StoleIt Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 White House aides insisted F-22 be removed from Obama speech venue When President Obama spoke to troops at Alaska's Elmendorf Air Force Base last month, the unit there parked a shiny new F-22 fighter plane in the hanger. But according to multiple sources, White House aides demanded the plane be changed to an older F-15 fighter because they didn't want Obama speaking in front of the F-22, a controversial program he fought hard to end. "White House aides actually made them remove the F-22-said they would not allow POTUS to be pictured with the F-22 in any way, shape, or form," one source close to the unit relayed. Stephen Lee, a public affairs officer at Elmendorf, confirmed to The Cable that the F-22 was parked in the hanger and then was replaced by an F-15 at the White House's behest. The airmen there took offense to the Obama aides' demand, sources told The Cable, seeing it as a slight to the folks who are operating the F-22 proudly every day. They also expressed bewilderment that the White House staff would even care so much as to make an issue out of the fact that the F-22 was placed in the hanger with the president. A White House official, commenting on background basis, told The Cable that yes, there were discussions about which plane or planes would be in the hanger, but that they were not meant as an insult to the pilots and other personnel who work on the F-22. The official couldn't elaborate on why the White House aides felt it necessary to get involved in the matter in the first place. The official pointed to Obama's speech to the troops that day, where he praised both the 90th Fighter Squadron, known as the "Dicemen," and the 525th Fighter Squadron, the "Bulldogs," both of which operate the F-22. Even so, the Air Force personnel thought it odd the White House wanted to display the older plane rather than the more advanced plane that, in the eyes of its supporters, represents the latest and greatest in American aviation. The Obama administration fought hard and successfully to cut off production of the F-22 at 187 planes, a number Defense Secretary Robert Gates endorsed but that was hundreds less than originally planned and about half of the 381 planes Air Force leadership lobbied hard for in the years preceding Obama's inauguration. "It's one thing to be against further production; quite another to slight the folks who are flying them in the operational world," one source said, adding that "the F-15 pictured was put into service roughly around the same period when Obama graduated from college. It's vintage." http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/12/02/exclusive_white_house_aides_insisted_f_22_be_removed_from_obama_speech_venue Weird... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Scooby Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 Eh...probably didn't want to act like he's showcasing an aircraft that he was vocally opposed to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danger41 Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 I think that makes sense. Lame, but I can see the logic. I could see the alternate thread with a picture of him in front of a Raptor with some guy talking about how ironic that was and how clueless Obama is, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bfargin Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 Shoot, I was hoping the base had switched out planes to show their feelings for him working to undermine the F-22 program. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PapaJu Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Eh...probably didn't want to act like he's showcasing an aircraft that he was vocally opposed to. I doubt your common media type could even tell the difference between the two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Scooby Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 I doubt your common media type could even tell the difference between the two. No, but media op-eds and letters to the editor could. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alwyn2d Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 White House aides insisted F-22 be removed from Obama speech venue When President Obama spoke to troops at Alaska's Elmendorf Air Force Base last month, the unit there parked a shiny new F-22 fighter plane in the hanger. But according to multiple sources, White House aides demanded the plane be changed to an older F-15 fighter because they didn't want Obama speaking in front of the F-22, a controversial program he fought hard to end. "White House aides actually made them remove the F-22-said they would not allow POTUS to be pictured with the F-22 in any way, shape, or form," one source close to the unit relayed. Stephen Lee, a public affairs officer at Elmendorf, confirmed to The Cable that the F-22 was parked in the hanger and then was replaced by an F-15 at the White House's behest. The airmen there took offense to the Obama aides' demand, sources told The Cable, seeing it as a slight to the folks who are operating the F-22 proudly every day. They also expressed bewilderment that the White House staff would even care so much as to make an issue out of the fact that the F-22 was placed in the hanger with the president. A White House official, commenting on background basis, told The Cable that yes, there were discussions about which plane or planes would be in the hanger, but that they were not meant as an insult to the pilots and other personnel who work on the F-22. The official couldn't elaborate on why the White House aides felt it necessary to get involved in the matter in the first place. The official pointed to Obama's speech to the troops that day, where he praised both the 90th Fighter Squadron, known as the "Dicemen," and the 525th Fighter Squadron, the "Bulldogs," both of which operate the F-22. Even so, the Air Force personnel thought it odd the White House wanted to display the older plane rather than the more advanced plane that, in the eyes of its supporters, represents the latest and greatest in American aviation. The Obama administration fought hard and successfully to cut off production of the F-22 at 187 planes, a number Defense Secretary Robert Gates endorsed but that was hundreds less than originally planned and about half of the 381 planes Air Force leadership lobbied hard for in the years preceding Obama's inauguration. "It's one thing to be against further production; quite another to slight the folks who are flying them in the operational world," one source said, adding that "the F-15 pictured was put into service roughly around the same period when Obama graduated from college. It's vintage." http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/12/02/exclusive_white_house_aides_insisted_f_22_be_removed_from_obama_speech_venue Weird... When Sec of Def Cheney requested on several occasions to cancel the CV-22 program, do you think he would have an official photograph by a CV-22? You make a decision and live with the consequences, especially in politics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outbreak Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 I think the White House Press folks read into this type of crap too much. When Obama went to speak at the Notre Dame Commencement (I think that was it) they made the private Catholic university cover up the Cross. IMHO, all this dick dancing around things that might hurt his image do more damage to it than good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vertigo Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 I think the White House Press folks read into this type of crap too much. When Obama went to speak at the Notre Dame Commencement (I think that was it) they made the private Catholic university cover up the Cross. IMHO, all this dick dancing around things that might hurt his image do more damage to it than good. Probably... but I'm glad I was spared having to listen to 4 hours of Rush calling Obama a hypocrite for using the F22 as a background piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slacker Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Probably... but I'm glad I was spared having to listen to 4 hours of Rush calling Obama a hypocrite for using the F22 as a background piece. Dang, you listen to 4 hours of Rush? I can't get passed about 20 mins and I'm "right-winger." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shakermaker Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 How can you NOT listen to Rush for hours on end? I sure can! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bergman Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 I'm going to have to give a big to whoever told The Obama's staff that it was an F-22 in the first place. None of those ass clowns would have known the difference otherwise. hehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vertigo Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Dang, you listen to 4 hours of Rush? I can't get passed about 20 mins and I'm "right-winger." Yep. Pretty much everyday. Sometimes I get annoyed enough that I'll turn the station but most days I endure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slacker Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Rush is too much of an egomanic for me. I'll choose Neal Boortz over Rush anyday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vertigo Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 (edited) Rush is too much of an egomanic for me. That's what annoys me. Don't get Neal Boortz here... but we do get Bill Cunningham, what a treat that guy is (/sarcasm)! Edited December 9, 2009 by Vertigo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now