Speaker (Pelosi) pursues military flights

WashTimes ^ | 1 Feb 2007 | Rowan Scarborough

[radar101]

The office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is pressing the Bush administration for routine access to military aircraft for domestic flights, such as trips back to her San Francisco district, according to sources familiar with the discussions. The sources, who include those in Congress and in the administration, said the Democrat is seeking regular military flights not only for herself and her staff, but also for relatives and for other members of the California delegation. A knowledgeable source called the request "carte blanche for an aircraft any time." "They are pressing the point of her succession and that the [Department of Defense] needs to play ball with the speaker's needs," one source said. The request originally went to the Pentagon, which then asked the White House to weigh in. Mrs. Pelosi's request is not new for a speaker, who is second-in-line in presidential succession. A defense source said the speaker's regular access to a military plane began after the September 11, 2001, attacks. Rep. J. Dennis Hastert, Illinois Republican, who was speaker at the time, started using U.S. Air Force planes for domestic travel to and from his district for security reasons. A former Hastert aide said the congressman did not use military planes for political trips or regularly transport his family. The defense source said Mr. Hastert requested a plane with good communications so he could conduct legislative business. The military flights increased to the point the speaker used a military plane for many, if not all, flights to his Illinois district, the former aide said. Sources said Mrs. Pelosi's request goes beyond what Mr. Hastert received. The speaker's legal counsel is spearheading the talks.

[yankeedame]

Heck, flying 'Space-A' is its own 'reward'.

LOL! Yeah, like shaving off a few years of pergatory here on earth.

[ExcursionGuy84]

Actually, Southwest [My Favorite] Airlines doesn't fly into San Fransisco (SFO) anymore.
The "Squeaker" of the House can, however, take United from their Washington-Dulles hub transcon to SFO, another United hub, simple-as-that.

[angelsonmyside]

" The aide asserted that the administration was using a Washington Times reporter, in effect, to negotiate with the speaker's office by leaking information about Mrs. Pelosi's request. Asked if the speaker was seeking increased access to military planes, the aide took the question, but did not call back."

They never cease to amaze me.

[yankeedame]

Her request was not only excessive, it was parochial and inappropriate...

Parochial, my eye! This smacks of Versailles mentality.

[Trunk 71-74]

And damn proud of it, too!

Strato-Pigs FOREVER!

[Trunk 71-74]

After reading Fatal Purity by Ruth Scurr (about Robespierre) the similarities with Pelosi are incredible!

[rabidralph]

LOL! Gotta love those MAC flights: waitin' around, waitin' around.

[ClaireSolt]

I have been wracking my brain trying to figure out exactly why Dems want to bring the troops home and whqat they woud do if we did. Now we know. The military should line up beside the illegal aliens and wait on the nouveau rich.

[Bringbackthedraft]

SW goes to SJC San Jose. She can take a train from there.

[Muzzle_em]

my thoughts exactly.
She can hop on a plane that is ALREADY going to her desired destination, NOT the other way around.
She can sit on the damned floor!
Why do members of Congress think they are GOD?!
She certainly has the money to charter her own private flights.

[tiger-one]

Is this what John Sununu Sr. caught hell for??

[Muzzle_em]

LOL!

[neodad]

But what's the CO2 footprint? She'll have to plant a bunch of trees to compensate.

[gruntSGT]

I predict that in the spirit of "bipartisanship" Bush will give her all that she asks for, and then some. She will probably end up in Air Force One, while HE flys commercial. I'm so sick of the Republicans kowtowing to these slimeballs.

[EQAndyBuzz]

She wants Airforce 3

[NCC-1701]

"...Heck, flying 'Space-A' is its own 'reward'...."



Found this poster on Wikipedia.

[robertpaulsen]

"Just what kind of service does the Queen of Market Street think she is going to get on a military aircraft?"

I say let her ride miltary transports -- on one condition. Like other Speaker's of the House, she must exit the rear of the airplane.

Seems fair enough.

[Txsleuth]

When it comes to ethics and corruption...I guess this "Emporess" has no clothes.

[Fierce Allegiance]

I loved taking MAC flights, got to see some really cool stuff for a Coastie.

[Fierce Allegiance]

But what's the CO2 footprint? She'll have to plant a bunch of trees to compensate.

Shell count her wine vineyards (maintained by illegals, btw).