How things have changed
Every once in a while life steps up and reminds us of how things have changed, sometimes for a little better. Don't get me wrong. I feel that there are some things that the President and his team could have done better on, but you know, in the main, yes, we are better than we were from 2000 to 2008. One of the things that reminded me of this passed by me as I was walking to work this morning.
I work in Washington, D.C., on Pennsylvania Avenue, five or 6 blocks from the White House (the "WH"
and the Old Executive Office Building (the "OEB" . The Naval Observatory, where the Vice President's official residence is located, is a few miles from here. This morning, as on a number of other mornings in the past, the motorcade bringing the VP down to the WH or the OEB passed by me as I walked from the Foggy Bottom metro station to my office at 2121 Pennsylvania. But for some reason, this morning it hit me how different the motorcades of VPs Cheney and Biden were.
When Cheney motored around town, there were 2 or 3 DC cop cars in the front, lights and sirens going full blast. Next came a bunch of black Suburbans, windows tinted so you couldn't look in, but windows down so that the agents inside could hang out to watch thins and brandish their rifles. The rear tailgates were down too, so that agents with rifles at the ready could leap into action at a moment's notice to spray the area with bullets. Next usually came two or three black limos with darkened windows, presumably 1 for Cheney and the others for his staff, more black Suburbans with more agents and rifles and finally 2 or 3 more DC cop cars. You really got the sense that Cheney adored the pomp and splendor, with more show of force the better. And no, I never saw an ambulance in the procession.
VP Biden's motorcade on the other hand had one DC cop car in front, 1 Suburban with tinted windows, 1 limo with clear glass windows, another Suburban and finally one DC cop car bringing up the rear. Protection without rubbing it in your face.
And that's why I think that things have changed a little for the better during the Obama presidency.
