Does Nancy Pelosi really need that huge plane?

Question

Is this just a sample of some of the hypocracy to come?

Answer 1

This is more hypocrisy from the liberal Democrats.
Oh yes, the party of the little people, the downtrodden, the have-nots, those who have fallen through the cracks. And Comrade Pelosi is demanding a huge plane to fly non-stop to her socialist haven in San Francisco.
I wonder... How many homeless people could be housed with the money she will burn? How much health insurance could this buy for those without? How could our schools be improved with the money she will use? Let's not forget about the "children" Dems are so fond of mentioning. How could the "children" benefit if Comrade Pelosi would just put aside her greediness?
Why isn't the news media asking these questions? I will bet you anything, had this been a Republican speaker, all hell would break loose.

Answer 2

Umm, the White House supports this one. Maybe you should look into it a little. According to his statement, the House Sergeant at Arms initiated the request for information from the Air Force regarding the use of an aircraft for Speaker Pelosi. A USAF plane has been at the disposal of the Speaker since 9/11. Former Speaker Hastert's aircraft is reported to have had a range of approximately 2,000 miles in order to enable non-stop flights back to Illinois for the Speaker. That aircraft can not fly to California without refueling. It's felt that refueling stops degrade the security of the flight. I'm all for conserving resources, and think any public servant should keep their luxuries to a minimum, but let's try and keep things at a logical and fact-based level instead of just calling each other names. The approximate flight miles from the DC area to Sacramento is 2370 miles, to which you need to add a mandatory safety factor; let's say the needed range is 3,000 miles. This leaves us with the options as being the C-20B, C-32, C-37, or C-40 aircraft, whereas to get to Illinois, a C-9 or C-21 would suffice. You can take it from here to work out the cost per-mile based on fuel use, maintenance, crew requirements, and initial purchase price. I don't know what aircraft Hastert used, or what aircraft might eventually be selected for use by Pelosi, but below are the reported available aircraft used by the USAF Air Mobility Command for Operational Support. Air Mobility Command Operational support aircraft are the VC-25 (highly-modified 747 - Air Force One), C-9, C-20, C-21, C-32, C-37, and C-40. C-9C An executive transport aircraft. The C-9C is a modified version of the McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Corporation’s DC-9. Can carry up to 42 passengers. range approx 1,725 miles C-20B The 12-passenger C-20 is a twin-engine, turbofan aircraft acquired to fill the airlift mission for high-ranking government and Department of Defense officials. It's the military versions of the Gulfstream III. range, B-model, 4,250 miles range, H-model, 4,850 miles C-21 The C-21 is an 8-passenger twin turbofan engine aircraft used for cargo and passenger airlift. The aircraft is the military version of the Lear Jet 35A business jet. range approx 2300 miles C-32 The 45-passenger C-32 provides safe, comfortable and reliable transportation for our nation's leaders to locations around the world. The primary customers are the vice president, using the distinctive call sign "Air Force Two," the first lady, and members of the Cabinet and Congress. The C-32 is a specially configured version of the Boeing 757-200 commercial intercontinental airliner. range 5,500 miles C-37 The C-37A (Gulfstream V/G500)resembles the C-20H (Gulfstream IV), but is eight feet longer, with a wider wing span, a more advanced avionics package and greater performance capabilities, allowing the aircraft to carry up to 12 passengers a distance 50 percent greater than the C-20B models. A typical C-37A mission will able to fly 5,500 nautical miles without refueling, carrying Cabinet secretaries, congressional delegations or senior military leaders. range 6,300 miles C-40 The C-40 B/C provides safe, comfortable and reliable transportation for U.S. leaders to locations around the world. The C-40B's primary customers are the combatant commanders and C-40C customers include members of the Cabinet and Congress. The C-40 B/C is based upon the commercial Boeing 737-700 Business Jet. It can be configured to carry 42 to 111 passengers. range 4,500 miles Myself, I'd like a ride in the C-37 at it's top speed of 600 mph at its max altitude of 51,000 feet. That'd be a great ride, though it might be even more exciting on the deck.

Answer 3

I'm a rush Limbaugh conservative ,but all the government should fly in military planes that are already going to a specific destination .Taking military hops will save huge money. However Pelosi shouldn't have a plane at her disposal for her own use

Answer 4

Did you not notice that even the White House rushed to her defense? I think the person third in line for the presidency flying non stop to her home state which happens to be on the other side of the country, with her staff is not out of line requesting that plane. The White House admitted that, so why beat a dead horse?
I still think flying a bigger plane than necessary is still more honest than starting a war on the basis of lies and sending our young men and women to their deaths so that the VP's old corporate buddies can get more business (with billions of OUR hard earned money ADMITTEDLY missing).

Answer 5

Does Cheney have to have a jet complete with a full-sized bar?

Let's cast some hypocracy where it is most deserving.

Grandpa, a Vietnam Veteran, and Grandma say it's time to end this God-awful war in Iraq and quit bringing young Americans home in body bags.

.

Answer 6

She didnt ask for it. The Sargeant at arms of the House did. The White House is defending her.

This is a typical example of Republicans who do not know the facts of the story making up their own to try to smear a Democrat. What the question asker and his supporters do not know is that most prominent Republicans have already quietly backed away from their Criticism of Pelosi because the facts embarassed them and made them look like the idiots they are.

Since grass roots Republicans are the last to learn of facts, they are still pushing this incorrect and embarassing attack.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070208/ap_on_go_co/pelosi_plane

Answer 7

She didn't request that plane, that idea belongs to a security
person. This whole story is blown way out proportion.
When she denied the story, the White House backed her up.

Answer 8

She didn't ask for a huge plane. She simply said that if she travels from Washington to her constituency in San Francisco, she wants to have a non-stop flight. She offered to fly commercial, but was told she cannot.

The White House supports her 100% on this.

Answer 9

At this point the people who continue to hammer this issue are just embarrassing themselves because they either have not read the complete story or are choosing to ignore the truth.

Answer 10

She needed a plane to fit 47 of her staff and could do cross country trips without refueling. I'm cool with the non stop flights, but why are we paying for 47 of her staff?