Obama’s new presidential Cadillac

As thousands of people lined Pennsylvania Avenue on Jan. 20, waiting for the passing of Obama’s motorcade during the inaugural parade, they will be surprised to see a new “Beast,” as the Secret Service refers to Obama’s new presidential Cadillac.

In keeping with recent tradition, the Secret Service will place a brand-new presidential limousine into service to drive the new president down Pennsylvania Avenue during the parade.

Although, photos of the limo — with patches of gray primer — have leaked out. It is expected to be painted black. The new presidential limo with its 8-inch-thick doors, is a Cadillac but not a direct extension of any single model.

The presidential vehicle is built to precise and special specifications, undergoes extreme testing and development, and also incorporates many of the top aspects of Cadillac’s ‘regular’ cars — such as signature design, hand-cut-and-sewn interiors, etc.

Obama should expect two seemingly contradictory feelings when riding in the presidential limousine, said Joe Funk, a retired Secret Service agent who was President Bill Clinton’s driver during part of his career.

"I think he will be surprised about how when he’s in the limo, it’s a cocoon," Funk said. "The everyday noises will be gone, and he will be totally isolated in this protective envelope."

"At the same time, I think he will be surprised at the communication capabilities, how the phones, the satellites, the Internet — everything is at his fingertips," he said. "So at one end, you are totally removed from society. The other side of the coin is that he can have any communications worldwide at a moment’s touch."

Funk says presidents sometimes chat with the agents, and sometimes don’t.

"Every day is different, just like every person," he said. "Sometimes they get in the car and they have a lot on their mind. They’re involved in reading material, they’re involved in the newspaper, they’re talking to local dignitaries or they are talking to Cabinet-level.

"Other times, they are interested in sporting events, in doing the crossword puzzle, interested in the feedback they get from talking to the agents — primarily the supervisor that sits in the front seat," Funk said.

While the government spares no expense for the presidential limo, the weight of the car makes it less maneuverable and more sluggish than comparable sport utility vehicles, Funk said. And the door and window frames, which accommodate thick ballistic glass, create large blind spots, he said.

Funk’s own experience driving Clinton was uneventful, he says, which is a good thing, considering his line of business.

"I was very lucky. We didn’t have any close calls," he says. "Everything was very smooth."

But he still considers the experience a career highlight.

"At the end of the day, if you had a good driving day, you do kind of sit back with a certain amount of pride and say, ‘I had the president of the United States in the car with me for an hour, two hours, and I got him from point A to point B safely in conjunction with all the other team members,’ " he said. "When it’s done, you can sit back and take some pride in knowing that you pulled it off."