# Secret Service bodyguards for ex-presidents--was Reagen guarded? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 12, 2004, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-bodyguards-for-ex-presidents-was-reagen-guarded/249978 "2004-06-12T15:54:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-bodyguards-for-ex-presidents-was-reagen-guarded/249978/1 "2004-06-12T15:54:03Z")
I’ve heard that ex-presidents continue to receive Secret Service bodyguards for the rest of their lives. (it makes sense-after all they know a lot of secret information, even after being voted out of office) Is this really true? And if so, did bodyguards continue to protect R.Reagen even when he was so far gone with Alzheimers disease that he couldn’t speak coherently? And if so, why? ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-bodyguards-for-ex-presidents-was-reagen-guarded/249978/2 "2004-06-12T15:59:28Z")
Yes, he did have Secret Service guards until he died. One of Reagan’s pasttimes was to take walks, and the Secret Service escorted him. Robin ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-bodyguards-for-ex-presidents-was-reagen-guarded/249978/3 "2004-06-12T16:15:57Z")
In fact, I think Nancy will continue to have protection until _she_ dies, also. ---
**Author:** ![diku](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4af34b/32.png) [@diku](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diku)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-bodyguards-for-ex-presidents-was-reagen-guarded/249978/4 "2004-06-12T17:05:34Z")
Well, the Clintons are the last first family to be guarded until they die. If I remember correctly, the law was changed starting with W. No idea how longs he gets or anything. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-bodyguards-for-ex-presidents-was-reagen-guarded/249978/5 "2004-06-12T17:20:11Z")
> [@](#): > > Today, the Secret Service is authorized by law to protect: > > - the President, the Vice President, (or other individuals next in order of succession to the Office of the President), the President-elect and Vice President-elect; > - the immediate families of the above individuals; > \*\*\* former Presidents, their spouses for their lifetimes, except when the spouse re-marries. In 1997, Congressional legislation became effective limiting Secret Service protection to former Presidents for a period of not more than 10 years from the date the former President leaves office.\*\* > - children of former presidents until age 16; > - visiting heads of foreign states or governments and their spouses traveling with them, other distinguished foreign visitors to the United States, and official representatives of the United States performing special missions abroad; > - major Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates, and their spouses within 120 days of a general Presidential election. Source: [http://www.ustreas.gov/usss/protection.shtml](http://www.ustreas.gov/usss/protection.shtml) ---
**Author:** ![alterego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@alterego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alterego)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-bodyguards-for-ex-presidents-was-reagen-guarded/249978/6 "2004-06-12T19:55:44Z")
Does anybody know about how many secret service agents there are? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-bodyguards-for-ex-presidents-was-reagen-guarded/249978/7 "2004-06-12T20:37:34Z")
[http://www.ustreas.gov/usss/faq.shtml#employees](http://www.ustreas.gov/usss/faq.shtml#employees) > [@](#): > > The Secret Service employs approximately 2,100 special agents, 1,200 Uniformed Division officers, and approximately 1,700 other technical, professional, and administrative support personnel. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-bodyguards-for-ex-presidents-was-reagen-guarded/249978/8 "2004-06-12T20:49:02Z")
Wow, that seems like a silly change to the law. I can’t imagine a time when Dubya _won’t_ need bodyguards. And if he’s not re-elected then he’ll be fairly young when he “retires”. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-bodyguards-for-ex-presidents-was-reagen-guarded/249978/9 "2004-06-12T21:01:56Z")
I wonder how politics played into that change. IIRC, a whole slew of SS agents refused to answer questions about the comings and goig of Bill Clinton, especially the comings. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-bodyguards-for-ex-presidents-was-reagen-guarded/249978/10 "2004-06-12T21:30:55Z")
My feeling is that GWB will be able to pay for his own security detail after his Secret Service protection expires in 2015. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-bodyguards-for-ex-presidents-was-reagen-guarded/249978/11 "2004-06-12T21:44:43Z")
I think limiting the protection of an ex-President for ten years is an extraordinarily bad idea. From the date of the law, I’m guessing it was part of the Republican ‘get back at Clinton’ program. For one thing, it could affect the person’s behaviour in office. Presidents can make a lot of enemies. If the man knows he’s not going to be protected for the rest of his life, will he refuse to take controversial steps that will earn him enemies? George W. Bush is going to be looking over his shoulder for terrorist nutbars for the rest of his life. Also, ex-presidents are national treasures. Can you imagine the hue-and-cry if Jimmy Carter were kidnapped and held for ransom? Or executed on TV? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-bodyguards-for-ex-presidents-was-reagen-guarded/249978/12 "2004-06-12T22:06:13Z")
> [@alterego](#): > > Does anybody know about how many secret service agents there are? Someone provided a good answer for your question. I’d like to add that the SS does a decent number of things besides executive protection. Among them are included investigating certain financial fraud (Nigerian scams included) and forgery of US currency. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-bodyguards-for-ex-presidents-was-reagen-guarded/249978/13 "2004-06-12T23:57:13Z")
I’ll just add that in this week’s Reagan tribute in _Time_ magazine, they mentioned that Ron spent many hours raking the leaves out of his swimming pool… unaware that his Secret Service detail would replace them after he was done. > [@Sam Stone](#): > > Also, ex-presidents are national treasures. Can you imagine the hue-and-cry if Jimmy Carter were kidnapped and held for ransom? Or executed on TV? I suspect Rush Limbaugh would wave it off as “harmless college frat hijinx.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![liirogue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@liirogue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liirogue)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-bodyguards-for-ex-presidents-was-reagen-guarded/249978/14 "2004-06-13T02:07:34Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > I’ll just add that in this week’s Reagan tribute in _Time_ magazine, they mentioned that Ron spent many hours raking the leaves out of his swimming pool… unaware that his Secret Service detail would replace them after he was done. Okay, I don’t get it… why were they putting the leaves back? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-bodyguards-for-ex-presidents-was-reagen-guarded/249978/15 "2004-06-13T02:11:14Z")
To give him something to do? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-bodyguards-for-ex-presidents-was-reagen-guarded/249978/16 "2004-06-13T02:17:14Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > I’ll just add that in this week’s Reagan tribute in _Time_ magazine, they mentioned that Ron spent many hours raking the leaves out of his swimming pool… unaware that his Secret Service detail would replace them after he was done. That is eerily like what my boss said my boss when I told her anout a CBS story that Reagan had written a 138 page instruction manual for is funeral. She said, “He probably wrote the same page 138 times”. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-bodyguards-for-ex-presidents-was-reagen-guarded/249978/17 "2004-06-13T02:21:05Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#): > > I think limiting the protection of an ex-President for ten years is an extraordinarily bad idea. From the date of the law, I’m guessing it was part of the Republican ‘get back at Clinton’ program. > > For one thing, it could affect the person’s behaviour in office. Presidents can make a lot of enemies. If the man knows he’s not going to be protected for the rest of his life, will he refuse to take controversial steps that will earn him enemies? George W. Bush is going to be looking over his shoulder for terrorist nutbars for the rest of his life. > > Also, ex-presidents are national treasures. Can you imagine the hue-and-cry if Jimmy Carter were kidnapped and held for ransom? Or executed on TV? Yeah, well Nixon made a _lot_ of enemies. Yet he somehow got along just fine when he dismissed his Secret Servicxe detail and made do with a private security firm. So far he’s the only former President to do so. He said it liberated him greatly. He no longer had agents warning him about how everything he wanted to do was “too dangerous.” ---
**Author:** ![stockton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@stockton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stockton)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-bodyguards-for-ex-presidents-was-reagen-guarded/249978/18 "2004-06-13T02:26:34Z")
There’s a very funny (in MY humble opinion, the critics hated it) movie about this very subject. ‘Guarding Tess’ (1994) features Shirley McLaine in the Nancy Reagan role and Nick Cage as the unwilling Secret Service agent. Read for yourself. I thought it was funny: > **[Guarding Tess (1994) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109951/)** > > Guarding Tess: Directed by Hugh Wilson. With Shirley MacLaine, Nicolas Cage, Austin Pendleton, Edward Albert. A former U.S. First Lady wants a particular Secret Service agent to head her bodyguard detail, even though he can't stand her. ---
**Author:** ![stockton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@stockton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stockton)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-bodyguards-for-ex-presidents-was-reagen-guarded/249978/19 "2004-06-13T02:33:27Z")
I really enjoyed this one too - two ex-Presidents have to ELUDE the Secret Service to get the plot ahead (with Jim Garner and Jack Lemmon as the battling Ex-Prezes): My Fellow Americans (1996): > **[My Fellow Americans (1996) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117119/)** > > My Fellow Americans: Directed by Peter Segal. With Jack Lemmon, James Garner, Dan Aykroyd, John Heard. Two former U. S. Presidents, hated rivals, join forces to expose the current, corrupt President at the risk of their lives. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2004, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-bodyguards-for-ex-presidents-was-reagen-guarded/249978/20 "2004-06-13T03:15:19Z")
Urbanus E. Baughman was Chief of the Secret Service from the end of FDR’s term to the beginning of Kennedy’s. In his memoirs (_Secret Service Chief_), he described the end of Truman’s term, with the Truman family headed back to Missouri without fanfare or a Service guard. The advent of post-term protection is a recent thing. I think it started with Jackie Kennedy, whose cult of celebrity was so extreme that she needed protection from nutcases long after JFK was killed. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-bodyguards-for-ex-presidents-was-reagen-guarded/249978.md?page=2)