Do you know Obama’s Secret Service code name?
If you’ve ever watched a movie about about any President of the United States (POTUS) you already know that the U.S. Secret Service uses code names for the President, Vice President and their families (the code names are actually assigned by the White House Communications agency.) Such names are used in an attempt to help keep schedules and locations confidential, but also for convenience. The family gets to choose the letter that they want their names to begin with and the WHCA does the rest. Do you know what Obama’s code name is?
Renegade.
What about Michelle Obama, the next First Lady of the United States (FLOTUS)?
Renaissance.
See if you can match the following presidents with their proper names?
The Presidents:
George W. Bush
Ronald Reagan
Bill Clinton
Jimmy Carter
Code Names:
“Deacon”
“Tumbler”
“Eagle”
“Rawhide”
Click here for the answers.
Those names seem appropriate to me. What about you? What would you change them to if you could?
About the Author: Randall H. Miller is an American college educator/blogger. He is also a former U.S. Army officer (82nd Airborne) with a M.A. in Diplomacy (focusing on International Terrorism) and a B.A. in Criminal Justice. Use the form on the right to sign up and receive notifications of new content. The words and ideas expressed here are 100% his own and not those of his employers or affiliated organizations.
JRMirador | Nov 11, 2008 | Reply
Taking a last poke at out-going President George W Bush, I find the code name Tumbler quite appropriate, considering his penchant for booze.
Frank the Tank | Nov 11, 2008 | Reply
Well let’s see, without looking……
Reagan – Rawhide
Clinton – Eagle
Carter – Deacon
GW Bush – Tumbler
I wonder who the first President was to get a SS code name??
RHM | Nov 11, 2008 | Reply
@ Frank,
It looks like Truman was the first. His code name was “General.”
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-talk-code-namesnov11,0,2798932.story
Frank the Tank | Nov 11, 2008 | Reply
Only 12 more stars and I catch up to you Randy.
993C4S | Nov 11, 2008 | Reply
In the days before encrypted radio transmissions, the names were used for exactly the function you describe (an attempt to keep schedules private) and to help protect the first family.
However, I was under the impression that SS names were now used only as a tradition not to serve any privacy/security function.
Frank the Tank | Nov 11, 2008 | Reply
@993C4S
Yeah, I would think so, or why would they make it public??
PorschePurist | Nov 11, 2008 | Reply
@Frank,
My point exactly
RHM | Nov 11, 2008 | Reply
@ 993C4s and Frank,
They don’t make it public, the info. just kinda leaks out and the SS doesn’t really care because no damage is done.
In spite of secure communications they still use code names for uniformity (and tradition too, I’m suppose). Instead of having agents refer to individuals by multiple names (the President, Bush, POTUS, Commander in Chief etc.) they use the code name and therefore eliminate confusion.
The military has had secure communications for decades but uses call signs for the same reason – uniformity. You always know who you are talking to/about.
EDITED to include: The same goes for the phonetic alphabet (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie etc.)
PorschePurist | Nov 11, 2008 | Reply
@RHM,
In this case you are wrong. The Secret Service actually sent a press release across the wire providing the names. I’m looking for a link to it now, but it did not “leak.”
They went on to further explain that the names are just following a tradition and there is not need for them from a security standpoint.
As for secure communications, not true either. It was not until the advent of the STU-4 encryption in the mid- 90’s that communication became secure. Even still, that was broken. Now with 128 bit encryption radios are truly secure.
RHM | Nov 11, 2008 | Reply
@ Porsche,
Don’t bother with the link, it wouldn’t surprise me if they sent a press release, but that has not been standard practice – nor have they ever really gone to great lengths to keep the code names confidential.
As for the STU series, those are phones and the STU3 was always considered secure. In addition, the frequency hopping radios were considered secure too and we had those in the field in or around 1990 (thus, decades or pretty damn close).
I also don’t buy that 128 bit encryption is “unbreakable.” Everything is breakable. Remember when we almost successfully hacked into the North Andover School System computers via modem in the early 80’s? (I hope the statute of limitations has passed.)
PorschePurist | Nov 11, 2008 | Reply
@RHM,
What do you mean “almost”?
PorschePurist | Nov 11, 2008 | Reply
I thought that was how I graduated.
dickmill | Nov 12, 2008 | Reply
@RHM
You’re grounded for 2 weeks.
TO' | Nov 12, 2008 | Reply
If McCain had been elected his would have been “putz”
David Lamb | Nov 12, 2008 | Reply
Given his recent shifts, a more accurate codename for Mr. Bush might be George W. Roosevelt. But maybe that’s just me.
Alan | Jul 27, 2009 | Reply
George W will have been given his code name back when his Dad was prez. I’m sure that back then the name Tumbler was quite amusing.