If Mitt Romney, Rick Perry, Herman Cain or any of the other presidential challengers were to embark on a three-day bus trip like the one now underway by President Obama, it would cost their campaigns tens of thousands of dollars. Perhaps more.
They would have to pay a variety of expenses, including:
air travel to their first destination
leasing of one or more buses appropriate to the journey
rental for halls or meeting rooms for their candidates' appearances
the cost of lodging and meals for their candidate and staff
But not the Obama campaign. The White House declared that Mr. Obama's three-day trip through North Carolina and Virginia are official events and not campaign appearances, even though the two states are known to be political objectives of his re-election bid.
So Mr. Obama's expenses are borne by taxpayers, including:
the pro-rated costs of his flights aboard Marine One and Air Force One that brought him to his first stop yesterday in Asheville, NC
the two buses used by him and his staff, owned and operated by the United States Secret Service
costs associated with setting up speech sites including microphones, speakers, amplifiers, teleprompters and TV lights
lodging and meals for the president and his political staff
BUT REMEMBER PEOPLE! HE'S ON "OUR SIDE." Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.