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Flying on Air Force One With the Obamas
How does America’s first family behave at 30,000 feet? Very graciously, our columnist discovers.
Flying on Air Force One with America’s new first family feels much like popping over for pizza.
Natural, casual, warm.
What did I once write of the president and Michelle? Mr. Principal and Mrs. Math Teacher? Well. We’re all different things on different days in different settings. On this day—last Friday—the Obamas were attentive and gracious to five columnists invited to travel with them from Washington to Chicago, where the first family was spending the long weekend. (The others were Clarence Page, Ron Brownstein, E.J. Dionne and Bob Herbert.)
Either Obama hasn’t figured out yet that he’s the boss or, quite possibly, he doesn’t care.
Although I’ve traveled on Air Force One before with President George W. Bush—as well as separately with Mrs. Bush to the Middle East—this trip was special. Not only was it the first journey home for the new president since he assumed office, but the entire Obama family was aboard. In fact, our scheduled 4 p.m. departure time was set around the girls’ getting out of school.
We five columnists were already seated in cushy chairs in a guest “parlor,” when the first daughters entered unannounced and, at first glance, unescorted. There was just, rather suddenly, Malia—all smiles and clearly used to cutting a swath wherever she goes. Then came another burst of light named Sasha.
You know they’re adorable. You’ve seen a thousand pictures and video clips. Forget all that. This is when you need Spanish so that you can add the absolute superlative -isima to the end of adorable. They are that adorable. Uninhibited and guileless, they seemed utterly at ease with five strangers— especially, may I say, with the sole female, who just happened to have a little green Ugly Doll hanging from her purple purse, very similar to one spotted several weeks ago on Sasha’s book bag.
The guys may talk football, leaving some women reporters clueless, but guys don’t know jack about the Ugly Doll fashion phenom begun by one Sasha Obama several weeks ago. I wouldn’t call my Ugly Doll “bait” exactly, but I might call it strategy. As a conversation starter, it worked.
We had the girls to ourselves for only a few moments before Mom, Dad and Michelle’s mother, Marian Robinson, joined us. Everyone stood, smiled, greeted, shook hands, smiled—the usual drill when host and hostess greet their guests. This had somewhat the feel of an extra-polite diplomatic meeting as the adult Obamas totaled 15 handshakes. I half-expected us to fold our hands and begin bowing.
Impressions: I had met Obama before he became president, but not Michelle. I was struck by her warmth and a sense that she has no need to be the center of attention. (This cannot be said of all first ladies.) Her mother was similarly warm, if a bit shy. Why wouldn’t she be? Although no stranger to her daughter’s and son-in-law’s public life, no sensible civilian would enter a room of columnists without wondering whether the staff doctor stocks antivenom. I was also struck by how lean and fit everyone is. The Obamas are thin people, a sight to behold in the age of obesity.
Greetings accomplished, the Obamas disappeared into their section of the plane toward the front, while we settled in for takeoff. There is nothing unique about a presidential takeoff. An airplane is an airplane. Except! The flight attendants on Air Force One don’t nag you about stuffing every little thing under the seat in front of you. Your seat doesn’t have to be in the upright position, nor does your tray have to be in the locked position. I briefly considered walking around during takeoff, rather than repeating The Lord’s Prayer as I usually do, just to mock death because I probably could.
Once we reached our cruising altitude, as they say, we were summoned to the conference room. The Obama ladies were nowhere in sight, presumably ensconced in private quarters we never saw. Obama, wearing white shirt and tie (sans presidential bomber jacket— too much drama?), again greeted us with yet another round of smiles and handshakes. At this point, I have lost count. We took our seats around the table—alpha dog positioning as one might expect—got out our notebooks, pens and tape recorders and…
Courtesy of Kathleen Parker
“How are we going to run this thing?”
Eh? The president was asking us how we wanted to proceed. For the record, this is very un-Bush. At several meetings with the former president, including a one-on-one interview aboard Air Force One, there was never any question about how we would proceed. Bush ran all shows. Either Obama hasn’t figured out yet that he’s the boss or, quite possibly, he doesn’t care. As a veteran White House correspondent suggested to me later, “Maybe he knows he can handle whatever we toss his way.”
I’ve written about the interview for my regular syndicated column, so I won’t belabor it here. Suffice to say, we focused on the stimulus bill that Obama signed Tuesday in Denver. As someone who has written both favorably and critically about the president, most recently focusing on his greenness and political inexperience, I was curious to gain whatever insights one can from a closer encounter.
What struck me most was his immense calm. I kept looking for fissures in the façade, some signal that the cool cat is a defense mechanism or some tactical ploy to deflect or defuse an opponent. Nary a crack. You may as well try to find the Dalai Lama’s Achilles heel. I suspect that if you cut Obama open, you’d find a little Buddha sitting inside, smiling.
Before a crowd of thousands, Obama the Orator is a performer. In a small room with a few journalists, he is a teacher, mindful that his students are trying to write down what he says. He speaks slowly. I took this as an act of consideration and thanked him for it. Even though we were promised a transcript—and though tape recorders cluttered the table—we were all still scribbling furiously. It is a habit of old reporters and, besides, one never knows.
Except for a few worthy quotes, not much new surfaced during the interview and the trip was otherwise gloriously uneventful. But one thing did emerge with greater clarity. Quality. If one judges people in part by the way they and their family comport themselves—and we all do—then the verdict is clear. The Obamas are the family for which less-fortunate children wish upon stars.
The Return Trip
Yes, yes, I hear you. Air Force One. Big deal. Sucking up to the prez. Piffle. Know this, my fellow Americans: The romance ends on the tarmac. Once we landed in Chicago, the Obamas descended the red-carpeted front stairs to their awaiting helicopter and we unworthy wretches dropped from the belly of the beast to the pavement and our waiting… nada. Zip! No, actually, a Zipcar would have been delightful.
As the Obamas hopped on Marine One and swooped over the city to their old neighborhood, we stood shivering and wondering how to get to O’Hare’s terminal and a commercial flight back home. That was around 5:30ish and quite coldish. Numb from wind chill, we finally hitched a ride with a nice fellow who almost changed his mind once he realized we were media and not presidential entourage.
Alas, he dropped us off in plenty of time to begin the O’Hare Roulette. As my traveling companion, Ron Brownstein said, “It’s not a problem flying out of O’Hare as long as you’re not picky about where you go. At some point, a plane will go somewhere.”
We waited through mechanical problems and a canceled flight; we boarded and then deplaned; we reboarded a new plane—this time with an entire eighth-grade class heading to Washington for the weekend! Just three hours late. My two 13-year-old seatmates were mesmerized by tales of Air Force One, I tell you.
The glamour of it all.
Kathleen Parker is a syndicated columnist with the Washington Post Writers Group and author of Save the Males.
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The fawning. The idol-worship. The flowing and drippy descriptions of perfectly wonderful children, grown women jumping on childish trends, the perfection and grace of her god-like hero, even a comparison of their obviously-ideal physiques. It literally made me want to puke.
Marine, get over it, will ya? He's our prez, probably for the next eight years.
Stuff your anger in a closet, and wish the best - for him and our country.
Ignore the haters, Kathleen. Thanks for posting about your experience. I love our First Family and can't get enough of them.
"How are we going to run this thing?" That surprised you? Do you not recognize natural "class" and self confidence when you are confronted with it?
This is the ultimate confident and classy person who has no need to be defensive, insecure or posture to make himself look like he is the boss.
Obama is not quality, he has class!
MarineLtCol, then why do you read this stuff? You either enjoy being sickened by your morning read, or you read these things thinking that there will be a different result. Either way is lunacy.
I am not a fan of fluff pieces like this. I already know that Obama and Family are gracious. I already know that I would rather have drinks or go to a July 4th BBQ with Obama and Family than anyone else. Tell me what he's going to do about the economy. Tell me my job is safe. Tell me that jobs are returning to the country.
Marineltcol - I think you have more health problems than an upset stomach.
Excuse me while I throw up. Im tired of the multitude of adjectives used when describing anything Obama. How about this. I flew on Air Force one with the Obamas. They were polite. Then end.
Interesting to read the two commenters here who didn't appreciate Kathleen's as-usual wonderful writing.
MarineLt... I know how you feel about the fawning, the idol worship. It's pretty much how I felt watching President Bush land on that "Mission Accomplished" aircraft carrier, strutting across the deck in a flight suit while the media adored him.
I must say I certainly appreciate the calm, confident, truly "presidential" President Obama to his predecessor and his dress-up acts.
Thank you Kathleen, for this warm and witty and delightful piece!
Loved the article. I live to see the Obama's getting on Marine 1, off Marine 1, on to Air Force 1 and off Air Force 1. I hope they travel every weekend. I nee to get a life!
The Obama family is a welcome relief to the dour, stuffy, and completely predictable previous flyers on Air Force One.
And as to the MarineMachoFreak, you can't even imagine how much puking went on in this country during the 8 years of lying, incompetent, and apathetic fiasco called the Bush administration.
So, go ahead and puke, and shut up.
It amazes me how much we taxpayers spend to get drivle like this!
Do you realize it takes in excess of 200 people, that's 200 salaries to prepare Air Force One for any domestic flight, and well over 1,200 for any foriegn flight?
Yes this plane and actually there are two identical planes are posh, loaded to the gills with high tech equipment, mean fanfares to relish in, but what was actually accomplished during this flight with the elite few media who were invited?
Where is the guts to this story?
Yes the Obama family jumped on-board Marine One to fly to the airport to get on Air Force One, no big deal happens all the time.
Did you or any of your media companions ask anything about economics, the stimulus package, veterans affairs, Banking and Auto Maker bail outs, Iraq, Afghanistan, our troops?
Or why Obama's promise to post all information, bills to be signed etc. on the White House website hasn't been done?
I also think that the prejudging of Obama is way too premature at this point, he's served less than 30-days, how can anyone in their right mind think he's so great at this point?
Same old drivle as with all former NEW presidents!
I want to know where he's going with our new trillion dollar deficit, how he intends to cure the problem, where are all these new jobs coming from, why he won't return all foreign workers to their own country and protect American Jobs.
I want to know if he really intends on yet another Amnesty program and what it will hold.
I'm a military bratt, and former Navy, and frankly I don't give a damn about a simple mundane flight on Air Force One unless it has some serious MEAT to the story!
I know the thousands of dollars it costs to put together a domestic flight and the even more hundreds of thousands it costs to put together an over seas flight.
Of course President Obama and his family will be cordial, they surely can't afford bad press!
I wonder how much carbon footprint our president and Congress leave.
Mr. Obama flew to Florida and Indiana to campaign for his stimulus bill. Then to Chicago; then to Denver - what happen to the video conference and web conference that everyone suggested for the CEOs instead of jets and trips.
Why does he have to go to Denver to sign the bill? If it's such a major milestone why not in Washington DC as it should be?
I thouhgt that there're no double standards or is there?
I loved your quote about the "little buddha inside Omama", it's really weird but when I see him I feel calmer and more hopeful and more reassured. I am also inspired to get up everyday and be more positive and energized to get my work done...when I am feeling a bit down and not motivated, I think about what he has accomplished and I am reenergized. Its really amazing...he's got something magical working. In all of my 56 yrs, I have NEVER felt this inspired by anyone..when he visited Chicago this weekend and there was not a lot of press about him, I missed seeing him. He is the presence we need in these turbulent times. Sometimes I think maybe its a lot of pressure and burden to put on this young man, but somehow I know he can handle it!!!
kc... we live in a big, beautiful country. To me, it is refreshing to see our President leave the cozy confines of the Washington Beltway to visit and hear from Americans who don't happen to be media columnists or political operatives.
kc and JD: President Bush often took his message directly to the American people... who you as upset about it then? Remember after the 2004 election, when he flew all over the country, selling Social Security reform? Or, for example, when he was campaigning for reelection, he spent a year traversing the nation aboard Air Force One, for purely political purposes, all at the taxpayers' expense. It goes with the territory. The President, the most powerful head of state in the world, needs to be protected from enemies, foreign and domestic. What, do you think he should fly commercial, in coach?
Air Force One is a damned big aircraft, and flying a few journalists on it seems to be a good use of its space. During the campaign, I do know that journalists had to pay, through their news organizations, for their transportation aboard campaign aircraft in order to cover McCain/Palin and Obama/Biden; same was true for the primaries. Out of curiosity, I would be interested to know if this also holds true for travel aboard Air Force One. But, since the plane is flying anyway, what difference does it make to the taxpayer if journalists are aboard?
This comment has been removed by The Daily Beast's editors.
Yes, his children are perfect. His wife is perfect. Even their physiques are perfect when compared to the mere mortal American citizen. Every decision he makes, every time he opens his mouth, it's perfect. Even when he can't lead a meeting, it's nothing but him being even more perfect. Then, when Air Force one landed in the lovely town of Stepford, all the robomatic reporters were cleaned and serviced and prepared for their follow-on "reports".
How much fuel was used for this trip? How much fuel does Air force One consume in a week, in a month? How does President Obama square his views on energy converastion with this fuel use? According to the NYTIMES, President Obama has turned up the heat in the White House rather than wear a sweater. How does the President square his behavior with energy reform?
it behooves me how you MarineLtCoL, would want to MOCK your COMMANDER-AND-CHIEF( President Obama said even today he's not perfect before he sign the stimulus bill in to law and that mistakes will happen) so you mocking is immature to saya the least..
if you have a problem with a your COMMANDER-AND-CHIEF who happens to be a Black American..get out of the miltary if you can't take order from an AMERICAN PRESIDENT who happened to be AFRICAN AMERICAN, see this gonna Challenge all the OLE sterotypical lies that has been given to america in the negative notions when it comes to african americans now..that way of thinking is out the window NOW, you have no excuse to be bigoted any more, if you aren't white, then I'm mistaked of course, but if you are, you chose to stay the way you are when it comes to race relations in this nation, you chose as you have from the beginning as a way of supremacy over others that don't look like you, so NOW you are CHALLENGED, every american is CHALLENGED, white black, yellow, brown, Red..in regard to contributing to racism or HEAL racism in this nation. The challenge is YOUR MARINELtCol to be apart of the movenemnt for a BETTER america..or be miserable in your soul in regard to race relation in this nation..and what better way than to MOCK your commander and chief and this nation's first family..demonstrating such mocking..which is making fun of a well balanced family with children. SHAME ON YOU AS A MILITARY PERSONEL..and you call yourshelf an american?
Gatekeeper, so wait, you said "if you aren't white, then I'm mistaked (sic) of course".So.........if I'm black I can criticize zombie-like reports filed by cooing and oohing and ahhhing reporters, but if I'm white and I do it, I'm a racist? Who on this board was talking about race besides you? I'm mocking poor writing and the tendency to fawn over Obama like he's a flawless Messiah. Slow down, take a breath, and re-read my posts, which clearly target journalists who lob giant softballs in their reporting.
You, on the other hand, are a raging racist. Not to mention a horrid speller.
And, it's Commander IN Chief, you dolt.
I am sick and tired of people bigoted comments about the Obamas. He is the commander in chief. Deal with it. There are hundreds of african-american soldiers serving all over the world and dying for us in wars. We ALL should be proud of all our servicemembers no matters what race or nationality they are from.
MarineLTC, You are talking about the wrong president. It was people like you who never questioned your leader. I knew a guy that flew around the Bushes and Powell and they were just like you. Thank god alot of lower enlisted personnel finally have seen the light and realize that your worship of Bush and shoving religion down the soldiers throat was OK. Am a wife of a retired soldier and a daughter and daughter of retired soldiers. I have been around alot of military bases. Since Bush came in I have seen changes that were not good for soldiers. Especially, having evangelica ministers being allowed to pressure students at the Air Force Academy and the military in general. I voted for Obama because I thought he could do the right job not because I worshipped him. I don't think people really voted that way. All we had to see was Palin that was enough for many people.
Southernyankee - Generalize much? What makes you think I'm a Bush supporter? Because I don't like Obama? If you only knew how far off base you actually are! And what's with all the "if you don't buy into the Obama is perfect mantra, then you are a racist?" I thought that whole schtick ended with the election, whereby if you didn't vote for him, you are a racist? Guess what? He's President now and he's fair game for criticism. Nobody cares anymore about people like you who try to make the issue of supporting liberal policies versus conservative ones a racial issue. 68% of people are completely against his stimulus plan, are they all racists too? I'm finding it hard to believe that there are still people out there trying to pitch the "support him or we'll call you a racist" theme.
Give it up.
southernyankee - And one more thing, there are THOUSANDS of black servicemembers serving overseas, not "hundreds".
Way too much fossil fuel being burnt jetting around por nada. If we rake the corporate overlords over the coals for private jets and needless junkets, don't we need a White House role model that complies too?
Thank you.
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