Africa, Chile, China .. (Three Trips, Eight Countries, 2,400 -- and a $60 Million Pentagon Tab)

[Wolverine]

Excerpt:

Fuss Over a Flight

Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the House Government Reform Committee, asked Congress' investigative arm to prepare a full accounting of the trip, given Fleischer's new explanation for the jet ride.

But Fleischer said the cost of making the journey in a helicopter would have been virtually identical to what it cost for the jet ride. He said both aircraft cost about $7,000 an hour to operate.

Fleischer rejected Byrd's criticism, saying: "More than 100 Americans paid the ultimate price to defend our country, and the president is proud to have visited the Abraham Lincoln to say 'thank you' in person. Our servicemen and women deserve no less."

[Wolverine]

Excerpt

Administration defends Bush's jet flight to aircraft carrier

But this official also said that in the end, the cost of the jet might actually be lower because it made the trip in less time than a helicopter would have. Navy officials said the costs were roughly equal -- about $5,000 an hour.

The Navy also said there would be S-3 training flights regardless of whether the president was coming aboard, suggesting there were no additional costs related to the president's trip.

 

[anymouse]

ping

[jrushing]

during 1998 President Clinton spent $72.1 million of the taxpayers' money to bring 2,401 people with him to eight countries

Now for comparison. Someone see if you can find the thread that totaled up Dubya's flight to the carrier

LOOK at the DEMS!!

Democrats on the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee said costs could top $1 million!!!

washingtonpost.com

Democrats Question Cost of Bush's Sea Landing Reuters Wednesday, May 7, 2003; 6:47 PM

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats in Congress on Wednesday demanded to know the costs of President Bush's jet landing on an aircraft carrier last week that they branded a costly political stunt.

The Bush administration disclosed on Tuesday that Bush insisted on landing on the USS Lincoln in a S-3B Viking jet even though the carrier was within helicopter range because he wanted to share the pilots' experience. The ship was returning from the Gulf region after the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

Democrats on the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee said costs could top $1 million. They included delaying the USS Lincoln that was steaming from the Gulf to San Diego, California, an extra day of air patrols, keeping the crew at sea, presidential security and flying Bush to the ship.

The Democrats issued a news release headed 'shameless' in large red type that cited the 'nerve required to delay the return of 4,000 sailors to their families after 10 months at sea in order to stage (a) photo-op.'

Bush, wearing a flight suit, made a jet landing and posed with crew members to mark the end of major combat in Iraq. The landing was widely televised and received extensive media coverage throughout the day.

Rep. Henry Waxman of California, the House Government Reform Committee's top Democrat, called for the General Accounting Office to examine the costs.

A Navy official, speaking on condition of anonymity, disputed that Bush's visit added significant costs, and said it did not delay the carrier's return to its home port in Washington state.

'The operating cost of an aircraft carrier is about a million dollars a day. But it got to where it was supposed to be on time,' he said.

The White House said the Lincoln had made faster progress than expected and was 30 miles offshore for the presidential visit.

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer rejected charges that the jet landing was political theater.

'I think that the 5,000 sailors on that ship recognized this for what it was, the president going out there to say thank you to those who risked their lives,' Fleischer said.

On Tuesday, he said Bush wanted to land by jet to 'allow him to see an aircraft landing the same way that the pilots saw an aircraft landing.

Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia, the Senate's senior Democrat, said: 'I am loath to think of an aircraft carrier being used as an advertising backdrop for a presidential political slogan.'

© 2003 Reuters

[linton59]

Can you find the tab for the Mom-and-daughter graduation trip around the world, (Mama C and Baby C) ??

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!

[Wolverine]

See this report with very interesting charts

 

Bill Clinton: America’s Best-Traveled President
A Study of Presidential Travel: 1953-2001
NTU Policy Paper 104

By John Berthoud and Demian Brady
March 16, 2001

VII. Conclusion

Bill Clinton came to office in 1993 aware of the public’s concern with excessive Presidential travel. During the 1992 Presidential campaign, Clinton even made an issue of this when he criticized his opponent, President George H. W. Bush, for spending too much time overseas and dodging his responsibilities at home. While in New Hampshire, candidate Clinton stated, "It is time for us to have a president who cares more about Littleton, N.H., than about Liechtenstein; more about Manchester than Micronesia."17

Later that year at the Democratic National Convention in New York, "George Bush’s Around the World Tour" T-shirts were distributed, which listed all of the countries visited by Bush. Ironically, by the time he left office in January 2001, Clinton had become the all-time champion of Presidential travel. He set Presidential records such as 1) total visits, 2) visits per year, 3) total days abroad, and 4) days abroad per year.

The various controversies of the closing days of his Administration have led to fresh questions about Bill Clinton and the Presidency itself. This paper suggests new tough questions that need to be asked about Bill Clinton and Presidential travel. First, do Presidents in the post-Cold War era need to travel as much as Clinton did? Second, what about costs? We want Presidents to travel safely, but do taxpayers have to shell out as much for all future Presidential trips as they did for Clinton’s trips? Third, how extensive was the abuse of federal travel during the Clinton years? Were the thousands of invited guests all needed? Were the travel perks given to Bettie Currie and Kathleen Willey exceptions to the rule or part of a far more common pattern?

With a new President in the Oval Office, Congress and the American public may want to review the facts of Bill Clinton’s travels and seek answers to these important questions.

John Berthoud is President of the National Taxpayers Union.

Demian Brady is a Policy Analyst with the National Taxpayers Union.

[LurkerNoMore!]

Good find, Dog.

Thanks for the heads-up, Mr. Stultis.

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks this needs to be sent to every rat that is bitching about a single flight back to the AL, that would have headed back anyway.

[MeekOneGOP]

Bill Clinton came to office in 1993 aware of the public’s concern with excessive Presidential travel. During the 1992 Presidential campaign, Clinton even made an issue of this when he criticized his opponent, President George H. W. Bush, for spending too much time overseas and dodging his responsibilities at home. While in New Hampshire, candidate Clinton stated, "It is time for us to have a president who cares more about Littleton, N.H., than about Liechtenstein; more about Manchester than Micronesia."17

Later that year at the Democratic National Convention in New York, "George Bush’s Around the World Tour" T-shirts were distributed, which listed all of the countries visited by Bush. Ironically, by the time he left office in January 2001, Clinton had become the all-time champion of Presidential travel. He set Presidential records such as 1) total visits, 2) visits per year, 3) total days abroad, and 4) days abroad per year.

The various controversies of the closing days of his Administration have led to fresh questions about Bill Clinton and the Presidency itself.

Why am I NOT surprised? Hypocrisy in the 'RAT party is so prevalent. This is the same administration that was going to have the 'most ethical administration' in U.S. history. Yeah, right ! Another promise broken !!

Let's compare and contrast the current President Bush with x42 Xlintoon:

[MeekOneGOP]

Bill Clinton finds his pa!

92 posted on 05/05/2003 10:47 AM CDT by Slip18 (I don't have a tag tag.)

Warning!  Warning!  Warning!
Click wav or mp3 to hear Clinton.

[Grampa Dave]

Your collection great graphic art spoofs and reality of the World Class Clymer, the Clintoon, keeps getting better everyday.

[TruthNtegrity]

And the Dims are complaining about the flight to the USS Abraham Lincoln to welcome the troops home after 9-1/2 months at sea? Sheesh.

We all need to print this out and keep these facts at hand, when we makes those telephone calls to Congresscritters to complain about their wailing about the jet landing on the carrier by our former Air National Guard F-12 jet fighter pilot President!!!

[MeekOneGOP]

hehe ! Thanks.

[Stultis]

See Also:

Clinton: Most Expensive Presidential Trip Ever

[Wolverine]

Truly magnificent AND SO RIGHT ON THE MARK!

[MeekOneGOP]

hehe ! :O)