Candidates Find Flying Not So Friendly

Jul 11 01:55 PM US/Eastern



DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Republican presidential candidate Tom Tancredo knows what he wants.
"Oh boy, I'd love a plane," Tancredo said.

It's not that the Colorado congressman is enamored with flying. In fact, he's spent enough time waiting to board planes to last a lifetime. And that's the problem

Tancredo, like the other lesser-known presidential candidates, must make his way to Iowa and other campaign stops by flying commercially. While the leading candidates fly on charter or corporate jets, the rest of the field deals with delays along with other travelers—knowing all the while that a campaign event remains on hold until they arrive.

"It can be very challenging," Tancredo said. "Just from a logistical standpoint it's a nightmare."

Add in the headaches of congressional votes, bad weather and the need to make connections to reach such remote spots as Des Moines or Manchester, N.H., and you get an idea what the candidates face.

"It's really difficult," said Republican candidate Sam Brownback, a Kansas senator. "It's just not easy at all."

Democrat Joe Biden, a Delaware senator and White House hopeful, has been there, too. He lamented the huge time difference between flying commercial and chartering a private jet.

"My regret (with fundraising) has nothing to do with whether I can compete in Iowa or other states," Biden said. "My regret is whether or not I can spend 20 grand to fly back and forth to Iowa in a roundtrip of four hours instead of 12 hours."

At least twice, Biden has had to cancel events in Iowa after iffy weather altered his flight plan.

Other candidates walk between the two worlds. Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd flies commercial whenever possible to save money, but he has chartered jets to return from far-flung spots in time for key congressional votes, spokeswoman Taylor West said.

Some of his commercial trips have degenerated into a planes, trains and automobiles adventure.

Earlier this year, Dodd's commercial flight was canceled due to snowy weather, so the Connecticut senator opted for Plan B: a train to Boston and then a rental car the rest of the way to the New Hampshire event.

Peverill Squire, a political science professor at the University of Iowa, said flying with the masses ultimately puts struggling candidates at even a greater disadvantage.

"It just makes it that much more difficult," Squire said. "It means they'll probably be in fewer places than the top-tier candidates, and the physical toll it takes to fly commercially these days can't be discounted."

Still, Tancredo and the others soldier on, dreaming that someday the skies will turn friendlier.

"My campaign manager sent out an e-mail solicitation asking for supplies—chairs, desks, computers," Tancredo said. "I told her I want her to send out another one. 'Please we'd like to buy an airplane.'"

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