When I worked at the White House I always dreamed of a ride on Air Force One but the closest I ever got was several hundred yards away…who knows what kind of glasses or dishes or blankets I might have today had I gone onboard and played like a member of the White House press corps…
White House Press Corps Pilfer Everything On Air Force One That Is Not Bolted Down
Politico reports that “rampant thievery” among journalists onboard Air Force One has gotten so bad that a memo has gone out from Kelly O’Donnell, President of the White House Correspondents’ Association, warning colleagues not to take items off the plane and offering an amnesty for those who might want to bring items backs (“‘Hey, if you inadvertently wound up taking something off the plane by mistake, we can help facilitate a quiet return.”).
As Politico notes:
For years, scores of journalists — and others — have quietly stuffed everything from engraved whiskey tumblers to wine glasses to pretty much anything with the Air Force One insignia on it into their bag before stepping off the plane.
“On my first flight, the person next to me was like, ‘You should take that glass,’” one current White House reporter told West Wing Playbook. “They were like: ‘Everyone does it.’”
And they do.
And I guess I get that…a rocks glass with the seal of the POTUS is a nice souvenir and not something you can buy. But some went a bit overboard:
Several colleagues of one former White House correspondent for a major newspaper described them hosting a dinner party where all the food was served on gold-rimmed Air Force One plates, evidently taken bit by bit over the course of some time.
That’s bold.
Going forward, the press corps is advised to just humble brag about their “access” via photos on Twitter:
nice to be back pic.twitter.com/0ekYwkSefX
— Eric Schultz (@EricSchultz) March 28, 2024
…or even request a “first flight certificate” which the Air Force happily provides, even to members of the press corps.
Of course, this plays into the hands of those who label the mainstream press as dishonest…but maybe the shoe fits?
Hat Tip: View From The Wing
Thieves are thieves , whether in the jail or the legislature , whether in the liquor store or filing a law suit .
What kind of value does the branding/engraving/whatever of cutlery and crockery add to the business of running a country? The likes of Villeroy and Boch make high quality stuff which should both be a lot cheaper to procure and less likely to be stolen than the customised items.
And under what POS administration did you work for Matthew?
GWB.
No kidding? Well he was awful too.
Jeeez, all I got was a bag of M&Ms and a deck of cards…both with the presidential seal. They were left at the seats, presumably to be taken as souvenirs.
Ha. Yes, a friend gave me a couple boxes of those.
Yes. I had a crystal bowl full of the candies. Four administrations worth. But I had Milk Duds along with the m&m candy!
Isn’t “rampant thievery” what Washington runs on? Sure, get upset about the press corps walking off with a few dishes, but do nothing to stop members of Congress from taking part in insider trading. Or corporate donors from getting special contracts. Or, I don’t know, there are probably 91 other things I could list too.
What’s a few glasses and other items when it’s the government who has to replace them? Just borrow some more money. Besides, cheaper than forgiving their school loans, but always a fallback for November.
Theft is a staple of the left and the democrat party.
Stupid comment. It is a staple of everyone.
No it’s not, some people have ethics. Granted a minority.
I meant everyone as in left, right, middle. But you knew that.
It’s not enough for presstitutes to sell out to a political party.
Now they gotta steal stuff from AF1? Not exactly shocking.
I don’t understand. The in-flight crew doesn’t collect plates and glasses after service? There’s a catering manifesto specifying counts on each item. The public relations agencies sending journalists are ultimately responsible to pay for missing items.
I can see some of these stolen souvenirs going on Antiques Road Show in a few decades….worth nothing…
Journalists are scum, on average.