How much did the NYC flight cost?
How much did the NYC fly-over photo-op cost? If Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) recent musings are any clue, Republicans may be looking to seize on this. It’s hard to know the exact cost without more details of the flight, but a 2006 report by the House Government Reform Committee gives us a clue.
The report was prepared at the request of Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) while Democrats were in the minority. (Waxman is now chairman ofthe committee). Entitled “THE COST OF PRESIDENTIAL AND VICE
PRESIDENTIAL POLITICAL TRAVEL,” the report was clearly intended to criticize President Bush and Vice President Cheney’s extensive travel around the country to campaign for Republicans in the midterm elections.
It reads in part: “This report assumes that flight operating costs are $56,518 per hour for Air Force One and $14,552 per hour for Air Force Two. These figures are based on the perhour cost figures cited by GAO for fiscal year 2000, adjusted for inflation.”
Now the question becomes, how many hours was the plane in the air?
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