With crowds at rallies around the country in the thousands, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama was just placed under Secret Service protection.
It's the earliest a presidential candidate has ever been issued a security detail, nearly nine months before primary voting even begins.
In the 2004 election, Senators John Kerry and John Edwards received secret service detail abotu eight months before the general election.
In his 1984 and 1988 campaigns for president, Rev. Jesse Jacksion drew early Secret Service protection due to threats.
Spokesperson Russ Knocke for the Homeland Security Department declined to specify wheth or not any specific threat had been made against Senator Obama or his family.
Spokesperson Russ Knocke for the Homeland Security Department declined to specify wheth or not any specific threat had been made against Senator Obama or his family.