McCain questions Obama about helicopter at summit

[mystieus]

McCain questions Obama about helicopter at summit

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.

"It is an example of the procurement process gone amok, and we're going to have to fix it," Obama said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090224/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama_helicopter

[appleannie1]

1. Obama turned the tables on him and made him look like an idiot.

[October]

2. Really? I hadn't heard. What did he say?

[mystieus]

8. Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0oex9Rt1to&fmt=18

:}

[October]

9. Thank you. /nt

[msongs]

3. nice pic needs a speech balloon: "I still can't believe I lost to a.....community organizer" nt

[rufus dog]

4. Strange - McCain campaigned on an across the board freeze

Except for the military. Now he wants to pick and chose!

[AllentownJake]

5. You think John would avoid trying to debate Barack after the election

I mean Barack whooped his ass and made him look like an inept fool 3 times.

[grantcart]

6. Obama specifically called McCain to suggest an example of waste and McCain respectfully

replied about the new Marine One. McCain never suggested that it was Obama's fault and Obama agreed with McCain. In that sense the headline by Yahoo, which you have accurately quoted, completely misrepresents a rather amicable interchange between the two.

[Mira]

10. I'm sure you're right. But I must admit I'm still howling over McCain's

expression as he is ending an amicable exchange with his beloved former rival.
:) :)

[grantcart]

12. Yeah then again I am glad that I am not photographed as much as he is.

Can you imagine the weird photos we would have gotten if McCain was President.



Atleast he kept his tongue in on this one!!!

[mystieus]

14. Don't look!!

[Mira]

19. Think again if you believe these are Crocodile tears. These watery balloons

are real. because he knows he was swallowed up by a huge avalanche of class and smarts.
Don't you love it. I would so hate being in his skin in the presence or who Sean Penn calls "elegant".
YES !

[Mz Pip]

18. It was an amicable exchange

but I really got the sense that McCain was trying to score some points and play gotcha! with Obama. Another EPIC FAIL by McCain. Obama never got defensive and by 'agreeing' with McCain he just made McCain seem petty and foolish.

[firedupdem]

7. According to the Swamp...

this is what was said.

The subject of the chopper came up when someone who would have loved to claim the presidential seat in Marine One asked about it today:

"Your helicopter is now going to cost as much as Air Force One,'' Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) told Obama at the summit. "Mr. President, we are going to have to make some tough decisions about not only what we procure but how we procure it. ''

"Well John, I mean, this,'' Obama replied. "This is going to be one of our highest priorities. By the way, I've already talked to Gates about a thorough review of the helicopter situation. ...The helicopter I have now seems perfectly adequate to me,'' he said to laughter. "Of course, I've never had a helicopter before....You know? Maybe, you know -- maybe I've been deprived and I... I didn't know it.

"But I think it is a -- it is a -- an example of the procurement process gone amok. And -- and we're going to have to fix it.''

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2009/02...

[mikiturner]

11. I have to say I found this exchange reasonable

McCain asked a perfectly legit question (even though the order for the fleet came from Bush) in a respectful way. Obama came back with a great response and basically agreed with McCain that the order should be reviewed. This talk of "confrontation" is overblown, IMO.

[grantcart]

13. You are right and Obama was in fact reaching out for ideas and specifically called

on McCain for his idea.


I heard the exchange on NPR and it was not only amicable but Obama cut everyone up when he started talking about the fact that he never had previously owned a helicopter.

[TheCowsCameHome]

15. He just wants a chance to crash one.

[godai]

16. McCain's body language is anything but amicable.

He tried to nail Obama with the 'your helicopter' example but Obama had the perfect diplomatic response, inplying correctly that the new helicopters weren't his idea.

[EffieBlack]

17. Just watching McCain call Barack Obama "Mr. President" made my day . . .

President Barack Hussein Obama is "that one" no more . . .