Secret Service's job: secure political conventions

updated 4:37 p.m. ET Aug. 20, 2008

WASHINGTON - Every day the Secret Service thinks: Today could be THE day.

That's the sober mind-set going into the presidential conventions — both of which present special security challenges for this legendary agency in the throes of the longest political campaign in history.

These will be the second set of conventions since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. But, perhaps surprisingly to outsiders, al-Qaida is not the leading concern.

Not that the terrorism potential is being overlooked. But the Secret Service and FBI are giving special attention to the possibility of action by other extremists — radicals from the left or right, anarchists, lone wolf crazies — who might be attracted to the conventions because of the significance and high visibility.

This year, the significance of Obama's race is not lost on anyone either.

The Secret Service and FBI said they did not have any specific threats with racist overtones. And there has been only low-level chatter on white supremacist blogs and nothing aimed at the convention, according to Mark Potok, who regularly monitors these blogs for the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Ala.

Potok said what he sees is a "constant low level barrage of angst and misery over the prospect of a black president in America." A message that was sent to his organization's blog in April but never posted said: "ATTENTION, IF OBAMA BECOMES PRESEDANT I WILL KILL HIM MYSELF MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT." Potok said he reported that to the Homeland Security Department.

Ed Andrieski / AP Denver Mounted Police officers talks with a man on Thursday as they patrol Civic Center Park in Denver.

"I think that officials have every right to be worried" about the white supremacist threat to Obama, said Potok, who is not a security analyst. However, he said white supremacists in America despise Republican John McCain, too. "They see him as a traitor, a guy who lies about immigration," Potok said.

In advance of the conventions, November's election and the new president's inauguration, the FBI set up a special cell that brings together officials from other federal agencies to look at all potential threats, said Ed Dickson, FBI's acting deputy assistant director for counterterrorism.

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Going into the conventions, Dickson said the bureau is looking at intelligence about anarchist groups to prevent violent disruptions and attacks. He would not name the groups.

Dickson would not comment on potential disruptions from radical Islamic groups, but said, "We're always concerned about al-Qaida and like-minded groups."

According to an April federal intelligence assessment, hardened structures, like the convention stadiums, are unlikely targets for al-Qaida. The assessment said security officers and barriers are a deterrent as far as al-Qaida is concerned.

The Secret Service budgeted more than $15 million for both conventions, but it will cost a couple of million more because of Democratic candidate Barack Obama's decision to accept his party's nomination at an open-air stadium in Denver. Each convention city was also given $50 million from the federal government for security efforts.

Security at the Denver and St. Paul, Minn., sites ranges from routine magnetometers — the kind you would find at airports — to countersnipers, undercover officers and air patrols. The Secret Service also has assigned trained officials to identify and prevent cyber security risks. And the service, as it does at every convention, has mapped out escape routes for the candidates and president.

"As you look at these type of events, they are a very attractive target," Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan said.

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