Ignoring sergeant-at-arms' security concerns, Levin said of "Stretch" Pelosi's need for "big military jet": "She wants a really, really big one"
SUMMARY: Mark Levin declared of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: "[S]he's gotta have a big military jet. I mean, she's the first woman speaker. She wants a really, really big one. ... And if she doesn't get it, well then that's sexual discrimination." Levin ignored the fact that the House sergeant-at-arms -- who is responsible for the security of House members -- has said that a larger military plane for Pelosi, "that is capable of making non-stop flights" between Washington, D.C., and California, is necessary for "security purposes."
On the November 24 broadcast of his radio show, while discussing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) use of military planes to travel between Washington, D.C., and her home district in California, Mark Levin remarked, "[S]he's gotta have a big military jet. I mean, she's the first woman speaker. She wants a really, really big one. Remember this? And if she doesn't get it, well then that's sexual discrimination." Levin also claimed that Pelosi "fought like hell for [an] extra big military jet so she could take her staff, and her staff's staff, and her relatives, and her friends -- have a grand old party on that jet." In fact, as Media Matters for America has repeatedly noted, the House sergeant-at-arms -- who is responsible for the security of House members -- said that the larger military plane is necessary for "security purposes."
In a February 8, 2007, statement, made in response to GOP allegations at the time that Pelosi "desire[d] a luxury taxpayer-funded Pelosi One to ferry her family and friends," House sergeant-at-arms Wilson Livingood said:
As the Sergeant at Arms, I have the responsibility to ensure the security of the members of the House of Representatives, to include the Speaker of the House. The Speaker requires additional precautions due to her responsibilities as the leader of the House and her Constitutional position as second in the line of succession to the presidency.
In a post 9/11 threat environment, it is reasonable and prudent to provide military aircraft to the Speaker for official travel between Washington and her district. The practice began with Speaker [Dennis] Hastert [R-IL] and I have recommended that it continue with Speaker Pelosi. The fact that Speaker Pelosi lives in California compelled me to request an aircraft that is capable of making non-stop flights for security purposes, unless such an aircraft is unavailable. This will ensure communications capabilities and also enhance security. I made the recommendation to use military aircraft based upon the need to provide necessary levels of security for ranking national leaders, such as the Speaker. I regret that an issue that is exclusively considered and decided in a security context has evolved into a political issue.
McClatchy Newspapers noted on October 31 of this year that the House sergeant-at-arms "requested a larger military aircraft" for Pelosi, and also reported that the Bush administration first "authorized the speaker of the House of Representatives ... to fly on military planes when they're available for official business."
During his November 24 broadcast, Levin also smeared Pelosi over her physical appearance, stating that he calls her " 'Stretch,' given her multiple facelifts." He added: "Do you think eyes bulge out like that? Do you think that's a natural look? No. She spent a fortune for that look. She loves it. Now, the rest of us recoil at it, but she apparently likes it." As Media Matters documented, on the April 5, 2007, broadcast of ABC Radio Networks' The Sean Hannity Show, Levin similarly said of Pelosi: "You could bounce a dime off her cheeks. The woman has had so many facelifts, isn't it obvious to everybody?"
From the November 24 broadcast of ABC Networks' The Mark Levin Show:
LEVIN: Now, Nancy Pelosi, or as we call her, with all due respect, "Stretch," given her multiple facelifts. Mark, what do you mean? Why do I have to explain this every time? Do you think eyes bulge out like that? Do you think that's a natural look? No. She spent a fortune for that look. She loves it. Now, the rest of us recoil at it, but she apparently likes it.
You know, we gotta get that Levin off the air as fast as we can, he is so --
Anyway, anyway, here we -- the outcry over the automakers' corporate jets. Remember that? AP: "After being skewered by Congress and lampooned on NBC's Saturday Night Live, the CEOs of Detroit's three automakers may end up making the return trip to Washington by car, as they seek a federal bailout." Now, this is fascinating to me. I'm not into all this populist crap. I don't care if they fly jets or not. I just don't want to subsidize them; it's none of my business otherwise. But maybe they can hitch a ride with Pelosi. Doesn't she have a big military jet? Why is it that these politicians can live like kings and queens? And nobody gives a damn. She fought like hell for extra big military jet so she could take her staff, and her staff's staff, and her relatives, and her friends -- have a grand old party on that jet. Does anybody know how much that jet costs? I don't have the foggiest idea. Does anybody know how much the staff on that jet costs? The pilot, the co-pilot, and all the rest -- I don't have an idea, do you? No. Where's Brian Ross of ABC News? How come he's not tracking that down?
Now, we all have to tighten our belts; we're all gonna have to sacrifice. We gotta cut the CO2s, except if you're speaker of the House. You'll spit out as much CO2 as you want. Yeah, I know, only in America.
[...]
CALLER: Hey, Mark, I just wanted to fill you in on one thing. I was interested in your statement about wondering how much it costs to fly Nancy from D.C. to San Francisco.
LEVIN: This would be "Stretch" Pelosi, yes.
CALLER: Yes, yes. So, I did some googling, and I came up with just a fuel price alone of $32,500 dollars.
LEVIN: Really?
CALLER: Yep. That's no -- no oil, no people --
LEVIN: Well, let me ask you a question.
CALLER: Yeah.
LEVIN: Let me ask you a question. Are there any solar panels on this plane?
CALLER: No, I don't believe there are. I'm surprised. Maybe "The One" will figure that out.
LEVIN: And any wind power on this plane? Other than the tailwind?
CALLER: No, no, I think it's only her wind power.
LEVIN: That would be methane.
CALLER: Yes.
LEVIN: Any other -- any other kind of non-carbon dioxide-type fuel that they might use on this plane?
CALLER: No, no, all just dead dinosaurs.
LEVIN: All right, my friend, thank you for your call. Now, if Mike's accurate, that's 32 grand, and that's just for starters. So, it seems to me, if the executives of the Big Three are going to be using car vans now -- caravans, rather -- to come to Washington, why shouldn't Stretch? She can pick up some other losers along the way. I can just see it now. I mean, she is in San Francisco, she's got a long way to go before she gets to Washington. They can carpool, these leftists. They can, you know, teach us by example. But no, she's gotta have a big military jet. I mean, she's the first woman speaker. She wants a really, really big one. Remember this? And if she doesn't get it, well then that's sexual discrimination.
"You know, we gotta get that Levin off the air as fast as we can, he is so --"
Albeit brief, more 1st Amendment whining from another "victimized" right-wing professional liar.
The liars are keeping busy by telling their faithful children that they're about to be deprived of their parents.
"WAHHHH!!! The big, bad government is coming to take me away from you. WAHHHH!"
How pathetic.
She wants a really, really big one. ... And if she doesn't get it, well then that's sexual discrimination.
Hey, all of us gals want a really, really big one. And I'd love some obstructionism...:-) I promise to discriminate. No really really small ones need apply. Why should Grandma Nancy be any different?
Ha, you almost made a poem out of this.....and with some bob Dylan melodies................ya'll got a winer, as opposed to a " whiner "
I'd prefer my obstructionism with a weiner, rather than a winer or a whiner. Just sayin'. Now if Bob Dylan can rise to the task....? :-0)
And please no Mikey "weiner" dog Savage jokes. JJ doesn't play that.
Easy,JJ. You seem to be getting as excited as Levin about that big, long plane.
Col, you planely have penis envy. Or something...? :-)
I thought they were all pink on the inside?
no kidding, endless discussion then. Don't these trumpets have better things to do ?
They do, but that would entail reporting on more right wing corruption. Reporting on using bailout money to pay big bonuses and fund weekend retreats for incompetant business managers just doesn't help the right wing cause.
I wonder how much pelosi gave the guy to back her up
How much did you get to back up Levin?
All of this backing up sounds rather lewd.
Julia you are incorrigiable, for which we're all grateful.
Your BF checked in last week, he's feeling a little fatigued.
<O )
<O)
Thanks for the kindness sir. Yeah my BF should be fatigued. I work him out regularly. Believe it....! :-)
I'm going to go out on a tree limb here and make the claim that the only people that listen to Mark Levin are the same morons that listen to Rush, Sean, BillO, Savage, Beck, and all the other rightwing wanna-be trash-talkers....
Ok.... no tree limb was actually hurt on my leaning toward the edge of it to speak this likely truth about rightwing radio/TV pukefests and their brainwashed followers.... :)
I used to listen to Levin, mostly because it was so funny how MAD he would get about the most mundane things. And I really enjoy how he applies nicknames, like schoolyard nicknames, to all of the "bad" people. The man has a child's brain, and the vocab to match, although, I would hazard my 12 year old nephew is about 90,000 times smarter.
MAGNOILIALOVER, Well said. I dont see why anyone with a reasonable mind would giv e a brain dead moron like LEVIN the time of day. He is a total waste of human flesh.
This airplane business bores me to tears: can't these hacks find something a little meatier to chew on?
But it is true, and I hadn't thought about it: have we had many House Speakers whose Districts were as far from D.C. as San Francisco is?
If this is truly the gist of the matter, this difference between a non-stop flight between the District and D.C., versus stopping for refueling, then I say go non-stop... I always say non-stop: I don't let the airlines make my cross-country flights into excursions, by unnecessarily stopping me for an hour or hours in places that are not my final destination... and I don't have nearly as important a job as the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives does.
Tom Foley, Spokane, WA.
I think "Shrill" Levin is jealous because "Stretch" Pelosi wants something bigger than what he has.
And, if I remember, Speaker Foley flew commercial much of the time, because there was much to do about nothing about him "stashing" the airline snacks in his carry-one. (Does anyone remember airline snacks, free even?).
Levin "Let me see how goofy I can appear to be in public Oh and Mark the glare off that dome might be a navigation hazard
Anyone who can listen to Levin, the Great One, for more than 15 seconds and not throw up, should consider replacing him.
Is this all talk radio got? Bunch of old, white people who consistently advocate and take the wrong side and yet are on the air as the greatest talkers of all time?
The House sergeant-at-arms' first statement publicly taking responsibility for pressing the necessity of a large military plane was February 8, 2007, almost 2 years ago http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17035721/. Not hard to find. The old GOP tactic of "keep slingin' the same mud 'til something sticks" sputters on, but 2 years? You'd think the "too big plane" well would have run pretty dry by now. Levin said, "Now, we all have to tighten our belts; we're all gonna have to sacrifice. We gotta cut the CO2s, except if you're speaker of the House." Sounds like Lavin already tightened something or other, but the result was a cut in oxygen to his brain.
Nancy Pelosi, as Speaker of the House, is third in line to succeed the President. If anything happens to the President, or Vice President; she would be, for the interim, second in line.
Levin touts that he is a 'Contitutional scholar', and that he is strong on national security. However, has he has forgotten how crucial her place is in succession (or is he ignorant of it)? Further, protecting the line of succession is crucial to our democracy. If anything happened to the above, her plane could beome Air Force One, or Air Force Two.
A really "Great Amerikkkan" of small stature, miniscule mind and absolutely no redeeming social value.....
...and he makes Robert Reich look like a giant by comparison in every measure...
...actually McTinyWhinee makes Pelosi look like Churchill and Disraeli combined....
Reminds me of the Prof. Elwell character in People Will Talk (1951)...
So can anyone explain why making an intermediate stop on a cross-country flight constitutes a security threat? I get the fact that post 9-11 anyone in the line of succession rates private, secure transport, but would it kill her to make a refuelling stop? (apparently it would...)
Lets see:
3 CEO's come to town looking for money. They are losing Billions of dollars. They fly in private corporate jets. They get called on it.
Nancy is in charge of a 7 Trillion dollar debt and losing Billions by the minute. Needs a bigger jet.
Yep seem right to me.