Robert D. Novak: Harry Reid's Junket

TownHall.com ^ | 11/24/2007 | Robert D. Novak

[Farmer Dean]

Harry would have a coronary trying to keep up with those girls.

[Zack Nguyen]

The press attacks politicians when they go on taxpayer financed trips, and then they attack again when they go on lobbyist financed trips. It will get to the point where our leaders are afraid to ever leave our country for any reason. And that is not practical, as their jobs have impacted on American policy abroad.

[Kaslin]

He can go to Latin America, but he can not visit the troops in Iraq

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

I see they are not going to stink up Panama. Good!

[Ann Archy]

Specter is a pathetic human being.....no JOY at all .

[Ann Archy]

The USAF ought to fly them down there, and then once they are on the ground, tell Dingy Harry that they don’t have the necessary funds to fly them home because Congress failed to pass an agreeable Supplemental DOD bill.

LOL!!! I like how you think!!

[greyfoxx39]

NM Ping...Bingaman and Dirty Harry together.

[fweingart]

... Reid made the trip because of "stagnant" U.S. policy in Latin America under the Bush administration.

What a repugnant figure is Filthy Harry.

Undermining the administration in this way is tantamount to treason.

[MeekOneGOP]

bumpski !!

[HIDEK6]

That’s not a squash racket, nor a squash ball either.

[fweingart]

Arlen is such a disgraceful, disgusting, poor excuse for a senator. Of course he is part of a very large contingent of repulsive 'legislators.'

They all work overtime to prove that, indeed, the United States has to change with the times. Since under the guise of 'democracy' they have completely ruined and gutted this nation, it's time to get behind what conservatives are left in government, elect many more and shove these useful idiots into the dustbin of history where they truly belong.

[fweingart]

Nitpicker.

[jwparkerjr]

I must admit at first blush I was offended by your opening statement that it’s people like me that cause the problem. Then after reading, and re-reading, your post I realized just how right you are. And your plan makes perfect sense!

Who would you start with?

[MNJohnnie]

No ATM reform. No funding for the war. No Earmarks or spending reform. No movement on extending the tax-cuts but Harry can go on vacation at our expense?

[True Republican Patriot]

Remember that Boeing delivered a brand spanking new 767 Executive Congressional jet to the Air Force on Thanksgiving Day! A 767 with only seating for 40(FORTY pampered *sses. Its cost, Eighty Million dollars! Dinghy Harry no doubt had to use it first!!! Ann Coulter said it right, “ If Democrats had any brains, they would vote Republican!”

[bert]

This says the Senate recessed. The leader is gone.

Is that not the criteria for recess appointments? If the leader and the members are gone that would seem defacto recess.

[SkyPilot]

The USAF ought to fly them down there, and then once they are on the ground, tell Dingy Harry that they don’t have the necessary funds to fly them home because Congress failed to pass an agreeable Supplemental DOD bill.

LOL!

It would never happen - but then again, Secretary Gates is ticked off (and rightly so).

Gates was pummeled by Murtha and Reid for saying without the budget being passed, he would be forced to lay people off and cancel contracts.

Murtha and Reid said he was "lying" and worse.

Incredible.

[SkyPilot]

I remember talking to my buddy, one of the pilots on the junket, when he got back.

He said Spector thought his squash racket had not been packed, so he had two pilots (an Air Force Captain and Major) unpack all the luggage out of the back of the C-21 (Learjet model 35). The Colonel helped.

Packing the luggage in the Lear was really difficult. The space back there isn't large. I used to get so exasperated when State Dept goofs would show up with these HUGE hard cased Samsonites. They thought every aircraft had the same luggage capacity of a Boeing 757.

You had to pack it very carefully to make things fit, and the luggage had to be loaded from the one door on the aircraft (the front), so it was tedious and heavy. I hurt my back severely once doing this.

When all of the bags were on the tarmac, there was old Arlen's precious racket.

He said:

"OK - there it is! Load it up again. Come on! Let's go!"

[SkyPilot]

Well, thanks for the "thanks."

I used to fly C-141s before that, and then T-38s before that. I loved it, but the time away from family was terrible.

However, I am retired now and I feel so low and useless when I see these young soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen that are sacrificing so much these days.

I once talked to a retired General who told me to not feel that way, that I did my time and that every generation has a burden to bear. I guess he was right - I had 3 wars under my belt.

Still - it is hard to see today's troops carry so much.

It is really, really, really hard and draining on their families - and I salute them.

[SkyPilot]

You're right.

Sorry - here ya go.