Make those companies pay for the travel.
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I’m not certain, but don’t the media companies reimburse the Feds when they are riding on AF1 and other government-type charters to cover a travelling story? IF they do, I think the reimbursement is only at the cheap commercial plane (maybe as cheap as coach) rate, and not at the actual cost a seat is on the US govt. plane.
So, I think they aren’t bitching about the cost; they are probably paying the same $ anyway. Their rage is over not getting a comfortable spot on a junket and instead having to deal with all the hassles us normal travelers have to go through if we had to travel overseas.
That’s a shame...
On second thought, they may indeed be spending more, if the gvt reimbursement rate was based on coach and they are travelling 1st Class on short notice.
Also, remember Andrea Mitchell’s stunt shouting questions at T-Rex a week or so ago at a no-question-allowed photo-opp? Paybacks are a beyotch...
I seriously doubt that news companies pay for their trips on Government planes. They think the First Amendment covers them. And in the past, they have been treated like VIP’s. For Obama and Clinton it was always handy to have the cheerleaders around, for Bush it was trying to make them like him.