Bush Boosts Presidential Pomp in Election

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON - It starts on the South Lawn, where a white-gloved Marine snaps a morning salute to President Bush (news - web sites) as he strides toward his helicopter. Minutes later, the president turns to wave from the doorway of Air Force One.

For voters who miss these oft-televised reminders of who is commander in chief, Bush's motorcade barrels through campaign battlegrounds with sirens blaring. Before each rally, an announcer bellows, "Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States!"

Like his predecessors, Bush is pumping up the presidential pomp for the election season, leveraging advantages of incumbency that Democratic challenger John Kerry (news - web sites) cannot match. This trump card reminds voters that Bush has toiled in the Oval Office and Sen. Kerry hasn't.
.....
Bush has traveled more heavily aboard Air Force One than any predecessor in a campaign year, logging 191,373 miles this year as of Oct. 20, and automatically inserting himself into millions of living rooms. The jumbo jet's landings and departures are frequently covered live on television and radio.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&ncid=703&e=2&u=/ap/20041024/ap_on_el_pr/presidential_pomp

[charlyvi]

1. But.....but....but....

shrub is the common man president, the one everybody wants to have a beer with!

[acmavm]

2. Just like another insane 'King George'.

.

[The Zanti Regent]

24. Presidential Pomp for a POMPOUS ASS

oh only 9 more days!

[Peanut Gallery]

3. "toiled"

Right. "Twiddled" is probably more accurate.

[Hello_Kitty]

14. More like 'soiled'...himself that is. n/t

[KittyWampus]

25. Toileted?

[grasswire]

4. yesterday's display was awful

He landed in the helicopter with music playing the "Top Gun" theme -- three times! And there was a cloud of white vapor and fireworks when the copter took off. Just nuts. Soon he'll be carrying a harp and wearing wings.

[The Icon Painter]

13. Promise? nt

[Rose Siding]

16. Oh, snap!

:D

[bluedog]

5. Llakeland Fl the idiot

had the theme from "TOP GUN" played when he got off the helicopter.....................

[kokomo]

6. Presidential helicopter was used as backdrop at Melbourne rally

Did Bush fly to Florida in the Marine helicopter, or was it flown there just to be a stage prop? It is only taxpayer money since he has managed to USE the people's aircraft for OFFICIAL visits. All he has to do is drive by a school, or such, and the Bush/Cheney campaign doesn't need to part with any of their money.

I see a 73 year-old-pilot in his old single-engine plane was scared out of his wits, intercepted by Air Force jets and forced to the ground as he got "too close" to restricted Melbourne air space while Bush was speaking at his rally.

[bleedingheart]

7. My mom remembers how Nixon would do that...it freaked her out

some people hate that pomp and circumstance shit...it's an overt waste of money..

[peacetalksforall]

8. By the way - is he reimbursing us for the jets, protection, hotels, and

other relalted expenses?

No one ever mentions this?

Remember the way they whined about Clinton?

[Hello_Kitty]

15. Yeah, the outrage over Clinton getting a haircut on Air Force One?

[Jim Sagle]

9. "Bush is pumping up the presidential pomp." Hey w, pump this.

[tblue37]

17. I would use the word "pimping." n/t

[arikara]

20. Its "hard work, real hard work!"

...pimping... LOL

[maddezmom]

10. yeah, similar to PompASS!!!

[Rose Siding]

11. Some details on the costs-

snip>
Even when the White House deems a trip political, the cost to Bush's campaign is minimal. In such instances, the campaign must pay the government only the equivalent of a comparable first-class fare for each political traveler on each leg, Federal Election Commission guidelines say. Usually, that means paying a few hundred or a few thousand dollars for the president and a handful of aides. It's a minuscule sum, compared with the $56,800 per hour the Air Force estimates it costs to run Air Force One.

It is an advantage that Bush and other presidents before him have enjoyed. President Clinton frequently was criticized by Republicans for his record-setting use of Air Force One in the campaign season, and Bush is exceeding Clinton's pace.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/06/06/c...

I can't find stats on Clinton's mileage, but Bush overtook him in back in May.

snip>
...The White House refuses to:

Provide lists of political aides who travel with Bush and whose travels are financed by the re-election campaign; or say how many political aides go on any given trip, or even offer a range.
Provide dollar figures on reimbursements for specific trips. Bush's re-election campaign periodically reports to the FEC lump reimbursement sums for unspecified travel.
Say how it decides which trips are official rather than political."
("Bush Campaigns Heavily On Air Force One," Scott Laidlaw, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, May 30, 2004)
http://www.peskyfacts.com/Leadership2.htm

[demokatgurrl]

12. They must mean pomposity, although he doesn't even

carry that off.

[allalone]

18. now if he would just put on some antiperspirant

and quit picking his nose, he might pass for human.

[RamboLiberal]

19. Save these stories for 4 years from now when Repugs

are bitching and moaning about President Kerry using AF1, Marine 1 and the trappings of the office in his campaign.

You know they'll be pissing and moaning then and have convenient amnesia about how their boy pimped the office.

[kskiska]

21. I'm waiting for him to wear a uniform with medals

and shoot a rifle into the air while "Hail to the Chief" is played by the Marine Band.

[leftchick]

23. that would be funny if it were not so.....

possible!

[roseBudd]

22. AF1 costs taxpayers $56,000 an hour n/t