This is a repost from June 2, 2009, when Wingnuttia was in an uproar over the Obamas' visit to New York City for dinner and a show. Reposting just the relevant info regarding the costs of the Bushes' frequent vacations to Crawford. I guess if you own a private mansion it's okay to take as many vacations as you like, but not if you have to pay (out of your own pocket) for a hotel.
Bush Made 77 Trips to Crawford TX at $226,072 a Pop
At a bare minimum, for the flights alone, Bush's 77 vacation trips to Crawford cost us $226,072 per trip. That's $17,407,544 so he could ride his bicycle in the woods and clear brush for the cameras.
My calculations on cost of the Crawford trips below the fold.
Try to google the cost of the Bush's 77 trips to Crawford TX on Air Force One and the information is nowhere to be found. Because it was never reported. I had to calculate the costs myself.
At a bare minimum, for the flights alone, Bush's 77 vacation trips to Crawford cost us $226,072 per trip. That's $17,407,544 so he could ride his bicycle in the woods and clear brush for the cameras.
My calculations on cost of the Crawford trips below the fold.
The minimum cost per trip to Crawford TX is $226,072. That's just the estimated cost of flying Air Force One round trip - about two hours of flight time each way at $56,518 per hour.
http://oversight.house.gov/...
THE COST OF PRESIDENTIAL AND VICE
PRESIDENTIAL POLITICAL TRAVEL
PREPARED FOR
REP. HENRY A.WAXMAN
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 per hour cost figures cited by GAO for fiscal year 2000, adjusted for inflation.7
According to the Congressional Research Service, the President’s domestic travel also involves the use of accompanying cargo planes.8 This report assumes one cargo plane accompanies the President on each trip at an operating cost per hour of $6,960. This figure is based on the per-hour cost cited by GAO for fiscal year 2000 for the C-17 cargo plane, adjusted for inflation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/...
The distance from Crawford to Washington DC is 1295 miles.
http://www.history.com/...
TODAY'S AIR FORCE ONE
Speed: 630 miles per hour
http://www.cbsnews.com/...
George W. Bush is today making his final visit to Camp David as president.
He will likely miss the place: According to CBS News White House Correspondent Mark Knoller, today's trip marks Mr. Bush's 149th visit to the presidential retreat. The planned three-day stay, during which the president is being joined by family and former and current aides, will bring his total time spent at Camp David to all or part of 487 days.
Yes, that's 487 days. And Camp David is not even where the president has spent the most time when not at the White House: Knoller reports that Mr. Bush has made 77 visits to his ranch in Crawford during his presidency, and spent all or part of 490 days there.
President George Bush rides a mountain bike on his ranch in Crawford, Texas.
http://bicycling.about.com/...