protection that they now get. President Obama just signed a bill giving him and all of the living and future presidents lifetime protection at great public expense. It’s always all at public expense.

What’s happened to our country where presidents are afraid to be close to the people, and are afraid to mingle with them? It’s not a good sign.