the Oval office sits out in the open. On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 6:15 PM, Hollywood <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote:
> > Cold, > > Bush was driven around in a Prius I suppose? > > Let's put it this way. IF I was the very first black POTUS I wouldn't > leave the Oval Office in anything less than an M-1A MBT. > > On Nov 12, 5:38 pm, Cold Water <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Barack Obama's car could fuel more problems > > > > By Dave Wedge | Wednesday, November 12, 2008 | > > http://www.bostonherald.com > > > > President-elect Obama has stressed the need for energy independence - but > he'll be chauffeured around in a gas-guzzling Cadillac SUV limo that could > pose a symbolism problem similar to the car controversy that dogged his > friend and ally, Gov. Deval Patrick. > > > > Obama's presidential ride, dubbed "Cadillac One," will reportedly be a > mammoth, custom-made Cadillac limo built like a GMC truck that sits on 19 > -inch wheels. The vehicle will also have 5-inch-thick bulletproof windows, > cell phone-jamming gear and blast-proof armor. > > > > Presidents have been riding in Cadillacs - and some in Lincolns - for > decades, going all the way back to Woodrow Wilson in the early part of the > 20th century. But Obama's vehicle will reportedly be a much beefier version > than President Bush's Cadillac DeVille stretch. > > > > U.S. News and World Report reported that the vehicle shares "the same > chassis and tires" as a GMC 2500 series truck, "indicating that it is far > heavier than a civilian Cadillac." > > > > Obama frequently spoke during the campaign of the need to slash reliance > on foreign oil and pledged to put 1 million hybrid vehicles on America's > roads by 2015. He personally drives a Ford Escape Hybrid. > > > > But a standard Cadillac DTS limo, which is a low-level version of > Cadillac One, gets just 12 miles per gallon in the city and 18 on the > highway and costs $47,000. > > > > Several political and automotive blogs have pointed out the vehicle's > fuel inefficiency, including U.S. News and World Report, which called it > "the most monstrous Presidential limousine yet." > > > > "Fuel-efficiency clearly isn't on the mind of its designers," the > publication wrote on its "Rankings and Reviews" Web site. > > > > But Boston College political science professor Kay Schlozman said > security concerns are likely behind the vehicle's design. > > > > "I don't know if the president can get away with driving a hybrid vehicle > like a Prius," Schlozman said. > > > > Besides the gas-guzzling issue, Bay State Republicans said Obama should > learn a lesson from Patrick, who took heat for upgrading the state's > taxpayer-funded gubernatorial car from a Ford to a Cadillac during his first > weeks in office. Patrick later decided to personally pay part of the > vehicle's monthly lease. > > > > "I think he's following a lot of Deval. They're both using the same > playbook on a lot of things," state Sen. Robert Hedlund (R-Weymouth) said. > > > > Added Massachusetts GOP spokesman Barney Keller: "If President Obama is > going to copy Governor Patrick's words and his Cadillac, we assume next > he'll copy Governor Patrick's tax hikes and reckless spending proposals." > > > > A Patrick spokesman declined comment, while Obama's spokespeople did not > return messages. > > > -- *~@):~{> --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
