Obama security stepped uphttp://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/ma ... arackobamaFriday May 04 2007 11:45 BST

Leading Democratic presidential candidates Barack Obama (l) and Hillary Clinton. Photograph: Win McNamee/Getty Images
US presidential hopeful Barack Obama has been given secret service protection far earlier in the campaign than any previous candidate following worries about racist threats, officials said.
Mr Obama, who regularly draws large crowds as he campaigns to become America's first black president, requested the protection himself, the department of homeland security said last night.
The Homeland security secretary, Michael Chertoff, authorised this and the secret Service "is now implementing that protection", said Eric Zahren, a secret service spokesman.
"We're not going to discuss ... any of the deliberations or assessments that went into making that decision," he added.
He refused to discuss any specific threats against Mr Obama. However, another official, speaking off the record, said there were general concerns about the safety of a prominent black candidate.
Several concerns had been raised, including some racist discussions on white supremacist websites, the official told the Associated Press newswire. Dick Durbin, a Democrat senator, told reporters last night that he had received information several weeks ago, some of it connected to Mr Obama's race, that made him worried for the Democratic candidate's safety....