“O”-Force One … Or Err-Farce One :: MAXINE

by Edmund Jenks | July 24, 2008 at 12:08 pm | 1721 views | 20 comments | 4 recommendations

by Edmund Jenks

Original Posting Here>>

Story in Comments below due to an editing glitch with the NP portal.

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Edmund Jenks

at 12:34 on July 24th, 2008

The plane of U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama lands at Berlin's Tegel airport July 24, 2008. Obama is on a foreign tour he hopes will boost his election chances. He will give an outdoor speech in Berlin on transatlantic ties that is likely to draw thousands. Image Credit: REUTERS

“O”-Force One … Or Err-Farce One

It must be good to be the “O”, or as Maureen Dowd would say – The ONE!

A man of the people has a newly, refurbished Boeing 757 campaign plane upon which to transport the adoring members of the fourth estate.

The "North American" campaign plane before the Obama campaign remake. Image Credit: XDTalk Forums

The most interesting change from Barack Obama’s previous campaign plane set-up was the removal of the American flag that flew on the tail in favor of the Obama campaign stylized “O” logo. The previous plane’s graphics actually never mentioned the United States choosing to highlight the phrase “North American” … the plane’s leasing operator.

Image Credit: Fox News

That is just plain weird. A man who wishes to become the leader of the free world and the most powerful nation on Earth … doesn’t care to have the mention on his plane The United States of America.

We, here at MAXINE, have another suggestion for a graphic on the tail of the North American Airlines leasing operated Boeing 757 …

NObama campaign graphic for lawn signs, bumper stickers and … airplane tails. Graphic Credit: Edmund Jenks (2008)

This excerpted from FoxNews –

Obama’s 757 is Back in Service
by Bonney Kapp

Sally, a nickname bestowed upon Barack Obama’s chartered 757 by some in the traveling press, has returned to service after undergoing a month-long makeover for the general election.
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There are 69 passengers on board, including 38 members of the press, Secret Service agents, and Obama staffers, including several of Obama’s top foreign policy advisors.

The North American jet that flew Obama and his traveling crew around for much of the primary season was refurbished with new seats and power for each passenger a must on the campaign trail. And the plane that once had an American flag on its tail now sports the Obama “O.” “Change We Can Believe In” and the candidate’s website are splayed across both sides of the fuselage, making this 757 anything but inconspicuous.

Also new to the plane: mesh curtains that divide the press and Secret Service from the staff and candidate’s parts of the plane. While Obama and his staff get first class seating, press and agents are relegated to standard 3 seats-per-row seating. But, staffers advise us that some rows were taken out of the plane to give us more leg room.

Obama staff first class section in the new "O"-Force One Obama campaign plane. Image Credit: Fox News

Prior to getting refurbished, the plane sported hundreds of photographs documenting life on the campaign trail. While her walls are bare now, expect a more personal cabin after the press get reacquainted with the plane on this 14-hour journey to the Middle East.Check out some photos of the new and improved 757 below.

First Class for Staff. Beyond the silver curtain is where Obama will sit. The section has just four Lay-Z-Boy style seats, at least one of which is embroidered with the Obama ‘08 logo in its headrest. The roomy section has just one other feature - a table for four.
Reference Here>>

Side panel graphics display on the Obama campaign Boeing 757. Image Credit: Fox News

And this excerpted from WELT ONLINE -

Obama arrives in Germany amid high expectations
U.S. Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama arrived in Berlin Thursday, kicking off the European leg of his overseas trip amid high expectations.
WELT ONLINE - Europe Tour - 24. Juli 2008, 12:22 Uhr

The German capital is the first stop on a whirlwind tour that will take Obama to Germany, France and Britain in an effort to burnish his foreign credentials as he campaigns against Republican Sen. John McCain for the U.S. presidency. While in Berlin, Obama will meet with German leaders, including Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

He will cap his day with an open-air speech before an expected crowd of at least 100,000 that his campaign has described as a "substantive address on U.S.-European relations.“ The address has symbolic value because several U.S. presidents – including John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton – made significant addresses in Berlin. Former German President Richard von Weizsaecker said that the Obama event could help pave the way for a new trans-Atlantic relationship, according to a newspaper report. "Kennedy said the famous sentence: ’Ich bin ein Berliner’ – Obama could send the Berlin signal: America is counting on Europe for its future,“ he was quoted as saying by the Bild newspaper Thursday.

"We have long believed that nobody in America is interested in our continent any more,“ he said in further quotes attributed to him. "The appearance and the speech of Barack Obama are evidence that this preconception is false.“

After landing at Tegel Airport, his aircraft taxied beside the soon-to-depart plane of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who visited Berlin this week for talks aimed at luring German companies to invest in his country.

Obama met with al-Maliki in Baghdad earlier this week during the Middle East part of his tour.
Reference Here>>

Story Posted In Comments Due To Editing Glitch

René

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 16:06 on July 24th, 2008

Edmund Jenks, I like this story. It's good stuff.

René

at 16:12 on July 24th, 2008

When I see the prictures(sic) of the plane before and after, I have to wonder, am I the only one offended here? There are many here who are not Americans, and may not understand the offense. And I suppose there are many here who are not proud to be American, too. and I'm sure will make their opinions blatantly obvious.

Whatever, This is not change I can believe in!

Edmund Jenks

at 16:55 on July 24th, 2008

It is blatently offensive to make a play on a plane's title designation that was intended to honor the highest executive public office in our country. The Air Force designated the plane that transports the President of the United States "Air Force One" to honor the office and anyone who holds it out of respect for the OFFICE and the power it yeilds! Barack Obama offends any American who understands this Point-Of-Order.

In his speech in Berlin today, he stated that in addition to being a citizen of the United States, he is a citizen of the World.

I really only want to cast my vote for someone to lead my country who professes to be a citizen of my country First, Last, and ALWAYS. I do not want my president to be conflicted in his loyalties.

Further, Barack Obama raised the spector of our country's possible involvement in torture (as if this is what we do ... all the time - we ARE at war, not in a police action) and embedded this highlight in a "nothing burger" of a cliche ridden speech. I felt that I was watching the "Dixie Chicks" as opposed to someone who wishes to represent our country to the rest of the world as its lead executive.

WOW - I ain't swooning!

René

at 00:05 on July 25th, 2008

He certainly has tons of money to spend on this 'slap in the face' plane. Wonder just where it all came from? Betcha a good portion of it came from outside the US, in a very roundabout way.

petersonny (not verified)

at 20:43 on July 26th, 2008

Today's essay question: "McCain's campaign plane, good. Obama's campaign plane, bad. Explain"

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/06/30/straight_talk_express_gets_an.html

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/07/barack_obama_new_plane.html

Karen Hatter

at 20:15 on July 24th, 2008

Re: the plane, the Chicago Sun Times christened the plane 'O' Force One, not Senator Obama, according to the Maureen Dowd article linked above.

Edmund Jenks

at 20:17 on July 24th, 2008

Still an insult to all Americans - because they presumably write for a living ... Err-Farce would have been more inventive as well as definative.

O-Force is a slap in the face to the OFFICE, the USAF, and since Barack Obama did not have anything to do with the moniker ... Barack Obama himself.

I don't, however, expect Barry to object too loudly for he is a citizen of the World!

René

at 23:59 on July 24th, 2008

Well it was a Chicago paper. helping him to rub it in our faces.

Paschen

at 20:21 on July 24th, 2008

I really do not understand where the insult is!?

René

at 00:01 on July 25th, 2008

Did I not say you would not understand? You aren't an American, are you?

Paschen

at 00:05 on July 25th, 2008

Yes, you did Rene! I do not mean any offence what so ever nor any disrespect, yet I do have to ask and would like a plausible explanation if there may be any somewhat rational one to this! Where is the Offence?

René

at 10:53 on July 25th, 2008

Ed explained it perfectly, yet I still feel you will not understand. But it is not required that you do.

djermano

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 04:38 on July 25th, 2008

Edmund Jenks, I like this story. It's good stuff.

I see no benefit to his changing logo designs. Seems like a waste of money to me.

stevie d. (not verified)

at 07:52 on August 1st, 2008

Where is the USA flag on McCain's campaign plane?
http://news.aol.com/political-machine/2008/07/23/obama-flags-on-a-plane/
Why does John Sydney McCain hate America so much that he can't have an American flag on his plane?
Is it true that he was brainwashed by the communist Chinese while collaborating with the enemy as he was being held in Vietnam? Is he really the 'Manchurian Candidate' everyone says he is sent back to destroy America?
This is serious stuff.

Ken Tarbox (not verified)

at 12:16 on August 13th, 2008

The American flag on McCain's plane is just behind the wing slightly below the windows on the dark blue paint on both sides. You can search for photos of his plane on the internet if you really want to know the truth. His torture at the hands of the North Vietnam (Not Chinese) prison guards is real and cannot be questioned. On the other hand, Obama has forasken the American flag on every occasion where it should be shown. His plane is yet another embarrassement to the American people since they purposefully took off the flag everywhere that it had been applied. There was no reall need of taking it from all of those locations. He could have left it in at least one prominent location like in front of the plane's number on the side. Does he not understand that by now, there have been millions of Americans who have died fighting for that flag throughout our history? Does he not care about those soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen and Coast Guardsmen who gave their lives for that flag? Or does he think that it is just a piece of cloth?

djermano

at 01:42 on August 14th, 2008

There have been millions who died from that flag as well. As white American Pioneers and the USA Army moved west, they took land that never belonged to them. They rounded up Native American Indians killed and slaughtered them; then forced them on undesirable land areas called Reservations. America began on a crusade instead of an attempt to bring all people of different color and races into a joint idea of democracy. Instead Native American Indians were not included in the Constitution, or the Declaration of Independence. We really think Native Americans deserve Independence? Not according to present day Political hacks! And then we had black slaves for over 100 years of American history. They too were excluded from the Constitution, and from the ideals of The Declaration of Independence. In my clear view; America is still on the verge of being founded. It is still undergoing its Revolution. The War has been waging for over 230 years, and we have not yet seen the real American Flag come forward that represents all people. We are still in the midst of writing a new Constitution, a new Declaration to the meaning of freedom, and a new inspired identity that Democracy does not come forward from the barrel of a gun. It is nurtured and given plenty of sunlight in the wonderful valley of Nonviolence and Nongreedy peoples. God Bless those candidates who see the real vision. God Bless those candidates who throw their swords into plough shares. But there are no candidates for the American people. They are shut-up, shackled, shot, water-boarded, called anti-American, ridiculed, debased, slandered, and murdered as the American picture retains its past image as a nation of one crime scene after another. Is it really a leader we demand in Democracy? Is it really what the people want by being forced to listen and accept the propaganda machine that feeds the public their continued anomosity of hate by supporting a War Machine that is constantly at war? Somehow there is a better America that stands firm and strong and never waivering to the weakness in needing a gun to make the the case for war. No my fellow American friends the war we have is the inabilty to accept that Nonviolence is our destination in the end. As it is our beginning; why do we fear Nonviolence by clinging to War? I say throw your gun and rusting decayed thoughts of violence out, and start building an America that we trust, and have hope for. There is no hope in Violence or vengence. That is the path toward agony and despair. This is why those who continue to beat the drums for war, will ultimately fade away as a bad storm. They are remembered for their destruction, instead of the calm and happy moments when the song bird sings with the trees in the breeze. There is hope and I am here to tell you so.

Rev. Jermano

Kristen (not verified)

at 11:41 on August 26th, 2008

Just FYI, Obama's plane was a North American Airlines plane. The flag on that plane was that company's TRADEMARKED logo. If you look at other pictures of Obama's plane, you will see that there IS an American flag on it next to the registration numbers of the plane (much like McCain's, behind the wing!)

This plane was not EVER the Presidential Air Force One, and Obama is not the one making cracks about "O force one." If you are going to continue to claim you are voting for McCain because Obama is not-patriotic or "un-American" go ahead. However, the rest of us will realize that your ignorance is simply a bad cover for your prejudice and racism.

If you are voting for McCain based on the issues, more power to you. If you are voting for him b/c you believe the twisted right wing smears about Obama being un-American, a Muslim, etc. then you are no better than the ignorant hypocrits you claim to despise.