Could Obama get a Security Clearance?

[Zguy28]

He could probably get a DoD one. They hand them out to anyone.

[TMK9973]

When Clinton was in office several of his cronies couldn't initially receive security clearances because of drug use and priors.

CIA has a lot of Career liberals I'm sure they would turn a blind eye in this cas.

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I don't suppose you would want to back the Clinton statement up with any kind of fact do you? (I know - Why would you start now?)

And how did the CIA get Career liberals? Don't all Liberals hate America? How did they get clearance?

[SloppyOneXXVI]

I work as a personnel security administrator at a VERY large private defense company (DOD), so I think I can provide some insight....

First of all, time heals all wounds. If you did drugs 10 years ago, they don't care. So stop talking about the drugs. Weed use isn't a big deal for DOD regardless, it's a bigger deal if you're applying for an agency clearance. (DIA, FBI, CIA)

Bad Credit and Debt keeps the majority of people from getting their clearances on the DOD side. I'm sure Obama is fine there.

Even the foreign contacts wouldn't be too big of a deal as long as you're up front. I know someone who recently got their clearance and his/her parents were Iraqi nationals. Now is that person going to get a TS/SCI (Top Secret/Specialized Compartmented Information, the highest DOD clearance level), probably not.

As for the polygraph, (which is technically higher than TS/SCI, but you have to have a TS/SCI before you get polygraphed) as long as you tell the truth, (and you haven't murdered someone, own kiddy porn, etc.) you're fine. There's many different types of polygraphs (CI, Lifestyle, full scope) but if you want to find out about them go to wiki.

Here's the kicker though, the president of the United States is not issued a security clearance. He/She is priveledged to information as long as they hold the office, but once they are out of office they no longer are priveledged to that information. When you run the country, you are given all the information you want. The president doesn't need DOD or the CIA to do a background investigation.

But to answer the original question, he could get a secret, because, well, anybody can get a secret. They are given away like candy on halloween. I doubt he would have any trouble getting any clearance because of his record of public service. Whoever his "shady contacts" may be, that doesn't negate his years of public service. So yes, he could get a clearance.

[MikeInJc aka M.I.A.]

I believe all Senators have some sort of clearance (secret, TS, etc) so they can view sensitive information as it might pertain to their duties.

[Gibbsisgod2006]

I work as a personnel security administrator at a VERY large private defense company (DOD), so I think I can provide some insight....

First of all, time heals all wounds. If you did drugs 10 years ago, they don't care. So stop talking about the drugs. Weed use isn't a big deal for DOD regardless, it's a bigger deal if you're applying for an agency clearance. (DIA, FBI, CIA)

Bad Credit and Debt keeps the majority of people from getting their clearances on the DOD side. I'm sure Obama is fine there.

Even the foreign contacts wouldn't be too big of a deal as long as you're up front. I know someone who recently got their clearance and his/her parents were Iraqi nationals. Now is that person going to get a TS/SCI (Top Secret/Specialized Compartmented Information, the highest DOD clearance level), probably not.

As for the polygraph, (which is technically higher than TS/SCI, but you have to have a TS/SCI before you get polygraphed) as long as you tell the truth, (and you haven't murdered someone, own kiddy porn, etc.) you're fine. There's many different types of polygraphs (CI, Lifestyle, full scope) but if you want to find out about them go to wiki.

Here's the kicker though, the president of the United States is not issued a security clearance. He/She is priveledged to information as long as they hold the office, but once they are out of office they no longer are priveledged to that information. When you run the country, you are given all the information you want. The president doesn't need DOD or the CIA to do a background investigation.

But to answer the original question, he could get a secret, because, well, anybody can get a secret. They are given away like candy on halloween. I doubt he would have any trouble getting any clearance because of his record of public service. Whoever his "shady contacts" may be, that doesn't negate his years of public service. So yes, he could get a clearance.

It is just not Ayers though their are many more people that he Barack has associated with in the past like Rashid Khaldi and Joe Rezeko. Having parents that are Iraqi Nationals doesn't mean that much as along as they don't associate with know terrorists groups. I know many people that work for certain goverment agencies that their parents are Iranian, Pakistanie, and Afghan nationals and carry Clearances above TS/SCI.

[Hubbs]

an even more interesting question would be, is there a security clearance higher than that given to the President?

Well, duh.