About us Login Get email updates
Quick Clip
Print

CNN's Griffin doesn't understand why Dem. staffer thinks this "story" is "a joke" - Carville explains

February 19, 2009 7:14 pm ET

Please upgrade your flash player. The video for this item requires a newer version of Flash Player. If you are unable to install flash you can download a QuickTime version of the video.

EMBED
Expand All Expand 1st Level Collapse All Add Comment
    • Author by mk3872 (February 19, 2009 8:47 pm ET)
         

      WHAT A FRIGGIN JOKE! First, it was a select few dingbats in the congress that raised the issue of CEOs flying on private planes.

      SECOND: you CANNOT compare commercial enterprise travel with that of official business of the UNITED STATES!

      So, the prez, VP & Speaker should fly commercial, eh?

      You going to put the burden of protecting those flights on Delta or Continental? You gonna put one of our top 3 national leaders in danger, waiting for a flight, hoping it does not get hijacked and is not delayed!?

      This is ridiculous, CNN should know better, and NEVER questioned the GOP congress or the republican prez, of course ...

      Report Abuse
      • Author by carlileb5935 (February 19, 2009 10:58 pm ET)
           
        The fact that this is such a ridiculous stretch-- such an absurd idea-- clearly shows that something is going on over there. It's blatant propaganda and bias.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by MickD (February 19, 2009 11:15 pm ET)
             
          They could report stories like that everyday. It's such a false comparison. What a corporate dictating shilling.
          Report Abuse
    • Author by bdouglasharris3173 (February 20, 2009 12:47 am ET)
         
      Congress is a co-equal branch of government with the Executive. The President gets his own damn plane, which he uses several times a week.  If he gets one, they should be able to use government planes, too.  And so should the Supreme Court.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by lvmb123 (February 20, 2009 11:43 am ET)
           
        It's not necessary for every member or congress or any members of the supreme court to have private planes. That is not what is meant by co-equal.

        However, Pelosi is third in the presidential succession line, she requires extra security, and certainly for delegations that go to war zones or dangerous places should of course go in military aircraft. Like any business traveler, congress people may do some personal things in their spare time, but they are there representing the interests of the United States, and the positive PR a lot of these trips generate is important to our image overseas. It would be nice if congress people fly commercial, if appropriate, but the way this report was presented, even down to the way the "reporter" said the word "democratic" (like he's announcing the next segment on Predator Raw or something) hints of an agenda beyond straight reporting.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by bdouglasharris3173 (February 21, 2009 12:02 pm ET)
             

          I'm not saying every member of Congress or the Supreme Court is entitled to a free plane.

           

          I was just trying to point this double standard:

          unlimited Executive free plane use = unquestionably OK vs. limited Legislative free plane use = crazy abuse of tax dollars

          Report Abuse
    • Author by Cannonball (February 20, 2009 1:23 pm ET)
         
      Carville, who is often overly strident, addressed it appropriately.  I would have liked it even better had he asked Wolf if he wasn't a little disingenuous not to acknowledge the real money spent on the Italy trip.  As speaker, and a potential successor to the office of the president, Pelosi has secret serice protection when she travels overseas.  This protection even includes agents that travel days ahead of time to oversee security.  They travel in air force jets, too, because of their guns and equipment, which sometimes even includes cars.  I think $10,000 an hour is nothing compared to this.
      Report Abuse