Obama to get Secret Service protection

WASHINGTON -- The Secret Service said yesterday that Democratic Senator Barack Obama was being placed under its protection, the earliest ever for a presidential candidate.

Michael Chertoff, Department of Homeland Security secretary, authorized Obama's protection after consultations with the bipartisan congressional advisory committee, according to a spokesman and the Secret Service.

Eric Zahren, Secret Service spokesman, would not provide details of what led to the extra security, but said, "I'm not aware it was based on any threat."

Department of Homeland Security officials said there were no known threats.

An Obama rival, Senator Hillary Clinton, has a Secret Service detail that is provided to all former president's wives .

The agency and the department would not comment on the scope of Obama's protection or provide any other security details. Obama's campaign did not immediately respond to questions about whether the candidate requested the extra security.

In the last election, Democratic candidates John F. Kerry and John Edwards received their protection in February 2004 as they were competing for the party's nomination. Obama's detail will be placed nine months before the first votes are cast.

Federal law allows candidates to seek protection if they meet a series of standards, including public prominence as measured by polls and fund-raising.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson drew early Secret Service protection because of threats during his campaigns for president in the 1980s.

In a Feb. 12 interview with the Associated Press, Obama dismissed concerns about his own security, but would not answer directly when asked whether he had received death threats.

"I face the same security issues as anybody," Obama said.