ABOUT PROTECTION FOR RFK JR.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is running a long-shot campaign against incumbent Joe Biden for the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination. He’s polling at about 15%, nearly 50 points behind the president. Among the party faithful, his unfavorable ratings are quite high, according to a compilation of surveys published this month on FiveThirtyEight.

Nevertheless, the White House is taking no chances given Biden’s obvious and many vulnerabilities. Rather than ignore Kennedy, the administration has from time to time harshly criticized his public statements, some of which have been controversial. And now Kennedy complains that the president is taking more subtle swipes in an effort to minimize his candidacy.

Last month, Kennedy tweeted that he had sought Secret Service protection, but that the agency ignored his request and then turned him down. “Since the assassination of my father in 1968, candidates for president are provided Secret Service protection. But not me,” he wrote. …

The Secret Service notes on its website that it offers protection to “major presidential and vice presidential candidates and their spouses within 120 days of a presidential election.” We’re about 11 months away from that threshold. But since 1980, a number of candidates — including Barack Obama — have been granted protection well before the 120-day standard applied, although rarely this far out. …

Kennedy’s request is neither unprecedented nor unreasonable. It is also understandable given the historical circumstances. Political considerations are a distraction in this case. The Secret Service and the Biden administration should re-examine the decision to deny him protection.