In today’s Globe there’s a story about Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff’s visit to Boston’s subway system, entitled “Subways are safe, US security official says after riding T.” Chertoff is quoted as saying “I would not hesitate, and I wouldn’t hesitate to tell my family, to get on the subway, here or all over the country.”
Next to the story the Globe ran this photograph in the print edition (but not online, for some reason):
Message: I would not hesitate to ride the subway, as long as I’m surrounded by one uniformed cop and five Secret Service guys.
Thanks for the confidence-inspiring visit, Mr. Secretary.
Please share widely!
peter-porcupine says
Or does he RIDE a subway?
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Cabinet level secret service is what it is. Someday, if you are ever back in power, we can make fun of you, too.
david says
Bill Clinton is MUCH too good a politician to take a subway ride surrounded by security and then proclaim how safe it is for ordinary folk to ride the subway. The point is not that federal officials don’t have security tagging along with them – of course they do. The point is that this little publicity stunt backfired – it’s a stupid way to convince people that riding the subways is safe. If anything, this stunt probably made people MORE nervous than they were before about taking the T, which as far as I know hasn’t been suffering any major lack of ridership lately.
fieldscornerguy says
My reaction was similar. Indeed, Secret Service protection is what it is, but staged photo ops are what they are–and they tend to be none too convincing.
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I’m curious if others were on the train at the time, or if Chertoff rode on his own car.
stomv says
for the ride. Maybe Mitt told him the price of a ride ahead of time… oh wait. Never mind.
jillk says
Who could forget Willard’s foray onto the T? On the train for 45 seconds from Park Street to Downtown Crossing to show how safe it is!
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This is just another disruptive, stupid photo-op which proves nothing. Peter is the only one buying it anymore – if anyone else ever did!