And now the $BILL for W's publicity stunt.....
Congress Gives Bush Flak On Cost Of Carrier Flight
By Reuters
Thursday 08 May 2003
WASHINGTON -- Democrats in Congress demanded information yesterday on the cost of
President Bush's jet landing on an aircraft carrier last week that they branded a costly political
stunt.
A spokesman said Tuesday that Bush had 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.
A Pentagon official told the Washington Post that as Bush spent the night on board, the carrier
made lazy circles 30 miles out to sea and took 15 hours to cross a distance that could have
been covered in one hour. That official and others said the carrier was delayed to ensure that it
reached the dock at the time that had been promised, about 9 the next morning.
Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee said that the total could top $1 million,
because the trip required delaying the USS Abraham Lincoln for a day as it steamed from the
Persian Gulf to San Diego, an extra day of air patrols, plus presidential security, and the cost of
the flight itself. The lawmakers issued a news release headed ''shameless'' in large red type. It
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 landed in a jet that was jolted to a halt by a cable on the deck and posed with crew
members to mark the end of major combat in Iraq.
Democrats also complained about the use of a crew member's flight suit, which could be
construed as a uniform, by Bush, who is constitutionally the civilian commander of the nation's
military, The Post said.
Representative Henry A. Waxman of California, the top Democrat on the House Government
Reform Committee, called for the General Accounting Office to examine the costs.
Asked yesterday about the flak he was taking for the carrier landing, Bush said it was an honor
to thank the troops for their service. ''I'm glad I did it,'' he said. ''It was also a really good landing.''
This is a LIE as the pilot made a very BAD landing with W....he only hit the FOURTH OF FOUR WIRES on the deck of the carrier.....you can bet that he is now getting crap from EVERY PILOT ON THAT SHIP.....
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