What do the candidates drive?

[AZhitman]

OK, time to take a breather... We're all having fun here, and the Politics forum was an awesome idea (Thanks Bobby for keeping it ROCKING!)...

This might take some research: What does each candidate drive?

I assume both McCain and Obama and their spouses own several cars.... What do they drive?

We'll decide this like REAL car guys!

[skylndrftr]

[Serious] you missed the McCain quote about not knowing the price of gas?[/Serious]

Well McCain is all 'straight' talk ::laughter:: and hes a fighter jock so I'm guessing trans am?

Obama's all about change so he must lease and not pay attention to the the details of what hes actually driving

[mtcookson]

Doing a quick search:

John McCain: Cadillac CTSBarack Obama: Chrysler 300C

Not sure of the validity but I found it here:http://whatstarsdrive.com/2008...c-cts/

http://whatstarsdrive.com/2008...-300c/

Edit: Looking further, it looks like Obama "dumped" his 300C for a hybrid Ford Escape and McCain does indeed drive the CTS, equipped with the 3.6 liter V6.

http://coolspotters.com/politi...-9259

[rn79870]

Nice find Mark. Something else. I've seen cars with US Congress or something else on the license plate. I assume that was a car provided by the federal government. Does anyone know whether these are privately owned vehicles or whether they are leased by the Feds for the benefit of the representatives?

Let me do a little google-fu here.

EDIT***It appears that it is a state thing, and the states differ. I'm still interested in whether they buy their cars or whether they are furnished.

[AZhitman]

Bob, I can help with that, but I'll have to get to it later - I used to manage the State fleet for a couple years...

Senate parking lot is visible from the window of my office... But who drives what is unclear - they used to have assigned slots, but that went away after 9/11.

Mac's had a CTS for as long as I can recall. Most of our Pols here in AZ are pretty "conservative" with their wheels.

Ms. Mac owns a new GTO. Also, as you've read, does some driving of her own as a frequent fixture at Bondurant's world-class facility here in AZ, and has her pilot's license.

[ishkabibble]

Does anyone know whether these are privately owned vehicles or whether they are leased by the Feds for the benefit of the representatives?

My understanding of Congress is that they are held to the same standards as the rest of the Federal workforce. Which would mean that they don't get to use a "company car", so to speak, unless they are on official business away from the Capitol or warranted some sort of special protection. If they drive their personal cars for official business, they would get reimbursed for mileage at the standard rate.

[HashiriyaS14]

Ultimately, I bet both these guys drive themselves less than 10-20 hours per year.

It doesn't really matter what they drive, as they are almost certainly driven everywhere.

Any car they own was probably only purchased for political reasons so that when people ask questions like this, the answer is something that seems American, hence the CTS and the 300C.

[rn79870]

I did a little research. In the Great State here, the license plates are A (for assembly) or S (for senate) and the district number. For instance S1 would be the senator from the 1st. district. That's kind of cool but I'm wondering if it wouldn't make you a target of occasional road rage.

As a side note, do they allow people as old as McCain to still have drivers licenses? (Sorry this was a good thread until that rn guy made that comment.)

[MinisterofDOOM]

Any car they own was probably only purchased for political reasons so that when people ask questions like this, the answer is something that seems American, hence the CTS and the 300C.

And the Ford Escape Hybrid, one of the only American small hybrids made right now. THE only, actually, if I'm not mistaken.

[AZhitman]

I did a little research. In the Great State here, the license plates are A (for assembly) or S (for senate) and the district number. For instance S1 would be the senator from the 1st. district. That's kind of cool but I'm wondering if it wouldn't make you a target of occasional road rage.

All legislators here have standard general-issue plates.

I'm always wary of anyone with "special-privilege" plates, and won't hesitate to make sure they know I'm watching their every move... Foreign diplomats are my favorite to mess with.

[heliochrome85]

vue green line, tahoe hybrid, escalade hybrid,

[MinisterofDOOM]

vue green line, tahoe hybrid, escalade hybrid,

Tahoe and Escalade are not small.

[heliochrome85]

but its TINY compared to the F650 that Id drive if i were elected to public office.

[HashiriyaS14]

I'm always wary of anyone with "special-privilege" plates, and won't hesitate to make sure they know I'm watching their every move... Foreign diplomats are my favorite to mess with.

LOL

You'd have a field day in DC then. It seems like every 3rd driver has diplomatic tags.

They can generally get away with just about anything though, I'm not sure what "watching" them will accomplish. Just stay 6 car-lengths away at all times.

[dusred]

I read a news article a while back on what the candidates drive.

If I remember right Obama does drive the 300c and Mac drives the CTS, and Hillary drives a Mercury Villager Hybrid with the "President Package" which includes a refrigerator in the back (there goes your good fuel mileage).

[S13Panda]

I was hoping they drove Nissan or Infiniti! =p