This is coming from a CNN News Alert: Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has been placed under the protection of the U.S. Secret Service, reportedly because of a threat against him, the Secret Service said Thursday.
As of now, no news outlets have anything more, and considering that CNN has been wrong before with their "Breaking News" alerts, it could be nothing, but hopefuly more details come out soon...
Update 1: from CNN's Political Ticker:
Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama has been placed under secret service detail, according to a statement from the U.S. Secret Service.
"Secretary Chertoff has, after consultation with the congressional advisory committee, authorized the United States Secret Service, to protect presidential candidate Senate Barack Obama.
"As a matter of procedure, we will not release any details of the deliberations or assessments that led to protection being initiated. For security reasons we will not release the timing, scope or details of any protective operations."
I would have to think that the threat would have to be considered a viable one in order for the Secret Service to get involved.
Update 2:People have been asking in the comments if and when a presidential candidate received Secret Service protection.
In the last election, Democratic candidates John Kerry and John Edwards received their protection in February 2004 after they got the party's nomination while Obama's detail comes nine months before the first votes are even cast.
According to an AP article, federal law allows candidates to seek protection if they meet a series of standards, including public prominence as measured by polls and fundraising... so this could indeed not be a result of a specific threat but more so due to his ever-increasing popularity.
More as it comes out...
Update 3: Interesting, but Fox "News" says that a DHS official confirmed that Senator Obama requested the protection. But, it's Fox so take it with a HUGE grain of salt.