McCain to Obama: Your bus is ugly
(CNN) - Sen. John McCain –a politician who has seen his share of campaign buses– had harsh words Monday for Pres. Barack Obama's choice of election transportation.
"I must say again I have never seen an uglier bus than a Canadian one," the Arizona senator said in a speech on the Senate floor Monday. "He is traveling around on a Canadian bus touting American jobs."
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Obama launched a bus tour Monday through North Carolina and Virginia, where he is touting his American Jobs Act. He carried both states in the 2008 election but they are considered up for grabs in 2012.
Obama's bus –an imposing black model from the Canadian company Prevost– was first used on a tour of the Midwest in August. At the time, CNN reported that the Secret Service bought two buses at $1.1 million apiece with the intention of both parties' nominees using them come the general election.
The company used to outfit the bus is American however, and has designed buses for musical acts, theatre tours, and presidential candidates – including McCain.
White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer downplayed the criticism Monday on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer."
"I think that's a lot of politics from Senator McCain," Pfeiffer said. "As we've talked about this before, the Secret Service acquired the bus from an American company. It is made by the same company that made Mr. McCain's very famous 'Straight Talk Express.'"
On Monday, McCain was also critical of the president's decision to campaign while touting his jobs plan, saying he was using taxpayer money to spread his re-election message.
"On the taxpayer-paid dime, the president is now traveling attacking the Republican plan. Obviously I think unfairly," McCain said.
He continued, "I think he has the, certainly in a political venue, the right and privilege to do that. I think the question might be, 'Is that appropriate on the taxpayer's dime' since it is clearly campaigning."
–CNN's Virginia Nicolaidis contributed to this report.
Also see:
The president goes on the road to promote jobs
White House says aid to teachers will face first Senate vote
I've noticed that a lot of liberals on here are very rude. McCain's a war hero so show some respect. How about practicing some of your own "political correctness", thought not.
No one wants to make fun of a war hero, but John McCain is making it almost impossible not to.
Democrat Class Warfare – Destroying the economy, destroying the country
Dude, please give it a rest....you sound McCain's twin brother. Next time, try a new cut & paste piece...this one is getting old.
Can Mcain tell the American people if he voted for the the Job's bill?
We have a hundred senators in Washington, McCain is the only one that keeps searching for a camera crew so he can say something on camera. Poor John, no one cares what he has to say.
McCain was the GOP nominee for President and this is the best comment he can make. If he thought he was fit to be President, then he needs to step up and be a leader in Congress and help find a solution to our country's problems or be quiet and fade away.
McCain is an out of touch old man who should retire.
Good Lord. The bus is cool. Who cares where it is from if it serves the purpose (NAFTA babies!)? I'm sure Canadian politicans have used American made 'stuff' too. I can't really believe McCain would even mention it. His bad.
McCain...Sarah Palin...need more be said?
It is so hard to see someone who thought he could be the President of our great country, act like a school yarn bully. Sentator Mccain, you need to take a break, go home and drive one of your many cars. I bet you can't tell me where some of the parts on your cars come from; can you?
Democrat Class Warfare – You troll around these blogs filled with hate and vitriol and seem to have the shortest memory of anyone I've seen. By FAR the most political presidency was that of GWB. THe economy was destroyed by HIM, yet you keep trying to pin it on Obama and Democrats as if we were asleep the last 10 years! You are either 18 years old or just a bitter person who doesn't have the slightest clue what you are talking about. Seem to me you need to get out more from your basement and really see the world and how it works.
Probably due to his slave owning Alabama ancestors, he doesn't like anything black.
The nation has to thank John McCain for Sarah Palin. He chose her to be his V.P. because he mistakenly thought that the over 18,000,000 million democrats who voted for Hillary Clinton were voting for a v a g i n a and not the bright, well informed public servant that is Hillary Clinton. So he gave us the unintelligent, uninformed, half term governor of Alaska.
McCain, if you aren't aware, if a bus like the ones that drives our President around in was made in the USA maybe more people could bring in a check, why don't you think about that!
That mummy should get his teeth whitened. And take one teeth out while he's at it, he whistles when he speaks.
You unleashed Sarah Palin on America, that was a horrible thing to do to us!
"Oh, I'm sorry John! I didn't see you running there. You're running for the nomination again? didn't I already beat you? Isn't it "Batty" Bachmann's job to yell about me? Shouldn't you be passing my legislation?"
our 401k is now a 101x, neither party will admit that until the private sector brings the jobs back to this country will unemployment be reduced, our troops should be brought home, and our country needs to be rebuilt, and this old guy is talking about a dang bus!!!!!!!!!!! the phrase being put out to pasture comes to mind.
Oh sorry I guess the Black Berry, Canadarm, Ford Police Car (most widely used in USA) and Chevrolet are also built i Canada... Remember the Free Trade Agreement!!!
I do think the American people have more sense than to think this mess was created in less than 4 years. No one could have fixed this mess in 4 yrs. this is a mess that started with an unnecessary war that is costing trillions of dollars, then greed from the banking & business industry. My friends you are deceived if you think President Obama caused this mess. This mess started more than 12 yrs ago and he is dealing with the fallout. It took more than 12 yrs for this downward spin to manifest and our microwave society wants it fixed in 2. We have to have more common sense than that.
President Obama going around the USA in a non-American built bus doesn't surprise me. Obama ordered the Air Force to looki at replacing the Air Force One twin Boeing 747's, with a pair of European built Airbus A380 jets.
Why is McCain looking at Obama's butt anyway? Oh, wait...nevermind.
The "I Didnt Do It" tour is on a canadian bus? Obama nice job of investing in America. Not even you believe your own speeches.
If George W was doing this I wonder how much attention it would get and what the liberal socialist america haters would be saying....??? That is an easy answer....
Get some rest John-boy. You are sounding like a senile fool, a jealous one to boot. I see some straws eluding your grasp.
That piece of trash your party touted as a "jobs bill" deserves to be mocked by the President who is urging Americans to keep pressing their elected officials to vote on something RIGHT NOW (not after BO wins his re-election thanks to the anti-American clowns posing as GOTPers).
Don't be bitter that you lost, make ammends for springing $arah on the lower 48. You lost, you'll never be POTUS, your career is near its end, do the honorable thing instead of trying to be one of those tea party hobbits you talked about during one of your lucid moments.
We get it Repugs. You weren't born here, you are not really an American, you are not a patriot (like we are), nobody likes you, you don't have real friends, your bus is ugly. Any other ways you can take someone to the whipping post everyday? You guys are sickening and very very disappointing. You don't pass the vomit test with me anymore.