Anita DUNHAM-Potter
(Barack Obama’s 6th cousin once removed) :)

As a frequent traveler, I am just as concerned about the issues facing the travel industry as anyone else in here. However, I also recognize that in the overall scheme of what’s important to our nation, that takes a backseat – a WAAAY backseat – to far more important issues that affect many more people’s lives.

I also believe that Radar21 hit on something extremely important here:

“…his understanding of the current ATC situation would be from briefings of others, as would Barack Obama knowledge of current ATC/FAA issues.
Yes, McCain would have the phraseology to sound like he knows what is going on but that can be misleading.”

In other words, neither candidate can claim any directly-obtained, in depth knowledge of the issues facing the travel industry, as neither have ever worked in it. While McCain flew jets, it was as a military pilot – he was never part of commercial aviation. Any information, knowledge, or understanding that either candidate has, came from their advisers…and will continue to come from there once one of them is in office. McCain’s experience flying planes means nothing in terms of understanding, or having the answers to, the issues currently facing the US’s travel infrastructure or industry.

Anyone who would base their vote on a candidate’s position on transportation is foolishly ignoring the many fundamental issues that are FAR more critical to our nation today than this.

If Tripso is going to become just another place for people to push their candidate of choice, then it will be of no value or interest to me. I come here for information about travel, not for political opinions and thinly-veiled campaigning.

I don’t think it matters, since it looks like Charlie is the publisher of Tripso. Apparently Ms. Cruise Specialist Anita shares his same political views.

Just stop, you guys are losing your credibility.

Do the editors at Tripso even read their columnist’s submissions, or just allow them to run rampant on any topic they see fit? I for one would like to get back to the travel articles, if Mr. Leocha can come off his soap box long enough.

By the way, can we please keep politics out of Tripso?

“McCain did lose two Navy aircraft while piloting them. One crash was found to be be McCain’s fault, the other due to an engine failure of undetermined cause.. A third was destroyed on the deck of the carrier USS Forrestal when a missile fired accidentally from another plane hit either the plane next to McCain’s or, less likely, his own aircraft, triggering a disastrous fire that killed 134 sailors and nearly killed McCain. A fourth plane was lost when he was shot down over North Vietnam on a bombing mission over Hanoi.

A fifth alleged “crash” turns out to be a misinterpretation of a flight accident that did not result in the loss of the aircraft. McCain admitted to causing that incident through “daredevil clowning” but returned safely.”

Can we also remember that it was Reagan’s recklessness in firing all the air traffic controllers that got us into a big air traffic mess in the first place.