ANSWERS: 3
  • Former presidents and their families are automatically accorded secret service protection. It used to be for their lifetimes, but now it is a maximum of ten years after leaving office.
  • Recognize that the definition of "safe place" has to include the presence of security. I'm a Democrat. I didn't vote for George Bush either time. The security for former Presidents is less invasive and pervasive than for current Presidents. But I don't begrudge them the protection they have. If it helps, think about what the pressures would be on President Obama to respond if some idiot looked at President Bush and thought, "Hmmm...now that his guard is down...." I don't agree with President Bush's policies, but I'm happy to make sure he and his family are safe.
  • Former presidents still have national security information, so to have one taken captive by an enemy would be pretty bad. Not to mention that having a former head of state killed or captured would look really bad. Clinton still has a secret service detail. Living former presidents may have them still I don't recall if the change in guard detail was retroactive when it was put in place.

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