Rep. Courtney foils Trump's red, white, blue Air Force One plan

[TexasTowelie]

Amendment won't allow gold-plated interior fixtures, either


Washington — Rep. Joe Courtney on Wednesday threw a big wrench into President Donald Trump’s plans to paint the iconic Air Force One jets red, white and blue.

During a marathon hearing of the House Armed Services Committee on a bill that will authorize Pentagon spending for 2020, Courtney, D, CT-2nd District, introduced an amendment that restricts spending on any changes made to the white and sky-blue Boeing airplanes that have served as presidential transport since the early 1960s.

Courtney’s amendment, adopted by committee members on a 31-26 party line vote, would require congressional approval for excessive spending on “interior, paint and fixtures.”

During the debate on his amendment, Courtney assured his colleagues that his intention was not to keep the president or the Air Force from making modifications on Air Force One, but to make sure there was no excessive growth in costs or delays in schedule from last-minute design changes — and that the look of the plane remains traditional.

Read more: https://ctmirror.org/2019/06/12/courtney-foils-trumps-red-white-blue-air-force-one-plan/

[gratuitous]

1. Of all the bad news Trump will get this week

Why do I have the feeling that this amendment will draw the most attention from Needy Amin?

[malaise]

2. Good grief he's sick and needy

[3catwoman3]

3. The Air Force 1 paint job is both beautiful...

...and iconic.

Trump should leave it the hell alone.

[TeamPooka]

4. But it doesn't say TRUMP on it and that's all he cares about really

[Dennis Donovan]

5. Kick. The present paint scheme was commissioned by Jacqueline Kennedy and designed by Raymond Loewy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VC-137C_SAM_26000

<snip>

John F. Kennedy was the first president to use SAM 26000.[2] Kennedy first flew on the aircraft on November 10, 1962, to attend the funeral services of former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in Hyde Park, New York. SAM 26000 took Kennedy to Berlin ("Ich bin ein Berliner&quot in June 1963; the month before that, it set a new Washington-Moscow time record. It was designer Raymond Loewy who, at the invitation of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, gave SAM 26000 the now-familiar Air Force One livery of blue, silver, and white.

On November 22, 1963, after landing the President and First Lady at Dallas' Love Field, SAM 26000 was the backdrop to live broadcasts of the Kennedys greeting well-wishers. Later that day, after Kennedy's assassination made Vice President Lyndon Johnson the new president, SAM 26000 carried the Johnsons, Jacqueline Kennedy, and John Kennedy's body back to Washington. To accommodate the casket four seats were removed from the passenger compartment; Johnson took the Oath of Office aboard SAM 26000 before takeoff.

As Kennedy was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery, 50 fighter jets flew overhead, followed by SAM 26000.

</snip>

[D2020]

6. Alright, I am going to say it...

I like a couple of the newer paint ideas. I can't see any reason to be outraged about it. Time for the old design to go away and be replaced with a fresh coat of paint.