Bush Campaigns Heavily on Air Force One

[gldstwmn]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...h_travel_costs

Sun May 30, 5:33 PM ET

By SCOTT LINDLAW, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - President Bush is using Air Force One for re-election travel more heavily than any predecessor, wringing maximum political mileage from a perk of office paid for by taxpayers.

While Democratic rival John Kerry digs into his campaign bank account to charter a plane to roam the country, Bush often travels at no cost to his campaign simply by declaring a trip "official" travel rather than "political."

Even when the White House deems a trip as political, the cost to Bush's campaign is minimal. In such instances, the campaign must only pay the government 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 to 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.

"It's really something that's abused," said Bill Allison, managing editor of the Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, government watchdog group.

"On the one hand, the president can't fly coach," Allison said. "But on the other hand, taxpayers are in essence subsidizing campaign trips, something that goes against the grain of how the political system is supposed to operate."

The White House says it is following both the law and tradition in deciding which events are official, and thus paid for by taxpayers.

"Federal election laws set forth clear guidelines as to how costs should be incurred, and consistent with decades of past practices, we strictly adhere to those guidelines," said White House spokeswoman Erin Healy.

Bush has logged more than 68,000 miles this year on Air Force One, all within the continental United States except for a quick run to Mexico in January. With rare exceptions, he confines his travels to the more than a dozen states he and Kerry are fighting hardest for, and to places where he is raising campaign money.

Of those states, Bush has made five trips to Pennsylvania, four each to Missouri, Florida and Ohio, and three to Wisconsin. He also has flown to 24 fund-raisers for himself and the Republican Party.

The White House labeled travel to fund-raisers "political." Likewise, it deemed as "political" a thank-you mixer with big donors in Georgia, his first campaign rally in Orlando, Fla., and bus tours through Michigan, Ohio, Iowa and Wisconsin, meaning his campaign paid a share of the costs.

But of the more than $203 million Bush has raised for his re-election, less than 1 percent has gone to reimbursing the government for travel costs this year.

The campaign repaid White House Airlift Operations at least $512,000 from May 2003 through April 2004, including reimbursements for political travel by Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites), first lady Laura Bush and political aides.

The reimbursements do not cover the cargo planes that shuttle the president's limousines and helicopters to every event, or travel expenses of White House advance workers who lay the groundwork for the trips.

It is difficult to say precisely what the Bush campaign is repaying the government per trip. 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.

An Associated Press tally of Bush's travels shows he has made at least 114 trips in the 17 months since January 2003.

Clinton flew Air Force One on 123 domestic trips between January 1995 and mid-October 1996, a period of 22 months. It was a record for re-election-related travel aboard the presidential aircraft, according to the Center for Public Integrity.

[dissention]

Nice to know that our tax dollars are not simply financing a bogus war, but they're also financing ChimpCo in their trials and tribulations on the campaign trail.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by dissention

Nice to know that our tax dollars are not simply financing a bogus war, but they're also financing ChimpCo in their trials and tribulations on the campaign trail.

I think it sucks as well, but they ALL do it, not just W and crewe - and the gov. has some kind of wimpy payback system in place - so it is legal. And, the most curious use was when Hillary ran for Sen. of NYC, Hillary used to make Bill either fly in it with her to NYC for a "meeting" or she just used it alone

[Hawkeye]

He Was a Silver Girl
Lost in this high tech world
He was A Golden Girl
Immersed in a Hard Core War

He was Girlie Girl
Caught in a Man's World
And as His world turns
he feels so lost

Still he's very much a danger
Insane, Far below his years.
On Some things he's very clear
He's a Wild Idiot

Sometimes He was the President
But He doesn't even know
A shadow moves across his face
So he hops on Air Force 1

[dissention]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

I think it sucks as well, but they ALL do it, not just W and crewe - and the gov. has some kind of wimpy payback system in place - so it is legal. And, the most curious use was when Hillary ran for Sen. of NYC, Hillary used to make Bill either fly in it with her to NYC for a "meeting" or she just used it alone

No ****, Sherlock.

I knew that and even if I didn't, the article pointed it out. I just find it curious that ChimpCo has used it more than anyone else on the campaign trail. And it should be illegal, IMO. It's not why we pay taxes.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

He Was a Silver Girl
Lost in this high tech world
He was A Golden Girl
Immersed in a Hard Core War

He was Girlie Girl
Caught in a Man's World
And as His world turns
he feels so lost

Still he's very much a danger
Insane, Far below his years.
On Some things he's very clear
He's a Wild Idiot

Sometimes He was the President
But He doesn't even know
A shadow moves across his face
So he hops on Air Force 1

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by dissention

No ****, Sherlock.

I knew that and even if I didn't, the article pointed it out. I just find it curious that ChimpCo has used it more than anyone else on the campaign trail. And it should be illegal, IMO. It's not why we pay taxes.

I do not so much mind them using it as I mind the payback rate is inadequate and they can campaign while on official business. I think they should have to pay the regular rate of renting a 777 for that activity.

[gldstwmn]

[QUOTE=strandinthewind And, the most curious use was when Hillary ran for Sen. of NYC, Hillary used to make Bill either fly in it with her to NYC for a "meeting" or she just used it alone [/QUOTE]

Call.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

Call.

Here is a really good one showing how the Pres. use AF1 for little to no money!!!!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...-2004Mar4.html

My fav. quote:

Bush's staff, like Clinton's staff, refuses to provide tallies for the cost of presidential travel, which is divided among the Pentagon, the Secret Service and other agencies.

But some figures emerged during earlier controversies. It is clear, for instance, that the first-class fares cover only a small fraction of the cost of operating Air Force One. The Air Force estimate is $2,912 per hour, which includes fuel, oil, water and latrine costs. The General Accounting Office has put the cost at more than $34,000, and the Republican Party used the figure of $35,000 in 2000 when complaining about travel by Hillary Rodham Clinton, who at the time was first lady and running for the Senate.


And another

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv...lary070399.htm

When first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton flies to Upstate New York Wednesday to formally begin her Senate exploratory campaign, she'll be riding on the first big controversy of the nascent campaign: a gleaming blue-and-white Air Force passenger jet.

And Another

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines02/0520-01.htm

And another

http://www.newsmax.com/articles/?a=2000/3/23/200636


___________________________________________________

In the end, the Pres. and First Lady of the US practically cannot travel in any way or on any mision without the security detail, etc. and that involves AF1.

So, I have no beef with them using it, I just think their campaigns should have to pay charter rates instead of first class ticket rates, etc. But, this is a lame duck issue as no party is ever going to do anything about it because they want the same privilege when in office

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Here is a really good one showing how the Pres. use AF1 for little to no money!!!!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...-2004Mar4.html

My fav. quote:

Bush's staff, like Clinton's staff, refuses to provide tallies for the cost of presidential travel, which is divided among the Pentagon, the Secret Service and other agencies.

But some figures emerged during earlier controversies. It is clear, for instance, that the first-class fares cover only a small fraction of the cost of operating Air Force One. The Air Force estimate is $2,912 per hour, which includes fuel, oil, water and latrine costs. The General Accounting Office has put the cost at more than $34,000, and the Republican Party used the figure of $35,000 in 2000 when complaining about travel by Hillary Rodham Clinton, who at the time was first lady and running for the Senate.


And another

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv...lary070399.htm

When first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton flies to Upstate New York Wednesday to formally begin her Senate exploratory campaign, she'll be riding on the first big controversy of the nascent campaign: a gleaming blue-and-white Air Force passenger jet.

And Another

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines02/0520-01.htm

And another

http://www.newsmax.com/articles/?a=2000/3/23/200636


___________________________________________________

In the end, the Pres. and First Lady of the US practically cannot travel in any way or on any mision without the security detail, etc. and that involves AF1.

So, I have no beef with them using it, I just think their campaigns should have to pay charter rates instead of first class ticket rates, etc. But, this is a lame duck issue as no party is ever going to do anything about it because they want the same privilege when in office

It doesn't say in any of those articles that she forced him to ride on the plane with her. Maybe in the Newsmax one, I don't regard that as credible. Please stop talking out of ass.

[dissention]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

It doesn't say in any of those articles that she forced him to ride on the plane with her. Maybe in the Newsmax one, I don't regard that as credible. Please stop talking out of ass.

Did you read how Newsmax attacked Randi Rhodes and said she should be investigated for her comments that Bush should be taken out like Fredo in The Godfather?

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

It doesn't say in any of those articles that she forced him to ride on the plane with her. Maybe in the Newsmax one, I don't regard that as credible. Please stop talking out of ass.

Bless you heart, it says her use of AF1 for campaigning for the Senate seat in NYC was unprecedented and Pres. Clinton went with her on some of it because he happened to be going to the same area on that day
That was my point

Again, I am not arguing that it was wrong of Hillary, W, Bill C., or any other Pres. or First Lady to do use AF1 for campaigning. I could care a less. I just think the reimburesment rates should be adjusted to reflect the market and the dual use exception whould be eliminated.

[dissention]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

President Bush is using Air Force One for re-election travel more heavily than any predecessor, wringing maximum political mileage from a perk of office paid for by taxpayers.

Pat Robertson was attacking Teresa Heinz for using a jet last night, but this little tidbit was most noticeably absent.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by dissention

Pat Robertson was attacking Teresa Heinz for using a jet last night, but this little tidbit was most noticeably absent.

You just have issues with W doing things more than anyone else. So, if Hillary C. used it less than W, that makes it right? Again, this is just another example of an attack on W for doing the same thing Clinton (both) did

BTW - I cannot believe she Teresa HK does not own her own jet?

[dissention]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

You just have issues with W doing things more than anyone else. So, if Hillary C. used it less than W, that makes it right? Again, this is just another example of an attack on W for doing the same thing Clinton (both) did

BTW - I cannot believe she Teresa HK does not own her own jet?

No, I have issues with hypocrisy among Republicans and the partial image they project to the world as fact.

And, if you had read my first reply in this article, I said no one should use AF1 for their own political gain. That's not why we pay taxes. Pay to charter your own jet if you need it that badly. That's what Teresa did.