More free rides. This time on Air Force One.
Is Air Force One George W.'s equivalent of the Lincoln Bedroom? Symbolism in politics and the photo opp can't compete with this image of access to power but will it help in the elections? A San Francisco Chronicle story about the use of Air Force One by George W. to help Republican candidates in their election bids. But when's Bill Simon flight?
In the second Bush White House, Air Force One has become both a crucial presidential retreat and a potent political tool. Every president since John Kennedy has had a love affair with the jet's luxuries and ability to attract votes, but under Bush its lure has increased.
The change dates to Sept. 11, 2001, when Air Force One became the fortress- jet, carrying the president on a secret zigzag odyssey across the United States. If the flight projected an image that day of a commander-in-chief in retreat, it also fed the legend of one of the great icons of the American presidency.
...For midterm candidates who have never before run for office, a ride on the plane goes a long way toward eliminating what political consultants call the "stature gap" by showcasing access to the inner court.
"When you drop into your speech, 'When I flew back with President Bush on Air Force One, and he said to me,' everything else you say after that is 3,000 percent more important," said Bill McInturff, a Republican pollster.