President Barack Obama has most of Air Force One’s 4,000 square feet at his disposal, including a roomy executive suite. Call it first class-plus.
Yet, the chatty president can’t seem to help but wander back to the equivalent of coach class — the cramped quarters for the media.
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Obama has made three trips aboard his sleek light blue and white Boeing 747-200B series aircraft, and on each flight has popped in to say hello to the few scribes and photographers traveling with him.
He sneaked up on the startled group through the back entrance of the media cabin on Tuesday before taking off to Fort Myers, Fla. He greeted reporters individually and gave one reporter from Hawaii the “shaka,” or hang loose sign. He joked that he fielded some “tough questions” during his first full-fledged news conference Monday night, pointed at two reporters and teased: “These two grilled me.”
Prodded on a more substantive matter, the president explained his three days of travel this week to promote his $800 billion-plus economic plan. “We just want to shine a spotlight on how severe this downturn is all across the country. And to make sure that members of Congress understand the sense of urgency that I feel about getting something done,” Obama said.
He also paraded through the cabin with nine members of Congress who were traveling with him — all fellow Democrats. He joked that he couldn’t find any Republicans who wanted to join him.
The frequent visits are yet another stark contrast to his predecessor — former President George W. Bush — in a young Democratic presidency full of them.
If Bush wanted to talk to the press while in the air, he called reporters up to his suite; he rarely came to the press.
That said, it’s early in Obama’s tenure and he still could curtail his pop-ins.
Obama took his first trip on the fortified jet on Thursday to the House Democrats’ retreat in Williamsburg, Va.
“I’ve got my spiffy jacket so I thought I’d come and show it off,” Obama told reporters before take off as he wore a personalized crew launch jacket, stitched with his name and the presidential seal. “It’s good to see you guys. What do you think about this spiffy ride? It’s not bad.”
Though Obama often dismisses questions posed during such informal times, he did respond to one on the economic stimulus plan, saying “I think we’re in range” of some $800 billion. Then he disappeared.
Obama headed to Elkhart, Ind., for a town-hall meeting Monday, and checked in on the media just after what the White House calls “wheels up.”
Clearly not there to be interrogated, he turned to leave after remarking that Air Force One is a much better ride than his campaign planes.
But he apparently couldn’t resist answering a query about Camp David; the first family made its first visit to the presidential retreat over the weekend.
“It was beautiful,” he said. “Hit a few golf balls. Played a little basketball.”
