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iPod man will keep President tuned in
Paul Thompson in Miami25 Mar 2009
BARACK Obama will be accompanied by his personal "body man" when he comes to London next week.
Reggie Love, the 26-year-old who does everything from getting the President sandwiches to loading his iPod will be at his elbow for virtually every minute of his three-day visit for the G20 summit.
The former university basketball star carries a bag which includes anything the president might need at short notice, including note pads, painkillers, a spare toothbrush, cold medication and breath freshener.
Mr Obama describes him as "the person who keeps me on schedule" and gave Mr Love the title "deputy political director" when he joined the White House staff after shadowing him throughout his election campaign
Also watching Mr Obama's every step will be the armed secret service bodyguards assigned to protect "Renegade", his code name. Twelve agents will accompany him on the plane, working eight-hour shifts to provide around-the-clock security.
More security personnel are already in London discussing his protection with Scotland Yard. They were said today to have vetoed a plan for Sarah Brown to entertain Michelle Obama on the Royal Train with the wives of the other G20 leaders.
Mr Obama's aides have spent several months planning the trip. Even though the president is here for the G20 economic summit it has all the trappings of a formal state visit.
The First Lady will have a team of eight accompanying her. They include a press officer and secretarial support as well as bodyguards.
Mr Obama will have at least 20 people in his close entourage. The most visible will be a military officer carrying the secret codes needed in the event of a nuclear crisis in a briefcase known as "the football".
The retinue on the flight to Stansted will also include his press secretary Robert Gibbs, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, several assistants and his doctor.
The President will also be accompanied by his key economic and policy advisers for the G20 summit - including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Larry Summers, the head of the National Economic Council, and Christina Romer, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers.
