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Air Force One charm offensive takes off (Good Lord!)
politico.com ^ | 2/9/15 | Anna Palmer and John Bresnahan

Posted on 02/09/2015 9:12:59 AM PST by cotton1706

One of the least back-slapping presidents in recent memory may have finally found a way to bond with lawmakers — by treating them to the most exclusive upgrade in air travel.

Since his party took brutal losses in the November elections, President Barack Obama has invited nearly 20 members of Congress to fly with him on Air Force One to state visits in India and Saudi Arabia, to Tennessee for the announcement of his free community college initiative, and to Nevada to promote his latest sweeping moves on immigration.

Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander used last month’s flight to his home state of Tennessee to bend the president’s ear on changes to No Child Left Behind. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was flying on Air Force One to Saudi Arabia when she cajoled Obama into killing his plan to tax college savings plans. And this kind of airborne presidential face time is happening more and more, part of a White House schmooze offensive aimed at both Republicans and Democrats in Congress.

While lawmakers have flown on the president’s Boeing 747 throughout his presidency, the White House says the focus on the flights has increased since the midterms. The directive came from Obama himself, a White House official said.

Even when no major decisions come from the airborne jaunts, lawmakers say they yield dividends.

“I’m not one of those kind of guys needing to shoot the breeze, or needing to be felt important,” said Tennessee Republican Sen. Bob Corker, who joined Obama for the recent trip with Alexander. “That’s not something that is necessary, but when it’s appropriate we can have a conversation on a trip like that.”

(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: airforceone; elections; obamacongress; obamafacetime

1 posted on 02/09/2015 9:12:59 AM PST by cotton1706
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To: cotton1706

Who said “Those are our jets now “ ?


2 posted on 02/09/2015 9:15:30 AM PST by al baby (Hi Mom)
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To: cotton1706

Be stuck for two hours on an airplane sitting next to a droning narcissist?

I’d ask the stewardess to find me another seat.


3 posted on 02/09/2015 9:15:45 AM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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To: cotton1706
OBIE takes whatever steps are necessary ...


4 posted on 02/09/2015 9:16:43 AM PST by MeshugeMikey ("Never, Never, Never, Give Up," Winston Churchill ><>)
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To: cotton1706

So how much will all this “goodwill” cost us taxpayers?

Air Force One should be grounded till the spender-in-chief leaves office.


5 posted on 02/09/2015 9:17:09 AM PST by fatnotlazy
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To: cotton1706
Alexander and Corker joining the mile high club with Obama on AF1.

Why am I not surprised?

6 posted on 02/09/2015 9:18:48 AM PST by Timber Rattler (Just say NO! to RINOS and the GOP-E)
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To: cotton1706
One of the least back-slapping presidents in recent memory...

He slaps his own back with such frequency that he looks like a humming bird.

7 posted on 02/09/2015 9:25:38 AM PST by SampleMan (Feral Humans are the refuse of socialism.)
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To: cotton1706
may have finally found a way to bond with lawmakers — by treating them to the most exclusive upgrade in air travel.

Politico makes this statement as if its the first time in history that a president has tried to use Air Force One to impress people, or as if the members of Congress are all wide-eyed yokels who would be swayed by a ride on a fancy airplane. I think most of them have either been on Air Force One or aren't going to be too impressed. This is just Politico desperately trying to create an "Obama's on the comeback trail" narrative out of nothing.

8 posted on 02/09/2015 9:26:07 AM PST by Opinionated Blowhard ("When the people find they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.")
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To: cotton1706
Corker's statement is the same as someone saying.."It's not about the money"......it's ALWAYS about the money.

Our guys are WHORES...POLITICAL WHORES that can be bought off by a plane ride with a MUSLIM TRAITOR!!

9 posted on 02/09/2015 9:28:52 AM PST by Ann Archy (ABORTION....... The HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: cotton1706

Washington and Jefferson would never have dreamed of exploiting Air Force One in this manner.


10 posted on 02/09/2015 9:32:47 AM PST by Oliviaforever
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To: Ann Archy

With a traitor... what does that make them?


11 posted on 02/09/2015 9:33:12 AM PST by FreeAtlanta (Liberty or Big Government - you can't have both.)
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To: cotton1706

If the federal government is shut down, does that mean AF1 is grounded? Hopefully with Obama stuck somewhere outside of DC.


12 posted on 02/09/2015 9:43:04 AM PST by grania
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To: cotton1706
One of the least back-slapping presidents in recent memory

The moment I read that I determined the entire article was not worth my time.

13 posted on 02/09/2015 9:58:43 AM PST by Mastador1 (I'll take a bad dog over a good politician any day!)
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To: cotton1706
My Covert Operatives. tell me that there are plans underway to add other schmoozing scenarios to the WHitehous Plan...




14 posted on 02/09/2015 10:00:05 AM PST by MeshugeMikey ("Never, Never, Never, Give Up," Winston Churchill ><>)
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To: cotton1706

Delouse afterwards. There is no telling how many Muslim terrorists and rap stars have been in those seats.


15 posted on 02/09/2015 10:04:08 AM PST by pallis (I like white people)
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