A staff of 500 to accompany President Obama to G20?

[WestPointDad]

In this economy, how in the world can that be justified?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/29/obama-london-visit-uk-g20

[Athenian]

It's the only way they can get an average IQ or 95. Let's give them a break.

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Who is out to get him? Faction One? Faction Two?:pop:

[Polemicvol]

Or should President Obama expose himself to greater risk by reducing the number of people who travel with him? Or should he not be properly prepared for high level diplomatic talks because someone needed isn't present? I think no is the answer to all of those questions.

I'm confident The President is traveling with a proper number of people for the task in front of him. But I'm not surprised by the pettiness of the attacks against our President on this board.

[Athenian]

I wonder how many telepromters he will have. 500 of them too.

[GhenghisVol]

Interesting, I've never seen the number of people in a president's entourage reported to the public.

500 sounds excessive, but security has become a nightmare for these details and requires weeks of planning, vetting, and alternative planning. Briefings for meetings like Obama has planned also require an army of experts on hand...ah, who gives a fuck, just print another billion or two to pay for the trip.

[WestPointDad]

Or should President Obama expose himself to greater risk by reducing the number of people who travel with him? Or should he not be properly prepared for high level diplomatic talks because someone needed isn't present? I think no is the answer to all of those questions.

I'm confident The President is traveling with a proper number of people for the task in front of him. But I'm not surprised by the pettiness of the attacks against our President on this board.

500 security people? Apparently you didn't read the story. A majority are "advisors".

Does Obama not still have his Blackberry for communication with those advisors?

There is no way one can justify taking a staff of 500 to this meeting.

[Athenian]

This bunch of yahoos don't justify anything, they just bury it in a "stimulus" package, tell congress that this has to be done now, can't wait bullshit.

[humbletx]

Interesting, I've never seen the number of people in a president's entourage reported to the public.

500 sounds excessive, but security has become a nightmare for these details and requires weeks of planning, vetting, and alternative planning. Briefings for meetings like Obama has planned also require an army of experts on hand...ah, who gives a fuck, just print another billion or two to pay for the trip.

What BUNCH of whining dipsticks.. Perhaps the president is visiting several locations?

[Athenian]

Must be 500 locations.

[GhenghisVol]

Have you guys seen the number of protestors in the streets? The number is "tens of thousands."

The security details are mandatory, military accompaniment is mandatory, and his first time out of the gate the advisors are also mandatory. You guys dont really have much of a case here until you show us that Bush traveled abroad in the company of 20 people.

[Oracle]

4/1 is the big day to watch. London has canceled all police leave and allocated 8,000,000 pounds to security. Every whacko group in the world will be represented, maybe even algore.. Of the 500, 200 are security - 6 doctors numerous cooks and I don't know what the rest will be doing. Whoever coordinates this traveling circus must have a PhD in Logistics.:cav:

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Obama brought a friend to play basketball with on the nation's expense account.

They also brought 12 TelePrompTers. I kid you not!:confused:

[Athenian]

You libs are always picking on Bush. The time it is because he couldn't find 20 people willing to go with him.