McCain questions Obama about helicopter at summit

[ducks]

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama never had a helicopter, which he says might explain why he's perfectly happy with the current White House fleet and doesn't need a more costly one. At the conclusion of a fiscal summit Monday, Obama faced questions from Republican and Democratic lawmakers, including his former presidential rival, Sen. John McCain.

McCain bemoaned cost overruns in military procurement. The new fleet of 28 Marine One helicopters being built by Lockheed Martin Corp. — now over budget at $11.2 billion — will cost more than Air Force One.

Obama said the helicopter he has now seems adequate, adding that he never had a helicopter before and "maybe I've been deprived and I didn't know it."

Obama said he has already talked to Defense Secretary Robert Gates about reviewing the program and its ballooning costs.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090224/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama_helicopter

[Wild Cobra]

Wow...

What was the 110th congress thinking when they approved an order for 28 helicopters built to Marine 1 specs?

It doesn't matter who requested it. It made it's way through congress!

[MannyIsGod]

Which Congress?


The Navy awarded a contract in 2005 to Lockheed Martin to build a new generation of 28 helicopters to serve as Marine One - but last week cost overruns (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/02/16/eveningnews/main4804809.shtml) forced the Pentagon to issue a stop-work order at the end of 2007.

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/02/23/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4822613.shtml

[balli]

:lol

[baseline bum]

Which Congress?



http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/02/23/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4822613.shtml

:toast for curbstomping the Republican douche

[Wild Cobra]

Which Congress?



http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/02/23/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4822613.shtml
OK, so it was the 109th.

You know what I find ironic. Congress and president Obama are insistent that we need to spend money to create jobs. Now they don't want those jobs to be created?

Flip-flop anyone? How many jobs would this endeavor support?

28 helicopters seem like too many to me.

[ChumpDumper]

Nice attempt to change the subject.

[Creepn]

I bet Cobra had a full fledge tirade in the works. Why can't you still continue on with the tirade instead of changing the subject?

[LnGrrrR]

OK, so it was the 109th.

You know what I find ironic. Congress and president Obama are insistent that we need to spend money to create jobs. Now they don't want those jobs to be created?

Flip-flop anyone? How many jobs would this endeavor support?

28 helicopters seem like too many to me.

Pinwheel, pinwheel spinning around...

You forgot the obligatory "Whoops!"

[101A]

Just for accuracy's sake:

There is already a fleet of 20+ helicopters built to "Marine 1" specs; and have been around since the Nixon administration (remember his famous scene with hands raised (somehow) over shrugged shoulders?) - the new copters are light-years beyond that; and not 1 has yet been delivered. They have better communications, range, armor, capacity and, yes armament. They would each be similar to AF1 in that the President could do his job (run the country/armed forces) while on board. When the project was approved, it was a no-brainer - and still should be, IMO; if the technology exists to make our President safer, and more in command, we ought to utilize it; a pre-9/11 mentality does not serve us well.

Cost overruns? SOP. Besides, who gives a shit about a couple billion, when the govt. is throwing around TRILLIONS with abandon?

[clambake]

so, you thinks it's "with abandon"?

a smart guy like you can't understand what a collapse would mean?

[TDMVPDPOY]

obama wants rims with that

[101A]

so, you thinks it's "with abandon"?

a smart guy like you can't understand what a collapse would mean?

:wakeup

[RandomGuy]

Just for accuracy's sake:

There is already a fleet of 20+ helicopters built to "Marine 1" specs; and have been around since the Nixon administration (remember his famous scene with hands raised (somehow) over shrugged shoulders?) - the new copters are light-years beyond that; and not 1 has yet been delivered. They have better communications, range, armor, capacity and, yes armament. They would each be similar to AF1 in that the President could do his job (run the country/armed forces) while on board. When the project was approved, it was a no-brainer - and still should be, IMO; if the technology exists to make our President safer, and more in command, we ought to utilize it; a pre-9/11 mentality does not serve us well.

Cost overruns? SOP. Besides, who gives a shit about a couple billion, when the govt. is throwing around TRILLIONS with abandon?

Damn skippy.

My philosphy on such things is similar to my philosphy for packing for a camping trip:

"If I didn't have something, but needed it, how bad would that be?"

The first thing that comes to mind is toilet paper. If you didn't have that, but needed it, you would REALLY REALLY need that.

The same applies to this.

If we didn't have such a fleet of existing choppers, but in an emergency needed the new capabilities, we would REALLY REALLY need them.

[Winehole23]

Cost overruns? SOP. Besides, who gives a shit about a couple billion, when the govt. is throwing around TRILLIONS with abandon?A trillion here, a trillion there, and pretty soon we're talking serious money.

[RandomGuy]

OK, so it was the 109th.

You know what I find ironic. Congress and president Obama are insistent that we need to spend money to create jobs. Now they don't want those jobs to be created?

Flip-flop anyone? How many jobs would this endeavor support?

28 helicopters seem like too many to me.

Technically, 2005 would be the 108th congress, if the 2009 congress is the 110th. A new congress is elected every two years, so (2009-2005)/2=2, and 110-2=108

FWIW, which in this case, means that congress was controlled by the GOP.

[101A]

If we didn't have such a fleet of existing choppers, but in an emergency needed the new capabilities, we would REALLY REALLY need them.

Exactly.

[RandomGuy]

Which Congress?



http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/02/23/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4822613.shtml

By the way:

Oh, snap. WC's streak of self-ownage though partisan hackery continues unabated by silly things like fact-checking.

[TDMVPDPOY]

Damn skippy.

My philosphy on such things is similar to my philosphy for packing for a camping trip:

"If I didn't have something, but needed it, how bad would that be?"

The first thing that comes to mind is toilet paper. If you didn't have that, but needed it, you would REALLY REALLY need that.

The same applies to this.

If we didn't have such a fleet of existing choppers, but in an emergency needed the new capabilities, we would REALLY REALLY need them.

you can always used fukn leaves.....

[101A]

you can always used fukn leaves.....

lol.
Secret Service guy to President:


"No really, sir, you lay down, we'll cover you with leaves, and the radiation won't hurt you - read it in on the internet"


President back to SS guy:


"Leaves, really? Wait a minute, did you read the WHOLE thread?"

[RandomGuy]

you can always used fukn leaves.....

...unless of course you are camping in an arid area, with cacti being the dominant form of vegetation.

...unless you are camping in a semi-arid area with juniper (long, stringy pointy leaves) being the dominant form of vegetation.

...or you are camping in a pine forest. Pine needles don't quite do the trick either. (I grew up in the rockies and camped in pine forests mostly)

...unless of course the leaves on the dominant trees in the area are only a centimeter across, with sharp edges and points.

...unless of course, you aren't 100% up on what poison ivy/oak looks like, and decide to rub the most sensitive part of your anatomy with something that will give you an unbearable itch that will drive you insane.

Aside from that, then yeah, you can use leaves.

[LockBeard]

Quadrillion son, get used to it.

[clambake]

real men wipe with cactus.

[Wild Cobra]

Technically, 2005 would be the 108th congress, if the 2009 congress is the 110th. A new congress is elected every two years, so (2009-2005)/2=2, and 110-2=108

FWIW, which in this case, means that congress was controlled by the GOP. No, the 109th would have voted for 2005 issues. The current congress is the 111th.
Elected

2008: 111
2006: 110
2004: 109

Yes, the 109th congress was GOP. I made a mistake. Same congress of RINO's that I was glad to see senator Smith of Oregon be replaced by a democrat rather than keeping a RINO. If a republican is going to be liberal in so many issues, he doesn't deserve to be a republican in my view. We need balance. May as well become a democrat if he's going to vote for things like amnesty for illegals, the bailout, and be part of the spending problem. That's why he lost the 2006 elections. He lost us conservatives. Even though Oregon is a liberal state, he would have stayed in if he didn't piss off his base.

Liberals dominate the democrats and are have been taking over republicans.

[ducks]

Nice attempt to change the subject.

:lol

[Obstructed_View]

It's always amazing how the government continues to pay for things that are over budget as though it doesn't mean anything.

[Winehole23]

Liberals dominate the democrats and are have been taking over republicans.Oh, you just noticed the neocons? :lol

[TDMVPDPOY]

mccain was so close of havin a ride in that new limo personally built for the elected president, why isnt he arguing here thats a waste of tax payers monies....

[Wild Cobra]

Oh, you just noticed the neocons? :lol
No, I've noticed for years. Gave up complaining when people like Propaganda Dan and others call all republicans neocons though. They just don't understand the differences. For maybe two years now, they ignore the facts and call them all neocans.

I despise the term myself. That's why I don't use it. How is a liberal republican a new conservative first of all, especially when the term originated as a democrat that switched parties to republican?

[Audrey VI]

especially when the term originated as a democrat that switched parties to republican?You noticed that too?

[FuzzyLumpkins]

OK, so it was the 109th.

You know what I find ironic. Congress and president Obama are insistent that we need to spend money to create jobs. Now they don't want those jobs to be created?

Flip-flop anyone? How many jobs would this endeavor support?

28 helicopters seem like too many to me.

You come across as a WOAI daytime talkshow host. Dear lord you show a definitive inability to think for yourself.

[Winehole23]

You come across as a WOAI daytime talkshow host.Generous!


Dear lord you show a definitive inability to think for yourself.No comment. Do ye hang out very much here FL?