Nothing snarls giving - urban center dealings quite like a political leader head to another medal - clipping or effort stump speech . visible light flash , pin fluttering , femme fatale blare , dealings - light ignoring . It ’s a commuting Armageddon , no matter which side of the political aisle ( or city street ) you happen to be stick on .
The grandad of these , of course , thejam de ohmic resistance , is the presidential motorcade . When the U.S. president come to Ithiel Town , it ’s time to get off the roads . As tight as you’re able to .
The President’s In Town
Ever since that day nigh 117 years ago when Teddy Roosevelt reportedly became the first United States President to utilise a car in an official capacity , parading through the street of Hartford , Connecticut , everybody ’s been moving aside to let the Commander in Chief through . FromThe New York Timeson Aug. 22 , 1902 :
( Earlier , the Rough Rider had land , by racing yacht , in New Haven and take a stroller drive through that metropolis . " By declaration of the Mayor , all dealings over the note of march was suspended , " The Times report . " The city ’s manufacturing plant changed the noon hour for the day and the shop were closed between 1 P.M. and 2:30 P.M. The city was gayly preen in flags and bunting . " )
Presidential motorcades always have had an undeniable patriotic dash , even in Washington , D.C. , where other motorcades ( ferrying chaffer VIP , diplomat , cabinet phallus and the political alike about ) are pretty passé . The presidential inaugural parade , featuring the presidential motorcade , is a red - whitened - and - blue happening , even asalmost every Chief Executive since Jimmy Carter in 1977bolted from their limos to hoof it down Pennsylvania Avenue on foot , at least for a bit .
Any presidential motorcade , whether in D.C. or another town , must extend off a form of auto ballet to get the chairman safely to his destination .
" While each motorcade move is singular , thorough provision precedes any protective movement , requiring constant coordination between the Secret Service and its partners , " Melissa McKenzie , a spokesperson for theSecret Service , said in a soundly project and protective email . " The Secret Service trust that this thorough planning is the best safe-conduct against all types of potential pitfalls , but agent are prepared and train to care with unforeseen fate as they move up . "
Those unforeseen lot can be the stuff of tragedy and history . John F. Kennedywas assassinated riding in a presidential motorcade in Dallas . An assassin shot Ronald Reaganas he prepare to get into his limousine in a motorcade in D.C.Gerald Fordhad to be shove into his limousine twice in the place of two calendar week in California — once in Sacramento , once in San Francisco — to avoid character assassination .
That ’s why the Secret Service does n’t mess up around when it comes to presidential motorcades .
The Make-up of a Motorcade
McKenzie aim out , cautiously , that the Secret Service coordinate with state , local and federal authorities in determining the musical composition of a presidential motorcade . Often , how well - fit out the local force is determines how many vehicles are involved .
" Motorcades are comprised of numerous types of vehicle belonging to the Secret Service and several other entities , " McKenzie say . " While accurate alignments and numbers can not be divulged , most motorcades include , at a lower limit , a vehicle for the protectee , vehicles for security personnel , and vehicle for local or state law enforcement musical accompaniment . "
At the virtual kernel of a presidential motorcade is the presidential limo , which carries the president , a few Secret Service agents , and other high - rank dignitary or family members . In December 1941 , shortly after the Japanese flunk Pearl Harbor and the U.S. introduce World War II , Franklin D. Roosevelt became the first to use an armor - plated vehicle .
Today ’s well - armored presidential limo is surrounded by other fomite in the motorcade , including other decoy limos and many support cars . In a 2016 article , The Drivesuggested there may be as many as 20 different limousine in the presidential fleet , though we could n’t get McKenzie to confirm this information . When a president visits , the presidential limo and many other cars in the motorcade ( however many the Secret Service take for necessary ) — including , perhaps , a spare limousine — are ship to the destination via Air Force planes .
The limo carrying the president is preceded in the motorcade by dissimilar vehicles close street and clearing the way — often , local police on motorcycle do that job — and is tight accompany by at least one other limousine . The two limos move back and forth , swap places , during the advancement , according to The Drive .
The current presidential limo is known as " The Beast , " a Cadillac hybrid that , if it ’s like previous presidential limos , sport " fastball - proof ice , a supplying of the prexy ’s blood character and an independent strain supply to thwart a chemic attack , " according toTechCrunch .
Secret Service detail , communicating vehicles and other backup vehicles ( including a lot of hard - duty SUVs ) espouse the presidential limo , according to The thrust . The can of the convoy includes vehicles carrying members of the pressure , an ambulance and more local police to protect the rear of the motorcade . The Secret Service always is in bursting charge .
" agent portion to drive in Presidential motorcades receive extensive training in several areas and they rehearse and inquiry motorcade rout continually , " McKenzie says .
Things do n’t always go smoothly . A few motorcycle officers assigned to the presidential motorcade in Lake Charles , Louisiana , in May 2019 were injured in an accident . Still , that motorcade got its job done , delivering President Donald Trump safely to his destination , even if there were a few dealings affiliation - ups along the manner .
