Here are 7 of the Funniest Secret Service Code Names in Recent History
Find out why Karenna Gore wishes she could ditch ‘Smurfette’ and how Hillary Clinton ended up as ‘Evergreen.’ Explore the tales behind Frank Sinatra’s ‘Napoleon’ status, Ronald Reagan’s ‘Rawhide’ charm, and even Prince Charles dubbed as the majestic ‘Unicorn.’ We’re unveiling a side of the Secret Service you’ve never seen before. Buckle up as we delve into the intriguing world of Secret Service code names. Join us on a journey through 7 of the funniest Secret Service code names in recent history.
1. Meghan McCain // “Peter Sellers”
John McCain, her father, ran as a Republican for president in 2008 and went by the name “Phoenix.” According to Secret Service guidelines, Meghan McCain ended up with “Peter Sellers” because direct family members must have code names that start with the same letter. Meghan added her voice to the criticism of the Secret Service, in 2014, as per The Hill , claiming to have had “nothing but horrible experiences” and comparing the officers to “glorified mall cops.” She was the only one in her family to share her full name with another person. Her siblings opted for cartoon character names like “Popeye” and “Pebbles.”
2. Frank Sinatra // “Napoleon”
Frank Sinatra spent a lot of time with the Kennedy family, but President Richard Nixon asked for him to have a Secret Service name and occasionally be protected. He was known by the code name “Napoleon.” As the astronauts of Apollo 12 listened to his voice recorded on tape while they were orbiting the moon, Sinatra became the most extensively preserved musician in recorded sound history in 1997 when his 206 CDs went into print. The man called himself the Top Wop, as per New Yorker .
3. Ronald Reagan // “Rawhide”
Ronald Reagan’s code name, “Rawhide,” came from his love of ranching and possibly from his days as an actor in Westerns. When asked if he had ever called the president “Rawhide” in person, one of his security detail members, Larry Rowlett, once said, “Yes—he was always very congenial and just kind of one of the guys. “You know, if somebody referred to him as that he’d get a chuckle out of it.” Nancy Reagan, the first lady, was simply referred to as Mrs. Reagan, as per Mental Floss .
4. Karenna Gore // “Smurfette”
The eldest child of Tipper and Al Gore, Karenna Gore actually started talking about her experiences as the vice president’s daughter (her Secret Service name is Smurfette, and she really wants a new one!) when she was an editorial assistant for the online publication Slate, as per Washington Post . “Ever since four years ago, when I was put on the spot and told ‘two syllables’ and ‘it has to start with an s,'” she wrote in a 1997 essay for Slate. “I have been cringing in the back seat when identified as ‘Smurfette.'”
5. Hillary Clinton // “Evergreen”
The name “Evergreen” was given to Hillary Clinton upon her husband Bill Clinton’s 1992 transfer into the Oval Office. During an outdoor event surrounded by snow-covered mountains and evergreens, Hillary disclosed the codenames assigned to her and her spouse by the Secret Service. Hillary told the crowd, “I was thinking about the sculpture called Eagle Spirit. When you’re president, the Secret Service gives you and your family member’s code names, it’s already made public so I’m not spilling some big secret here, but my husband’s codename was ‘Eagle’ and my codename was ‘Evergreen’ so I feel, you know like I’m surrounded by my totems here,” as per CBS News .
6. Prince Charles // “Unicorn”
He loved plums and granola, was teased at school despite being a royal, and was given the code name “Unicorn” by the US Secret Service. Certain royals and dignitaries are frequently given their own code name when they visit the US to subtly announce their arrival. Although the name may sound strange, it is actually very suitable for the king, since the unicorn has been Scotland’s national animal and a feature of its coat of arms for about 600 years. Queen Elizabeth’s code name before her death was either “Redfern” or “Kittyhawk,” as per Sterlingmint .
7. Pope John Paul II // “Halo”
During his 27 years as pontiff, Paul canonized numerous people, earning the Vatican the nickname “the saint factory.” Under his leadership, the number of saints canonized rose to about 500, up from 300 in the previous 600 years. However, his legacy was later questioned, with some Catholics wondering if he was declared a saint too quickly in 2014. A star in the United States Church, he was removed from his position as a priest following an internal inquiry that revealed he had abused power and committed sexual assaults against both adults and juveniles, as per Yahoo!