by Denis Campbell

Every incoming POTUS and VPOTUS (President of the United States and Vice), has a code name used by their US Secret Service protection detail. The name is chosen by the White House Communications Agency, originally created as the White House Signal Detachment under Franklin Roosevelt.

According to protocol, ‘good’ codewords are unambiguous words that can be easily pronounced and readily understood by those who transmit and receive voice messages by radio or telephone regardless of their native language.

The ’secret’ codenames change over time for security purposes, but are often publicly known. For security, codenames are generally picked from a list of such ‘good’ words, but avoiding the use of common words which could likely be intended to mean its normal definition.

They have a pithy sense of humour in the WHCA as the names tend to also reflect the personality of interests of the assignee. “Eagle is on the move…” or “Eagle is two minutes out!” being familiar lines from television’s The West Wing. Members of the 1st family get similarly easy to pronounce names and they begin with the same 1st letter as the lead.

So the Secret Service has assigned the name ‘Renegade’ to the new US President reflecting his improbable campaign and unlikely victory. Michelle Obama will be Rennaissance (Much classier than Jackie’s Lace). And the kids: Malia is indeed Radiance and Sasha, Rosebud. VPOTUS Joe Biden is Celtic and Jill Biden, Capri.

Bush the elder, the 41st US President, was known as Timberwolf (he is quit e the outdoorsman), 43 is called Tumbler (no idea… but he it is widely known that he is a recovering alcoholic). Ronald Reagan was called Rawhide, a reference to his penchant for Western movies as an actor and then as a rancher while Bill Clinton was called the less creative and more boring Eagle.

Richard Nixon’s code name was Searchlight (perhaps obliquely referring back to his time on Senator McCarthy’s witch hunt committee), JFK… was Lancer (is that Sir Lancelot from Camelot?) and Lyndon Johnson was Volunteer (since he took office when JFK was assassinated).

My favourite though is the generic name for the White House Press Secretary - Matrix. Literally each day this person arises and asks the question asked of Neo, the red pill or blue pill?

John McCain, why Phoenix of course and he will rise from these ashes much stronger than Denali and Driller. Who are they? Sarah and Todd Palin of course.