What's the point of a secret code name if everybody knows it?
In a recent article in the Washington Post, the Secret Service has had a habit of giving code names to presidents, their wives, and others under their security duty. But what's the point of the whole code thing if we now know that they coded Mr. Obama, "Renegade"; Mrs. Clinton, "Evergreen"; President Bush, "Tumbler" (apparently, coded this way because of rowdiness prior to abstaining from drinking, prior to becoming a teetotaler); Al Gore, "Sawhorse" (huh?); and Jimmy Carter, "Deacon" (yup, J.C. used to teach Sunday school)? It sure would be interesting to talk to some of these Secret Service guys about their naming conventions. Some of these codies (code names) seem fitting, like "Deacon" and "Tumbler," but what was the deal with "Sawhorse" for Al Gore?
Maybe the Secret Service referred to Hillary as "Evergreen" just as the word references in the dictionary because she was:
1) a tree, shrub, or plant having foliage that persists and remains green throughout the year.
2) evergreens twigs or branches of evergreen plants used as decoration.
3) something that remains perennially fresh, interesting, or well liked.
4) having green leaves throughout the entire year, the leaves of the past season not being shed until after the new foliage has been completely formed.
Hmm...
But the dictionary's definition of sawhorse is:
1) a movable frame or trestle for supporting wood being sawed.
Does anyone believe this had something to do with Al Gore getting caught up in collateral damage during the Monica Lewinsky thing? After all, Gore was just minding his own "prevent global warming" business and then, WHAM! Bill was getting chewed, I mean, sawed. Hillary became frequently attired in big, dark shades; the Clintons' dog, Buddy; daughter, Chelsea; and Bill always walking six feet ahead.
At the time, maybe Gore's pristine family values were reasons the Secret Service gave him that moniker (you know, he had the supportive husband image, as the frame or trestle, while, Bill, as the wood, was getting sawed—get it? That sort of works with the dictionary's definition, no?).
******************************************************************
To read article on Secret Service code names: Click Here
******************************************************************
G. Terri Archer
SCCF
June 18, 2007
|
