Air Force One Used During Campaign Events

[SoonerATC]

This applies to BOTH parties...

but I think it should be illegal to use AF1 to travel to campaign events. We should not have to subsidize the incumbent's campaign costs.

 

[Glocktogo]

AF1 is used to facilitate the official business of the Oval Office anywhere the POTUS may travel. It's the same for USSS coverage. It's a function of the office, not the man.

When Air Force One is used for political purposes, the president often reimburses the government for the cost of food, lodging and travel. The president or his election campaign pays back an amount that is "equivalent of the airfare that they would have paid had they used a commercial airline," according to the Congressional Research Service.

 

[cmhbob]

USSS protection is extended to candidates of several parties. Should the use of AF1 or other government transportation also be extended?

 

[donner]

USSS protection is extended to candidates of several parties. Should the use of AF1 or other government transportation also be extended?

very different things. AF1 is a portable command and control center. Candidates don't require such things, but the president does. The secret service protect candidates from assassins, not from nuclear fallout (which AF1 does for the president as the CiC).

 

[SMS]

USSS protection is extended to candidates of several parties. Should the use of AF1 or other government transportation also be extended?

No, it shouldn't. All candidates pay for their transportation. As GTG just posted, the incumbant President's political campaign reimburses the governement for the equivalent cost of transportation. Having worked inside a Presidential campaign, I can attest to the fact that this rule is actually adhered to multiple assets, not just transportation (communications, lodging, food etc...)

That being said, there are ways around it...like scheduling an "official" event in the same town on the same day as the "campaign" event.

 

[10Seconds]

As posted, the President's campaign is to reimburse the cost of using Air Force One when campaigning. Of course it really doesnt fully reimburse the cost of operating it and there are ways around it, we all know that. Its just a game they play. However....

I am not a supporter of this President. But I am a supporter of the Office of which he holds. Our country must protect our President, regardless of who it may be at the moment. This is one part of that protection. If he had to travel without protection or using other means, he would certainly be a target of terrorists who don't really care what his politics are but would love to damage the United States as a whole. That simply cannot be allowed to happen.