Fair Use from the material submitted by Ms. Sojourner:
Wilmington, Delaware (CNN)Joe Biden will begin his new journey as the 46th President of the United States in a familiar way: riding Amtrak from Wilmington to Washington.
A day before he is sworn into office, Biden is planning to make his way to the nation's capital on a family train trip that will be part of the festivities leading up to the inauguration on January 20, people familiar with the plans tell CNN.
While plans for the inauguration were shaken this week by the violent attack on the Capitol, along with unrelenting complications from the coronavirus pandemic, Biden and top advisers have instructed their team to keep moving forward, without being deterred by the steep challenges.
I simply CAN'T BELIEVE they're doing this.
A SAM flown by a VC-32 (B-757-200) KILG-KADW is simply the most reasonable and secure means to get the President-Elect and party to Wash. Who knows what the "Bad Boys" are now dreaming up for Jan 20. Besides, having flown myself from KILG, not sure if the 7275ft RWY 9-27 can handle much more in the way of an aircraft.
A VC-25 (747-200) will have another SAM to fly, i.e. the Former President "cashing in his voucher" to go wherever he chooses.
Further, I'd be very happy to see those grandstands along the West Side of The Capitol being chopped down. The ceremony should be limited to that of swearing in the POTUS and VP. Hold it in the Rotunda (get some good sound baffles) followed by the POTUS Address from the TV studio in the Capitol. I guess there has to be a reception; but hold it within the Capitol - masks required. No parade, no Balls (think those already have the CANX).
If the former occupant has not yet had his stuff cleared from 1600 Penn, then off to an "undisclosed location". Bedtime; "the usual" for a 78yo (mine @ 79 is 830P).
This is needed as our Republic faces the greatest domestic crisis since the Civil War. We had an uprising on Jan 6 incited by a public official who cannot accept he lost an election - and COVID is hanging around until, I think at best, 4th Qtr.
But if this, I think, reckless display of resolution moves forth, let's hope Amtrak can "pull it together". The train should be a copy of Joe's post-Convention campaign train; Diesel powered (don't need the Bad Boys getting into the Power Distributor's office), and, if you even must have an Obs, the 10004 "American View".
Chomp on this, volks; but to me, this is what the times warrant.
Posted by Ocala Mike (Member # 4657) on :
Lots of talk now about the inauguration taking place remotely and just broadcasted to the public in light of the threats by the yahoos to disrupt things during the period 1/17-1/20. If he's on the rails going to DC, I would hope every inch of the right of way is meticulously guarded and swept clean.
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
Having been in San Francisco when the president came to town and went down Market Street, the president showing up anywhere is he ultimate in traffic congestion. Was probably Obama for whatever difference that makes. Everything anywhere in the vicinity STOPS, and I do mean stops. Not even sure BART was running underground, but the last block was blocked off on bot sides, and for bus routes that crossed it from about 30 to 45 minutes before to he was a block or two passed him, stopped.
I remember reading about what was done in years past when train was the usual way, and it was a major operation. All switches were spiked, a 'sweep' train ran in front, overpasses were manned by police and traffic stopped a few minutes ahead, etc., etc. The Ferdinand Magellan was armor plated and had bulletproof windows and was considered a bear to haul by the train crews because it was so much heavier than the normal "heavyweight" passenger cars of the time. You would have slack run ins and run outs more like freight service, and of course you had a Trainmaster in the cab and other railroad officers throughout. And these were the days long before Kennedy was shot so the security was not near as crazy as it is now.
As said, it would be far better to fly. This is being done for show, no more and no less.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
While hardly same extent as Mr. Harris being inconvenienced, I too have had such.
During August '09, flying from Boston (KBOS) to Nantucket (KACK) aboard a Cape Air (IATA 9K) Cessna 404, President Obama was visiting Martha's Vineyard. The usual route to fly such would be Southeasterly (130 Heading)over Cape Cod Bay until getting near Nantucket(KACK) to line up and land (RWY 24; I-ACK 109.1).
But on this day, we flew East (110 Hdg) to Provincetown (VOR 114.7) then almost South (170 Hdg) to Nantucket (VOR 116.2) simply to give The Vineyard and Obama "space".
Now wasn't I a nice guy; I wrote this in plain English, putting the "flyer talk" in parentheses for those holding interest in such, i.e. MOI .
Now to close on the matter at hand. "Career Politicians" such as Joe, are naturally drawn to people. Joe built his entire career on such "retail politics" (most recent POTUS who clearly did not: Nixon), and now he has realized the career politician's ultimate prize. Joe craves being near people, and is willing to take unnecessary risks to be near the 99.44% who wish him no harm.
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