Rampant Thievery On Air Force One…By White House Press Corps

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