Presidential Bus Tour
Floor Speech
Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I came to the floor this morning with my colleagues to discuss the National Defense Authorization bill. Before I do, I wish to mention there has been a lot of talk dominating certainly part of the talk radio and television about the bus tour the President is on. A lot of it is centered around the bus. I am not going to discuss that anymore except to say that in 2008 when I ran for President I didn't need a bus to be paid for and billed by the government and the taxpayers of the United States. I understand that now there has been another bus purchased for who ever the Republican nominees are. How do you justify that? The Republican nominee may not want a bus.
The fact is, after having said that, the most important point here is that the President is now, on the taxpayers' money, campaigning for 3 days in North Carolina. It says in today's Washington Post ``On N.C. Bus Tour, Obama In Full Campaign Mode.'' I say I have seen other Presidents, both Republican and Democrat, who have hedged and come right up to the edge, and sometimes crossed over it, charging the taxpayers for what has been clearly campaign activities. But never do I believe any of us have seen the kind of activity the President is engaged in, and all of it being charged to the taxpayers of America. That is wrong. That is the wrong thing to do.
According to recent reports, the President's campaign has raised record amounts of money already. The campaign should be paying for this North Carolina trip of his. I do not begrudge him beating up on us and criticizing us and making all kinds of allegations about not understanding his stimulus 2 package, which we understand very well is more of the same. But at least his campaign should be paying for this kind of campaigning.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to engage in a colloquy with my colleagues from Georgia, Senator Chambliss; from New Hampshire, Senator Ayotte; and the distinguished Republican leader, Senator McConnell, for purposes of a colloquy.
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