# Presidential Bus - why so ugly and depressing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 16, 2011, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-bus-why-so-ugly-and-depressing/592949 "2011-08-16T20:50:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-bus-why-so-ugly-and-depressing/592949/21 "2011-08-17T04:46:21Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I find it frustrating. The country could use some kind of hopeful symbol these days. Some sign of leadership. Instead we get the black hearse. Some people would say that’s fitting. Others (including me) would say they don’t give a crap if the bus has a smiley face on it because it’s just a bus and it’s not like it will make anybody forget the wars or the economy no matter what it looks like. I’ll admit I don’t understand why the bus looks like it does, but I’m going to assume that, same as with The Beast limo, there are security reasons. I’d rather the bus look weird and do it’s job safely. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-bus-why-so-ugly-and-depressing/592949/22 "2011-08-17T04:58:50Z")
If it was any other color, it would clash unacceptably with the Presidential Amish Buggy. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-bus-why-so-ugly-and-depressing/592949/23 "2011-08-17T05:09:11Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Get some colored paint and fix this thing. Please? Colored paint? We’re a gazillion trillion dollars in the hole and you think this country can afford _colored paint_? With all due respect, you are _out_ of your _mind_. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-bus-why-so-ugly-and-depressing/592949/24 "2011-08-17T05:16:50Z")
There are two, one will be for the Republican nominee. Secret Service wanted these because doing security for what ever bus was rented was too hard. I’m sure it has a great communications package. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-bus-why-so-ugly-and-depressing/592949/25 "2011-08-17T05:44:58Z")
Any official name yet? _Department of Transportation One_? ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-bus-why-so-ugly-and-depressing/592949/26 "2011-08-17T07:35:40Z")
[George Barris](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Barris_%28auto_customizer%29) is still alive. I think Obama should let him have a go at that bus. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-bus-why-so-ugly-and-depressing/592949/27 "2011-08-17T07:43:10Z")
Imagine they actually ordered 11 other identical buses. Deployed in convoys of 3 or 4. That would make an assassination much harder. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-bus-why-so-ugly-and-depressing/592949/28 "2011-08-17T07:46:45Z")
Show a little sympathy people. You know how hard it was applying stealth technology to a bus? ---
**Author:** ![smee\_goan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@smee\_goan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smee_goan)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-bus-why-so-ugly-and-depressing/592949/29 "2011-08-17T07:49:08Z")
Five bucks says Potus eats, Popeye’s chicken on it. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-bus-why-so-ugly-and-depressing/592949/30 "2011-08-17T07:57:54Z")
I like it. Matches his jackboots nicely. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-bus-why-so-ugly-and-depressing/592949/31 "2011-08-17T10:29:34Z")
Nothing says ‘target’ like a giant black bus. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-bus-why-so-ugly-and-depressing/592949/32 "2011-08-17T11:28:32Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > And it’s a lot harder to put baseball cards in the spokes. > > I wonder if the bus will be Greyhound One. I can see the headlines now: “Bad luck dogs Greyhound One.” ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-bus-why-so-ugly-and-depressing/592949/33 "2011-08-17T11:51:53Z")
It is a good metaphor for the entire Odumba presidency. It looks a lot like the mobile coroner’s lab, that the MA State Police uses… $2.2 million, so the president can visit 3 towns-yeah, he REALLY cares about the deficit. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-bus-why-so-ugly-and-depressing/592949/34 "2011-08-17T12:27:10Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > It is a good metaphor for the entire Odumba presidency. > It looks a lot like the mobile coroner’s lab, that the MA State Police uses.. > $2.2 million, so the president can visit 3 towns-yeah, he REALLY cares about the deficit. It’s been widely stated in the press that the buses will be used for at least ten years and will result in an overall savings, since the Secret Services will no longer have to lease buses and spend money on temporary modifications. I mean, the color scheme is worthy of some humor but there’s nothing inherently wrong with the overall concept. Guess you are not too happy about the new fleet of presidential helicopters, the expense of which makes a couple of buses a positive bargain. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-bus-why-so-ugly-and-depressing/592949/35 "2011-08-17T13:13:08Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > It is a good metaphor for the entire Odumba presidency. > It looks a lot like the mobile coroner’s lab, that the MA State Police uses.. > $2.2 million, so the president can visit 3 towns-yeah, he REALLY cares about the deficit. Since you selectively missed it, there are two buses. One will be used for the **REPUBLICAN** candidate. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-bus-why-so-ugly-and-depressing/592949/36 "2011-08-17T13:22:41Z")
This is Secret Service style. Everything of theirs is as sleek and black and featureless as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-bus-why-so-ugly-and-depressing/592949/37 "2011-08-17T14:46:44Z")
> [@smee\_goan](#): > > Five bucks says Potus eats, > > Popeye’s chicken > > on it. **smee goan** , we strive to be a little more evolved here at SD. Racist remarks such as this do not reflect well upon your character. Just a tip. > [@ralph124c](#): > > It is a good metaphor for the entire Odumba presidency. > It looks a lot like the mobile coroner’s lab, that the MA State Police uses.. > $2.2 million, so the president can visit 3 towns-yeah, he REALLY cares about the deficit. If you’d like to discuss federal spending, **ralph124c** , there are ample Great Debates threads from which you may choose. Keep it out of threads discussing bus aesthetics in MPSIMS. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-bus-why-so-ugly-and-depressing/592949/38 "2011-08-17T14:51:01Z")
I don’t see the big deal with the bus being black. The presidential limo is also black, with the presidential seal on the side of it and the presidential standard flying from it. So whichever bus is used for the president will also have the presidential seal on the side and the standard will be at the front. ---
**Author:** ![tallcoldone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9a140/32.png) [@tallcoldone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tallcoldone)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-bus-why-so-ugly-and-depressing/592949/39 "2011-08-17T16:21:32Z")
> [@TXCowboy](#): > > …I think a nice paint scheme like Air Force One or Marine One would be better that all black. Its not like its not going to draw attention anyways. My son’s highschool band took a trip to Disney World in June, and the tour bus he rode on was painted like Air Force One – the license plate was “DA PREZ”. Made it easy to pick out from a distance! (maybe that’s why this one is all black) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-bus-why-so-ugly-and-depressing/592949/40 "2011-08-17T16:28:25Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I don’t see the big deal with the bus being black. It’s like, how much more black could this be? And the answer is none. None more black. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-bus-why-so-ugly-and-depressing/592949.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-bus-why-so-ugly-and-depressing/592949.md?page=3)