Far from the Madding Crowd

Recently, Greg and I attended an event for John Edwards at the UCLA campus. Both of us noted the complete lack of security for the event. Several hundred college students and members of the public filled and surrounded a courtyard as Edwards spoke. Sure, you may say, it's John Edwards--who'd want to harm him, besides Ann Coulter? And in fairness, I never witnessed any security at an Iowa caucus event for Edwards or his wife or for any of the other candidates in 2004. But something tells me 2008 is different. The intensity at any public gathering seems greater than ever, and the thin line of American politeness appears to have thinned.

Today's Washington Post ruminates on the potential of earlier security for presidential candidates as the selection process is underway. I suppose if we are seriously in a war against terrorism and if we value our democracy (the last element there is the catch) you would think that protecting the process itself warrants value, regardless of party. According to the editorial, the budget is there to start protecting the candidates--do we have the will?

Update:U.S. News & World Report impliedly offers evidentiary support that Homeland Security should start protecting all the candidates soon--with the potentially sped-up schedule for choosing the nominee of each party this cycle, money will be left over... why not protect all of them them now?