# Shrub's landing on the aircraft carrier, WTF was the Secret Service thinking???? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 2, 2003, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrubs-landing-on-the-aircraft-carrier-wtf-was-the-secret-service-thinking/172567 "2003-05-02T04:56:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Payton\_s\_Servant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3da27b/32.png) [@Payton\_s\_Servant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Payton_s_Servant)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrubs-landing-on-the-aircraft-carrier-wtf-was-the-secret-service-thinking/172567/1 "2003-05-02T04:56:24Z")
Obviously they weren’t. I can’t imagine that the Secret Service would ever give approval for Shrub, or any other President for that matter, to fly onto an aircraft carrier by jet, knowing the only thing between a potentail catastrophe is a fucking wire. Talk about grandstanding and showboating. If Clinton had done this, the press would have crucified him, but with Shrub it was major dick sucking time for the Press core. I thought Shepard Smith on Fox was going to blow his wad all over his mike. Shrub could have taken a helicopter out to the carrier, it definitely would have been a safer option. Ah well, I can always hope he gets pushed overboard. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrubs-landing-on-the-aircraft-carrier-wtf-was-the-secret-service-thinking/172567/2 "2003-05-02T05:10:24Z")
Point the first: Apparently the Secret Service was thinking. The newscasters were all over themselves here in quoting the White House as saying that a tailhook landing is safer than a chopper landing on a carrier. Point the second: You have no proof that had President Clinton done the same thing, the press would’ve reacted any differently. Point the third: Again, the newsfolks were all over themselves in quoting the White House as saying that a chopper landing is not safer than a tailhook landing on a carrier. Point the fourth: Referring to the man by a stupid nickname that he doesn’t even use makes you look, well, stupid. Point the fifth: Wishing for him to get murdered not only makes you look stupid, it makes you look vengeful and it’s also a violation of this board’s rules. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrubs-landing-on-the-aircraft-carrier-wtf-was-the-secret-service-thinking/172567/3 "2003-05-02T05:35:50Z")
Well, Bush used to be a fighter pilot. He actually flew the plane for a spell on the way to the aircraft carrier. I suppose he is more aware (as are his Secret Service) about the risks than you are. I think you’re just pissed because he was able to take advantage of such a great photo op, and to a lot of people, it’s making him look good. If Clinton had tried the same thing, it wouldn’t have _been_ the same, because he never was a fighter pilot. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrubs-landing-on-the-aircraft-carrier-wtf-was-the-secret-service-thinking/172567/4 "2003-05-02T05:38:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Payton’s Servant \* > \*\*Obviously they weren’t. I can’t imagine that the Secret Service would ever give approval for Shrub, or any other President for that matter, to fly onto an aircraft carrier by jet, knowing the only thing between a potentail catastrophe is a fucking wire… \*\* 4 wires, actually. Failing that, they can just turn around and go home. Failing that, they raise the net. And they always have those ejection seats. It is an amazing thing, though, to watch some of you grasp at straws, desperate to attack GW. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrubs-landing-on-the-aircraft-carrier-wtf-was-the-secret-service-thinking/172567/5 "2003-05-02T05:44:47Z")
I disagree with his policies but, as I said elsethread, when I first heard he was intending a carrier landing, wanna know what I said? “Hey, that’s pretty fucking cool! I wish I could do that!” ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrubs-landing-on-the-aircraft-carrier-wtf-was-the-secret-service-thinking/172567/6 "2003-05-02T05:45:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Monty \* > \*\*Point the first: Apparently the Secret Service was thinking. The newscasters were all over themselves here in quoting the White House as saying that a tailhook landing is safer than a chopper landing on a carrier. > > Point the second: You have no proof that had President Clinton done the same thing, the press would’ve reacted any differently. > > Point the third: Again, the newsfolks were all over themselves in quoting the White House as saying that a chopper landing is not safer than a tailhook landing on a carrier. > > Point the fourth: Referring to the man by a stupid nickname that he doesn’t even use makes you look, well, stupid. > > Point the fifth: Wishing for him to get murdered not only makes you look stupid, it makes you look vengeful and it’s also a violation of this board’s rules. \*\* Interesting. I never thought I’d see someone from Davis, CA jump in to defend Bush. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrubs-landing-on-the-aircraft-carrier-wtf-was-the-secret-service-thinking/172567/7 "2003-05-02T05:51:39Z")
There’s no question that landing on a Carrier in any craft is fairly dangerous. It’s one of the more dangerous jobs in the military. But hey, there was good value there. Aside from being great politics, this was a big _thank you_ to the military. Bush went out to them, rather than making them come to him in some parade. This was a great morale booster for the entire military. Lost in all the partisanship is the fact that it’s the president’s JOB to boost the morale of his military. He’s the commander in chief. If he can act in a way that makes the lives of servicepeople better, and therefore increases the effectiveness of the military, he’s just doing his job. And the proof is in the pudding. The military, which never trusted Clinton and in some cases had real animosity for him, LOVES George W. Bush. He’s without a doubt their favorite President since at least Reagan, and maybe even going all the way back to Ike. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrubs-landing-on-the-aircraft-carrier-wtf-was-the-secret-service-thinking/172567/8 "2003-05-02T05:58:13Z")
Well, Bearflag; I’m not from Davis, CA. My “real home” is in Monterey, CA. Currently, I’m attending university here. Also, I’m a bit of a Republican. Yep, we actually do exist in this state. Plus, I did not defend the man–I shot down the wimpish, asinine, and bullshit “argument” advanced in the foolish OP. Having actually served on two carriers (in a squadron’s Operations department for the second one), my first thought when watching the plane land was, “Which wire did the pilot catch?” If it was any other than the third wire, his fellow aviators are going to give him grief forever! Sam Stone: I trusted Clinton. Some folks in the military were so bigoted against the man for not having served they couldn’t get past the fact that this country has an all volunteer force. That means the man was free to not volunteer. Also, it’s completely irrelevant that he didn’t serve in the military. In my book, the guy served his country. He was president, after all. ---
**Author:** ![Tony\_Barber\_s\_Underwear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/58f4c7/32.png) [@Tony\_Barber\_s\_Underwear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tony_Barber_s_Underwear)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrubs-landing-on-the-aircraft-carrier-wtf-was-the-secret-service-thinking/172567/9 "2003-05-02T06:02:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Monty \* > \*\* > Point the fifth: Wishing for him to get murdered not only makes you look stupid, it makes you look vengeful and it’s also a violation of this board’s rules. \*\* It may make the OP look stupid, but I thought the rule was against wishing another _member_ death. Even then, his statement : > [@](#): > > Ah well, I can always hope he gets pushed overboard. seems pretty tounge in cheek to me. - Bubba. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrubs-landing-on-the-aircraft-carrier-wtf-was-the-secret-service-thinking/172567/10 "2003-05-02T11:14:12Z")
Besides, Bush’s dad was a Navy pilot. I can understand entirely why Shrub would have always wanted to do that. C’mon, there are so many better things to be mad at him for… Ashcroft, for example… that this is nothing. As long as he didn’t try to make the landing himself. Heck, if I was president, I’d take a week and have a _grand_ old time, visiting military bases, driving tanks, firing artillery… They all do it, after all… visiting military bases and suchlike. Remember Dukakis and the snoopy helmet incident? ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrubs-landing-on-the-aircraft-carrier-wtf-was-the-secret-service-thinking/172567/11 "2003-05-02T11:29:45Z")
If I was President, I sure as heck would want to make a carrier landing. I have a good friend who flew in the back of an E-2C for years and I envied his carrier time. And frankly, I think it’s a good thing for the leadership to experience what their subordinates do. So many “inspections” are staged for the mucky-mucks, but a carrier landing is what it is. You can make the airplane extra clean and you can break out the Sunday-go-to-meeting flight suits, but catching a wire on the deck of a ship at sea is always a challenge. I hope it gives the Prez a real appreciation of what military duty is like. Will he get a tour of the cramped living spaces in the bowels of the ship? Or will he just see the VIP quarters… ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrubs-landing-on-the-aircraft-carrier-wtf-was-the-secret-service-thinking/172567/12 "2003-05-02T11:32:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sam Stone \* > \*\* > And the proof is in the pudding. The military, which never trusted Clinton and in some cases had real animosity for him, LOVES George W. Bush. He’s without a doubt their favorite President since at least Reagan, and maybe even going all the way back to Ike. \*\* I’m sure the military loved Ike and Grant. Didn’t make them good presidents. The military loves Bush because a) he’s a Republican, and the GOP plays to themes that many if not most military members hold dear and b) he let’s them use their toys. IMO, this could have been done much cheaper and safer from the Press room. I doubt that militay morale is low after having just done a superb job of whipping Iraq. But a Rose Garden press conference wouldn’t be nearly as dramatic for the campaign to relect Bush as a carrier landing. Wonder how that image is playing overseas? BTW, the first segment of the Daily Show was great last night. Rob Cordry was reporting live from the Abraham Lincoln: But Jon, that was just _awesome_! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrubs-landing-on-the-aircraft-carrier-wtf-was-the-secret-service-thinking/172567/13 "2003-05-02T11:45:08Z")
Point the first: he needs the flight time, he’s about a year short. Point the second: GeeDubya, (or Fearless Misleader, to use another nickname he won’t utter {aptly yclept!}) would keel-haul his Mom to San Diego for a 2nd term. Point the third: several parts of his avalanche of platitudes were entirely true! We are, indeed, safe from Saddam bin Laden’s “massive stockpiles” of Nasty Weapons. We are equally safe from unicorn stampedes. Point the fourth: A Karl Rove Production, written by Karl Rove, produced by Karl Rove, with additional dialogue by Karl Rove…GeeDubya’s Eminence Greasy. Point the fifth: That wasn’t courageous. A speech down at the local Unemployment Office, now, _that_ would have been courageous. And lastly, he thinks we are really, _really_ stupid. I hope he’s wrong. I’m afraid he’s right. ---
**Author:** ![deball](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@deball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deball)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrubs-landing-on-the-aircraft-carrier-wtf-was-the-secret-service-thinking/172567/14 "2003-05-02T11:49:47Z")
Monty, They hit the 4 wire! But, it’s better to be too high than too low. I wonder if the _Blue Wolves_ will keep the NAVY 1 paint on that S-3? Roger Ball! ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrubs-landing-on-the-aircraft-carrier-wtf-was-the-secret-service-thinking/172567/15 "2003-05-02T12:02:03Z")
> [@](#): > > I disagree with his policies but, as I said elsethread, when I first heard he was intending a carrier landing, wanna know what I said? > > “Hey, that’s pretty fucking cool! I wish I could do that!” I said the same thing! I pay taxes! (Hubby says my motion sickness would be a definite problem. Whatever.) I was thinking about the poor pilot whose job it was to (safely) land the President on an aircraft carrier. Talk about PRESSURE. I was actually impressed with the President yesterday. He’s not a great speaker, but he showed actual emotion and seemed almost…I dunno, presidential, for the first time. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrubs-landing-on-the-aircraft-carrier-wtf-was-the-secret-service-thinking/172567/16 "2003-05-02T12:06:30Z")
> [@](#): > > That wasn’t courageous. A speech down at the local Unemployment Office, now, that would have been courageous. It’s the President’s fault that there are unemployed Americans? Personally I blame people like Ken Lay and Osama bin laden more than I blame George Bush. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrubs-landing-on-the-aircraft-carrier-wtf-was-the-secret-service-thinking/172567/17 "2003-05-02T12:19:01Z")
The whole thing was Cheney’s idea. He’s bucking for a promotion, ya know… 😉 😃 ---
**Author:** ![keithnmick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90db22/32.png) [@keithnmick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keithnmick)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrubs-landing-on-the-aircraft-carrier-wtf-was-the-secret-service-thinking/172567/18 "2003-05-02T12:36:53Z")
I thought it came off as something of a photo op for the mullets, but overall I could see why they did it and it was pretty cool. My problems are with the speech - once again September 11th was mentioned a lot of times…why? He also talked about this war as being a victory against terror?..wha? Than there was that large banner hanging up that said “mission accomplished” superimposed over the stars and stripes - here I was thinking that the “mission” was either eliminating WMDs or liberating the poor Iraqis - neither of which have happened yet. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/13edae/32.png) [@Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Cheatem_Undhow)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrubs-landing-on-the-aircraft-carrier-wtf-was-the-secret-service-thinking/172567/19 "2003-05-02T13:00:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GMRyujin \* > \*\*I disagree with his policies but, as I said elsethread, when I first heard he was intending a carrier landing, wanna know what I said? > > “Hey, that’s pretty fucking cool! I wish I could do that!” \*\* No shit. What’s the point of being President if you can’t do that kind of stuff? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrubs-landing-on-the-aircraft-carrier-wtf-was-the-secret-service-thinking/172567/20 "2003-05-02T13:40:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by keithnmick \* > \*\* > My problems are with the speech - once again September 11th was mentioned a lot of times…why? > \*\* Because that was pretty much the start of the war on terror. You may have noticed it - it was in all the papers. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by keithnmick \* > \*\* > He also talked about this war as being a victory against terror?..wha? > \*\* (I will assume you meant ‘why’) Because of Saddam’s ties to terrorists - like Abu Nidal, the hijackers of the _Achille Lauro_, the Palestinian terror bombers, and such. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by keithnmick \* > \*\* > Than there was that large banner hanging up that said “mission accomplished” superimposed over the stars and stripes - here I was thinking that the “mission” was either eliminating WMDs or liberating the poor Iraqis - neither of which have happened yet. \*\* The mission was to remove the Saddam regime from power. Which has happened, and was the occasion for Bush’s speech and the reason the _Abraham Lincoln_ is now heading home. Regards, Shodan [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shrubs-landing-on-the-aircraft-carrier-wtf-was-the-secret-service-thinking/172567.md?page=2)