These are Democrats, not the competitive activist Left.

Regarding the Eisenhower/Nixon quote, it is indeed true, but taken out of context to make it appear as if Eisenhower needed a week to think of any instance where he brought VP Nixon into the decision process. See here:
http://blog.nixonfoundation.org/2010/08/if-you-give-me-a-week-i-might-think-of-one/
I believe the “give me a week” part of the quote had to do with the frequency of press conferences, meaning Ike could have some examples at the next meeting. A good book on the Eisenhower/Nixon relationship is “Ike & Dick: Portrait of a Strange Political Marriage” by Jeffrey Frank

And the Secret Service’s institutional culture only needs reform in the sense that it needs to return to the culture it once possessed. But that would be contrary to the ‘god’ of political correctness. So all they’ll do is address the symptoms, not the disease.

The VA is the prime example of constantly changing top execs not reforming the institutional culture.

Well, if security for the President is that bad, then say the State of the Union speech might be something to avoid… I mean, we could lose the entire federal government’s top management in one fell swoop. Wait… 😉