$400 Million Each

 John McCain and Barack Obama vow to reform the nation's defense procurement if elected president, yet each is unwilling to take a firm stand against the skyrocketing cost of a plum White House perk: the new Marine One helicopter. The fleet of 28 helicopters being built to fly the next president is now projected to cost  $400 million apiece, a total of $11.2 billion.
 

McCain Is Indifferent

McCain labeled the contract growth a "scandal" before asking to revise his assessment "in a more polite way." He said the program is part of "an out-of-control procurement system that has to be fixed." Obama said, "I haven't taken a close look at it, but, in principle, it is a lot of money, even in Washington."
 

After The Terror Attacks

The program has its roots in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. After the attacks, President Bush flew on Air Force One, a customized Boeing 747, from Florida to military bases in Louisiana and Nebraska before returning to Washington. The chaos of that day underscored the need for secure communications and the commander in chief's ability to remain in contact at all times.
 

The Choppers Pick Up Dignitaries

The new copter will be made by Lockheed Martin, subcontracted to Europeans.  And as can be witnessed by tourists on the National Mall near the White House, several of the identically marked helicopters often accompany Marine One in flight as decoys.