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Senator Violates Air Force One Code

By JIM RUTENBERG,
The New York Times
Posted: 2007-07-27 18:45:16
Filed Under: Politics News
PHILADELPHIA (July 26) — Guests of President Bush aboard Air Force One generally know that he expects them to behave in a certain way: No showboating or mingling with the on-board press corps and, certainly, no criticizing the commander in chief or his team.

White House Reaction

White House officials seemed displeased with Sen. Arlen Specter's remarks on Air Force One about Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and other Bush confidants, but they had no comment.

Senator Arlen Specter violated both points of decorum on Thursday. He visited with reporters aboard the presidential airplane before it lifted off for Philadelphia and lambasted the attorney general.

Mr. Specter, Republican of Pennsylvania, wandered back into the press cabin as the plane sat on the tarmac at Andrews Air Force Base before the president arrived from the White House.

According to a pool report of the encounter, Mr. Specter expressed anew his criticism of Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales but said he saw no signs that Mr. Gonzales would be forced to resign. Mr. Specter attributed Mr. Gonzales’s job security to Mr. Bush’s “personal loyalty” to him.

Mr. Specter spoke derisively of Mr. Gonzales’s appearance Tuesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where he faced accusations that he misled Congress last year when he said there had been no disagreement within the administration over the National Security Administration’s domestic surveillance program.

“Our hearing two days ago was devastating,” Mr. Specter said. “But so was the hearing before that, and so was the hearing before that.”

Mr. Specter also waded into another uncomfortable subject, the Congressional demands for testimony from Karl Rove, the presidential adviser, and Harriet E. Miers, the former White House counsel, among others.

He said that while he hoped “to reach an accommodation” with the White House, “I don’t see it now.”

A spokesman for Mr. Specter had no further comment.

White House officials seemed none too pleased with Mr. Specter’s remarks, but had no comment, either.

Mr. Specter is something of a serial breaker of the unspoken rules aboard Air Force One. In 2004, in chatting with reporters on the plane, he went so far as to share election strategy as told to him by Mr. Bush and Mr. Rove.

The president was not annoyed enough on Thursday, however, to keep the senator from traveling back to Washington from the morning’s event here, a speech to a group of conservative state legislators on taxes, terrorism, war and education.

Copyright © 2008 The New York Times Company
2007-07-27 09:38:53
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echo3d 11:18:20 PM Aug 01 2007

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neither the airplane NOR this country belong to that 'would be' president and certain traitor from texas. it's not YOURS, georgie. sorry bud, free speech still rules...and will...LONG after your sorry ass is gone (hopefully rotting in some texas prison for treason to the constitution of the u.s.a.)

kdavis4537 06:18:00 AM Jul 31 2007

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Plain and simple: Spector should have followed the simple rules of decorum for the short flight.

mbestfrnd 02:15:21 AM Jul 31 2007

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Next time Bush should let that *ss hole Spector walk.

LesDuncan 11:00:00 PM Jul 30 2007

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From the caption on photo #3 -

He wandered back to the press cabin before Bush boarded and criticized Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

Technically, if President Bush has not yet boarded the aircraft, it is not Air Force One. The call sign would be either SAM 28000 or SAM 29000 for the VC-25A. (Boeing 747)

Air Force One is the call sign used for any Air Force aircraft when POTUS (President of the United States) is on board.

Therefore, Senator Arlen Specter did not violate Air Force One protocol.

wasabimon 12:20:00 AM Jul 30 2007

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its about time people like spectre did their job----good for him -----i spit in bushes eye too ...........

thdpkr111 10:48:44 PM Jul 29 2007

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The arrogant bastard thinks he can regulate free speech?

The sooner the nation is rid of this cancer, the better.

lavenderlulu 08:29:14 PM Jul 29 2007

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Rules? Calling the shots? Unfortunately you cannot control everyone at a social event. Safety is upper most. Mr. Spector did not violate any safety issues.

We are not in kindergarten and expected to sit with a "deer in headlights" look on our face. Intelligent people communicate and express opinions. Next time Arlen should fly commercial. Oh! But what if he talks to the person seated next to him? Horrors!

lavenderlulu 08:21:11 PM Jul 29 2007

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This would not be an issue if the president had everyone put duct tape over their mouth while traveling.

lavenderlulu 08:19:42 PM Jul 29 2007

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Obviously freedom of speech does not apply to Airforce One. Don't tell me what to say or do, Mr. President. I am not your bitch.

lavenderlulu 08:19:22 PM Jul 29 2007

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Obviously freedom of speech does not apply to Airforce One. Don't tell me what to say or do, Mr. President. I am not your bitch.

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