December 10, 2005

Howard Dean's Disney Secret Service Codename Is...

REEDY CREEK IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT -- Walt Disney World is a quasi-independent city spanning Orange and Osceola Counties in Florida. Its daily population often exceeds 35,000. For obvious reasons, security is a priority.

The outer layer is comprised of generally friendly college kids dressed in Disney greens and blues. Their only accoutrements are keyless key chains hanging off their belts. These folks circulate in the lobby and greet guests, gingerly directing wayward guests from areas off-limits.

The second security platoon features middle aged men, usually a little paunchy, wearing Disney-style police uniforms complete with Mickey Mouse patrol patch and hat. They have two-way radios but (thankfully) no guns.

The third style themselves like special agents of the Secret Service. They're big guys with broad chests wearing dark suits. They have clear coil ear buds in their ears, leading presumably to their two-ways. And they have lapel pins -- American flags with gold Mickey Mouse heads in the middle.

The VIPs for the FL Dem conference were deemed dangerous enough to each warrant a squadron. last night, one stood guard outside a room where DNC chair Howard Dean was meeting with county chairs. Of course, the room was accessible from a side door and no one would have known Dean was in the room if there hadn't been an "agent" out front.

But no matter; these Disney guys have real experience with VIPs, often protecting the celebrities and numerous Saudi princes and princesses who take Disney vacations.

Disney is charging the FL Dem Party a small fortune for this convention, guard-age included. Some aides to candidates grumbled about the steep costs they're expected to help shoulder, but the party has no choice. Dems can only hold conventions at union shops, of which there are precious few in the state of FL. [MARC AMBINDER]

Posted at 09:51 AM

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