it was a special plane, a C17, that was used for one leg of the trip so the flight would be more incognito as it went into Iraq.

see here:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2002698102_silverbullet22.html

From the linked story about Bush's iPod:
"McKinnon cautioned against reading too much into the selections, though.

"No one should psychoanalyze the playlist," he said. "It's really just great songs designed for a great workout. And if there any songs in there with controversial lyrics, I'll take the heat for that." "

So Bush has a 'media advisor' (McKinnon) pick the songs for his iPod?

Heh.

Marc: I dunno. I think he was on the normal Air Force Two for the flight back to DC. The C17 was just for swooping into Baghdad.

Although I have to admit that that "silver bullet" thing is peculiar. Did they build it just for this trip? I mean, how often does Cheney travel in anything other than his usual plane?

kevin,

Go home and have a few egg nogs. You're carrying the weight of the world on those broad sholders.

You need rest. This is somewhat beyond trivial.

The version of this that I saw claimed every seat had its own outlet. The problem arose when some technical glitch rendered all but two of them inoperative.

I dunno.

There's this thing called a power strip, Mr. Cheney.

Your people can explain to you.

I wonder what particular Johnny Cash songs Cheney likes? Hmmmm...

"There's this thing called a power strip, Mr. Cheney."

Power strip, power trip, whatever :-)

Couldn't Cheney just plug his ipod into his pacemaker?

Don't you have to pass some kind of cultural coolness test to be allowed to buy an iPod? Did Cheney have to torture someone to get his?

Couldn't Cheney just plug his ipod into his pacemaker?

He was already diverting the PM's power to a blender for a batch of his beloved Bahama Mamas.

The rest of the outlets were attached to the genitals of the enemy combatants on board. In other news, I heard there is a shortage of Burlap sacks and glow sticks. Go figure.

> I mean, how often does Cheney travel
> in anything other than his usual plane?

Air Force Two is whatever airplane the Vice-President is riding in at the moment (just as technically speaking Air Force One is whatever non-Marine aircraft the President is in, but he seldom uses anything except the 747s). The Air Force has a couple of 757s set aside for the VP, but they use whatever is appropriate for the trip.

Cranky

You mean the reporters actually write those stories?

When Cheney starts getting down to his iPod playlist, banging his ass on the sides and stuff, does that change the radar signature of the plane?

In all seriousness, this is why I read your blog, Kevin.

Time to get to Katrina damage scene for photo op --- One Week

Time to get back to vote against students, the infirm, and the poor --- One Day

When the media is on your payroll, they are told when they can write. And they better like it.

Another story that's going to fold up as soon as somebody actually looks into it, or gives it more than thirty seconds of thought.

I can guarantee you that the actual Air Force Two, which I think is a 757, has a huge number of outlets when in normal operation, and Cheney would not be charging his IPod in the same part of the plane the reporters hang out in.

Either they're talking about a cargo plane set up for temporary use, or there was an electrical problem. I suspect the former.

I don't know what reporters use to "file stories" from an airplane that needs an electrical outlet. One would think communications would be more of an issue. I suspect the more experienced reporters had no problems, since they probably remembered to charge their laptops before they left, or had spare batteries.

Where does Lynne plug in her hand-held devices?

I know it's lame to keep beating a dead horse but I asked one of my editors about whether he had heard about this incident and he said, no. (Froomkin mentioned it but it didn't pop up anywhere else from what I could tell).
I told him: If this were vice president Al Gore (or John Edwards for that matter) do you think you would have heard about it? I bet it would have been wall to wall complete with sidebars on the private lives of the artists on the playlist, jabs about "geekiness", (America WANTS a vice-president who's technically incompetent, dammit) and his overall obsession with personal comfort and what that proves about his caring for the average person.

Can I get a job in talk radio?

I suspect the more experienced reporters had no problems, since they probably remembered to charge their laptops before they left, or had spare batteries.

Plus, they remember being beaten the last time they tried to use a power outlet within 50 meters of the VP.

It occurs to me that "Vice President" is a wholly appropriate title for Vlad the Politician. He manifestly is the President of all the Vice.

Where does Lynne plug in her hand-held devices?

I believe she has the world's first solar powered, um, facial massager. Because conservation is a virtue.

The others were used for the nativity scene lighting and the christmas (oops!...holiday) tree (five strands!).

Cheney's abuse of power knows no limits

I'm sure there's some way to blame to Clinton, isn't there.

I'm shocked they even have iPods.

I'd expect they'd prefer to listen to medival chanting monks, given their proclivity for rolling human progress back to 900 AD.

Walter E Wallis,

Glad to see that you are up and drinking your Cognac so early. Tell me, are the guys in the French Battery still running?

Dickie probably needed it to be able to listen to Elton John and k. d. - Too bad about the vote, he could have attended Elton's wedding. Oh, it was private, never mind. Dickie would have loved being a bridesmaid.

Reporters think Cheney has an iPod? That's a good one...

Reporter: "Mr. Cheney, what are those earphones plugged into?".

Cheney: "These? uhhhh...just listening to some.....music...uhhhh...it's an iPod..yeah, that's it, an iPod."

Reporter: "Cool"

From the AP article by Nedra Pickler:

The vice president is an iPod fan, and keeping it charged is a priority for his staff.

Normally that isn't an issue, even when he's flying around the world. Air Force II is equipped with outlets in each row of seats.

But when Dick Cheney was traveling home overnight Wednesday from his diplomatic mission, most of the outlets went on the fritz.

Working passengers began lining up their laptops to share the power from a couple of working outlets — particularly the reporters who urgently needed to prepare their articles to transmit during a quick refueling stop in England.

But when Cheney said his iPod needed to be recharged, it took precedent above all else and dominated one precious outlet for several hours. The vice president's press staff intervened so a reporter could use the outlet for 15 minutes to charge a dead laptop, but then the digital music device was plugged back in.

That way, Cheney got his press coverage and his music, too.

I assume the nomenclature "Air Force 2" works the same as "Air Force One"?

If so, then it may be the case that cheney was on a non-standard plane...

He's still a dick, of course...

Dick Chainy's plane, Dick Chainy's rules.

It might have been courteous to let the some or all of the reporters use the outlet(s) first, but is it really reasonable to ask VPOTUS to stand in lne behind a dozen or so reporters?

He's still a dick, of course...

This is somewhat beyond trivial.

Since this is not your blog, your editorial comments are irrelevant. In the words of our VP, why don't you fuck off.

Can't Ipods be charged through the USB port of a laptop?

I don't see any reason an Ipod would need to be recharging for hours....a half an hour I assume would be more than enough, unless the plug was crippled and putting out much less power due to the electrical problems. This don't add up.

This is the weirdest story. Don't the laptos have USB ports? And since when can you file stories from an airplane? Is Airforce 2 on line?

Another story that's going to fold up as soon as somebody actually looks into it, or gives it more than thirty seconds of thought.

I doubt it, as it taps into the zeitgeist of iPods and the abuse of power by Cheney. True or not, this story will likely endure as did the completely false story about Clinton's haircut. People still push that as true.

I think it was on Atrios' site that I first heard this story, and he said that there was an electrical problem that left only two outlets working.

Another story that's going to fold up as soon as somebody actually looks into it, or gives it more than thirty seconds of thought.

Seriously Tom, take off your tweed jacket and put down your pipe.

The reason why this post is important is that it's not important. We're just having fun.

No wonder people think that Republicans only laugh when people are getting killed.

The rest of the outlets were being used to charge the cattle prods.

The rest of the outlets were being used to charge the cattle prods.

qed

The all knowing, quasi-omniscient Heart of Darkness needs electricity? An iPod?

Is this anyway to run a dictatorship? Amateurs. Rank amateurs.

I guess the terra-rists have won.

The Oakland Tribune is collecting your old tattered copies of 1984 to send to Congress. Inscribe suitably. Address and link at:

The Prairie Angel

C'mon, people!

Restricting access to power is what Cheney is all about!

OT Christmas fun!

What will the 5:00PM Friday-before-Christmas document dump be?
Take the poll!

It's actually a converted Fed-Ex veterinary cargo carrier. Horses and jackasses like Big Time don't need electrical outlets.

Tain't no way imma gonna part with me copy of nineteen hundred and eighty four...it's got the Thomas Pynchon forward don't ya know.

I would be willing to donate my series of "Too Much Coffee Man" to the cause.

Restricting access to power is what Cheney is all about!~

Most likly the best reason, good enough for a laugh before the xmas hollow daze.

"The problem arose when some technical glitch rendered all but two of them inoperative."

Yah, that glitch was actually Cheney's negative ion output; enough to power a city the size of Las Vegas, Nevada.

Dickie needed the power so he could listen to Frankie Lyman singing,

"I went to Iraq and didn't get shot today, Goody Goody,
oh, I went to Iraq and didn't get fragged today, Goody Goody....

Great to hear that Rumdumb is visiting Fallujah today - Probaly doing a census on how many hearts and minds we've won.

The bullet trailer is something they can on and off-load for VIP communications and comfort. Been around a long time.

"The bullet trailer is something they can on and off-load for VIP communications and comfort. Been around a long time."

That is correct. I once had to accompany a CINC back to DC on a C-141B. He, his wife, and personal staff were in the "silver bullet", while I and the other funkies had two rows of airliner type seats. Lots of noise but there was plenty of room if you wanted to take a walk.

The "silver bullet" looks like a 25' Airstream trailer without wheels.

If this was actually AF2 then the story is crap, as those planes (which are AF1 when the POTUS is aboard) have completely independent DUAL communication, electrical, and electronic systems, and each also has a redundant back-up, so you're basically dealing with four systems. No way there wouldn't be adequate receptacles available.

Now if they merely renamed some other plane AF2 by protocol because Uncle Dick was aboard, that's another story.
.

Instead of focusing on the iPod, why doesn't someone write about the fact that Cheney couldn't bear to be without all the comforts himself for a mere couple of days (and installed the motor home in the plane at what must have been a huge cost, so he wouldn't), at a time when the troops are suffering in terrible conditions, including extreme temperatures, for *months* on end. It's pathetic and outrageous, and it makes me sick. Why isn't anyone pointing out this contrast?

Although I have to admit that that "silver bullet" thing is peculiar. Did they build it just for this trip? I mean, how often does Cheney travel in anything other than his usual plane?

That arrangement (as Sparko and arkie noted) is nothing special and has been around a while; it's been SOP for the DCI when traveling outside the country for many years.

As for AF-II/757 power, as per the original AP report:

Normally that isn't an issue, even when he's flying around the world. Air Force II is equipped with outlets in each row of seats.

But when Dick Cheney was traveling home overnight Wednesday from his diplomatic mission, most of the outlets went on the fritz.

Being an old fogey, I don't have an ipod. But both my boys do, and they don't plug into outlets. They charge from the USB port of a computer. They don't even have regular plugs. So this story makes no sense at all.

Isn't it just barely possible that he was just being a dick?

They don't even have regular plugs.

Yes, they do.

These used to be included in the box with the iPod, but since 2004 they've been sold separately.

Even military C-17s have many 110VAC outlets. It's a great plane to fly.

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