The Date
The news say that the date in New York for the Lightbringer and missus cost $24,000, here’s what you DON’T know.
Three days before “dinner” a C-17 flew Marines and the helicopter maintenance equipment to JFK Airport .
The day before “dinner” a C-17 the USSS and the motorcade to JFK Airport
The crew of 5 spent two days and nights at the Hilton in Times Square. Average hotel bill: $621.66 plus $64 a day in per diem. The USSS guys were at a different Hilton in NYC, so figure that cost another $14,000 (or so) plus per diem. The Marines had to have cost as much and were there four days, so figure another $55,000 plus per diem (for 44 Marines).
The C-17s were supposed to fly the motorcade back and go home, but the Air Force was so short of C-17’s (ya know, that pesky little war in the Mid-East that needs heavy lift support) that they were re-tasked to take the motorcade back, return to JFK and take the helicopter back to Quantico ..
When the one bird got back to JFK, while the pilot was turning the plane around to park, he noticed a rotor blade sticking out of the hangar where the helicopter was parked. After shutting down they walked over to the hanger and were surprised to find FIVE helicopters, not ONE.
After talking to the Marines guarding the “fleet” and found that they were flying all five helicopters home and the C-17 was only transporting the Marines and the maintenance equipment. Additionally, they were told that the White House requested FIVE helicopters. The Marines had spent all morning trying to figure out how much it cost them to come and they figured it cost them $140,000 to stay there and the trip’s total had to be about $1,000,000.
We heard that the President didn’t use Air Force One (the 747), he came in on THREE Air Force Lear jets.
So, date night consisted of:
2 C-17’s flying three missions, 3 Lear jets, 5 Helicopters,
Presidential Motorcade, 44 Marines, more than 20 USSS personnel on our plane.. Who knows what it cost the NYPD and NY Port Authority (at the airport) in overtime.
These are the same people that chastised the automobile CEO’s for using their aircraft. It further proves that the media only use the facts that make the President look good and hide any facts that will detract from his persona…
Is this the ‘change’ we expected???
Talk with friends and those who are not blinded by charisma. More and more folks I know who voted for Obama are very disappointed and sorry they did so.
The Emperor’s clothes on a grand scale. “Transparency”? Remember, 2010 is just around the corner. All we have to do is survive long enough…
I doubt they used Lear Jets – more likely VC-20’s (Gulfstream III).
However, you know Dear Leader, nothing is too good for the People’s Messiah!
Think about it, if Jesus returned to Earth, would you begrudge him a million or so taxpayer dollars to bring his entourage to New York City?
My sense is that’s how Dear Leader views it.
Oblama just “looks cooler” with horns than with a halo. So far he has yet to perform anything even approaching a miracle, unless you count the election itself. Then there’s also a bill run up by the White House Communications Agency when they play these games. They go in even earlier and stay later.
Looks like obama has met with some resistance to his plans to “fundamentally change the United States”. As year number one comes to a close, all we really have is a bunch of rhetoric and the American people so terribly polarized, the only people profiting are those in the news media. In a macro-view, oblama has changed nothing else.
🙂 Probably flew in a press or two and some paper n’ ink to cover the cost of the trip.
No big deal. 🙂
1,215 days.
2012 us the end of this world, and I don’t think there are enough great politicians, let alone just Good politicians running in 2010 to change the way the government works. It would be so nice but everyone is too busy that we would want to serve, that those that step forward to serve all think we are their servants… what a concept – being a goose that lays golden eggs.
Eisenhower never needed that much security, Truman? How does that mission creep happen?
“All animals are equal,but some animals are more equal than others.” How true these days!
Gerry
When Algore came to visit my company, I was just appalled at the size of his entourage. Not this big, but still ridiculous.
What a waste.
Just remember in a year from now, ABI!! That is ANYBODY BUT THE INCUMBENT!! Most of these asswipes HAVE TO GO!
It’s only taxpayer money, so who cares? After all, they can always just raise taxes on the “super rich”. Which has been redefined as anyone who makes more than minimum wage.
I say it is Time to throw the bums out!
LL- dunno, they do have Lears for short haul and it’s ONLY 30 minutes… And yes I would! 🙂
RWL- Good point ahd yes, WHCA is even further out front. I agree with the rest of your comments too!
Lorimer- Who knows… sigh…
WSF- YES!
Earl- I think paranoia, more than anything else…
Gerry/Ride Fast- Agreed!
Ev- I LIKE that… ABI works!
TOTW- Yeah, but that now includes us… sigh…
Fuzzy- Agreed!