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Meet Obama's 'Beast' of a Bus

Two new buses built from the ground up for Midwestern tour

By Tim Karan,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 15, 2011 4:57 PM CDT

(Newser) – This bus is Barackin', so don't bother knockin': President Obama is cruising the Midwest in a customized bus that is essentially a pumped-up version of his five-ton hulking limo, dubbed "the Beast." The bus, one of two ordered up by the Secret Service, sports bulletproof black windows, puncture-proof tires, five-inch thick doors, and its own oxygen supplies, reports NPR. "The president needs to get out in the country and meet with real folks in real places," said White House spokesman Jay Carney aboard Air Force One. "A plane this size is hard to get into small communities."

For three decades, whenever a president wanted a more folksy means of travel, the Secret Service would spend loads to lease buses and outfit them with state-of-the-art safety and communications features—only to later pay to have them returned to their standard form. With the new buses, the bigger problem is finding qualified drivers. "Agents will be taught to back up at very high rates of speed using just the mirrors on either side," says Ronald Kessler, author of In The President's Secret Service. "It really takes guts to do that."

President Barack Obama waves before boarding his bus in Cannon Falls, Minn., August 15, 2011, during his three-day bus tour in the Midwest centering on ways to grow the economy.
President Barack Obama waves before boarding his bus in Cannon Falls, Minn., August 15, 2011, during his three-day bus tour in the Midwest centering on ways to grow the economy.   (Getty Images)
The Secret Service revealed the new customized bus Obama will ride during his Midwestern tour.
The Secret Service revealed the new customized bus Obama will ride during his Midwestern tour.   (Getty Images)
President Obama waves before boarding his bus after having lunch and greeting people at The Old Market Deli, Monday, Aug. 15, 2011, in Cannon Falls, Minn.
President Obama waves before boarding his bus after having lunch and greeting people at The Old Market Deli, Monday, Aug. 15, 2011, in Cannon Falls, Minn.   (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
President Barack Obama's bus drives past corn fields to Lower Hannah's Bend Park, Monday, Aug. 15, 2011, in Cannon Falls, Minn.
President Barack Obama's bus drives past corn fields to Lower Hannah's Bend Park, Monday, Aug. 15, 2011, in Cannon Falls, Minn.   (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
President Barack Obama boards his bus outside the Old Market Deli in Cannon Falls, Minn., August 15, 2011.
President Barack Obama boards his bus outside the Old Market Deli in Cannon Falls, Minn., August 15, 2011.   (Getty Images)
President Barack Obama walks to his bus as he arrives in Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Minnesota, August 15, 2011.
President Barack Obama walks to his bus as he arrives in Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Minnesota, August 15, 2011.   (Getty Images)
President Barack Obama walks to his bus as he arrives in Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Minnesota, August 15, 2011.
President Barack Obama walks to his bus as he arrives in Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Minnesota, August 15, 2011.   (Getty Images)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 69 comments
RinoHunter
Aug 16, 2011 5:29 PM CDT
They really aren't buses, they're hearses for Obamas, plans, programs, ideas, and presidency.  When he's defeated, and he will, which will look like the  Green Bay Packers playing a high school team of community organizers, no Democrat will ever call him again and ask him for advice, ideas, or help on any project.
Watching4theMODS
Aug 16, 2011 10:07 AM CDT
I dubbed Palins bus and Palin "The Beast" a while ago.
LoginsSuck
Aug 16, 2011 9:50 AM CDT
They see me rollin..... That bus is soooo beast.

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