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Obama Shoots Down New Helicopter Fleet

Joins McCain in dissing costly Marine One chopper upgrade

By Gabriel Winant, Newser User

Posted Feb 24, 2009 8:20 AM CST

(Newser) – John McCain should know by now that Barack Obama is not an easy target. Yesterday, at the White House fiscal summit, Obama gave the floor to McCain, who tried to put some heat on his host by criticizing a plan to procure a new presidential helicopter fleet, ABC reports. Obama said he's already on it, and he finds the current chopper more than adequate. “Of course I've never had a helicopter before," he joked. "So, you know, maybe—maybe I've been deprived and I didn't know it.”

While the president didn't officially kill the fleet of Lockheed Martin VH-71 helicopters—each of which, with cost overruns, will now cost more than Air Force One—he said he'd already ordered a review of the project, calling it "and example of the procurement process gone amok."

[Images (3)]

[Videos (1)]

[Quotes (2)]

In this Dec. 12, 2008, file photo, Marine One leaves the White House, in Washington. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)

President Barack Obama returns a salute as he steps off Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. listens during remarks of the Fiscal Responsibility Summit, hosted by President Barack Obama, not pictured, Monday, Feb. 23, 2009, in the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

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From the audience, the Senator suggests a cost saving idea to the President. ------ [FEB 23 09]President Barack Obama never had a helicopter, which he says might explain why he's perfectly happy with the current White House fleet and doesn't need a more costly one. At the conclusion of a fiscal summit Monday, Obama faced questions from Republican and Democratic lawmakers, including his former presidential rival, Sen. John McCain.McCain bemoaned cost overruns in military procurement. The new fleet of 28 Marine... (SpinTellyCH1)

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Your helicopter is now going to cost as much as Air Force One. I don't think that there's any more graphic demonstration of how good ideas have -- have cost taxpayers an enormous amount of money. - Sen. John McCain

The helicopter I have now seems perfectly adequate to me. Of course, I've never had a helicopter before. So, you know, maybe -- maybe I've been deprived and I didn't know it. - President Obama

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Obama Shoots Down New Helicopter Fleet