How It's Used

"Even the mayor [of London], Ken Livingstone, has stuck in his oar [with the protesters against President Bush's visit]. His Transport for London body made it clear that Bush would be expected to pay the congestion charge on Cadillac One, his presidential limousine."

—David Leppard and Maurice Chittenden, "Britain on alert as Bush 'bubble' comes to town: Attack Feared: Bush Visit," The Sunday Times (UK), November 16, 2003.

"Mr. Bush will ride in Cadillac One, the safest, heaviest and most expensive Cadillac ever built, billed as being able to protect passengers from rocket-propelled grenades. Special features include a climate control system capable of sealing the interior against a chemical or biological attack and windows made of transparent armour, rather than glass."

—George Jones, Chris Boffey and John Steele, "Bobbies to work 14,000 shifts to protect Bush: Cadillac One's windows made of transparent armour," The National Post (Canada), November 18, 2003, p. A14.

"Any Air Force aircraft carrying a president -- usually one of two similarly equipped Boeing 747-200Bs -- is designated Air Force One. Any Army aircraft, Navy aircraft, Marine aircraft or Coast Guard aircraft carrying the president would be Army One, Navy One, Marine One or Coast Guard One, respectively, although there has never been a Coast Guard One.

"As the late Gerald Ford was no longer president, Air Force One's designation reverted to its tail number, SAM 29000, when it carried him home.

"The president's car is designated Cadillac One, by the way."

—Zay N. Smith, "Nancy Pelosi swamped by promises," The Chicago Sun-Times, January 9, 2007.

"Mr. Obama will be driven in one of the fortress-like presidential limousines that will be airlifted to Ottawa for the visit. Called Cadillac One, and nicknamed the Beast by the Secret Service, the vehicle has armour almost 13 centimetres thick, run-flat tires and a high-tech communications system, and can be sealed off in the event of a chemical attack. The Secret Service brings its own gas and the motorcade usually contains several similar-looking cars to disguise the one in which the president is travelling."

—Erin Anderssen, "The political drama of a passage to Ottawa; Throughout history, the visits of U.S. presidents to the nation's capital have been the city's most choreographed pieces of theatre. When Barack Obama drops in this Thursday, nothing will be left to chance – and the public has little chance of seeing him in the flesh," The Globe and Mail, February 16, 2009, p. A8.

"Obama will travel around London aboard Cadillac One, which does eight miles to the gallon and is described as 'a panic room on wheels'. It is equipped with shotguns, tear gas, a night-vision camera and bags of Obama's blood (group AB). Among the 500 or so US personnel who will travel with the president are nurses and surgeons. The lengths people go to to avoid NHS treatment."

—Oliver Burkleman, Amy Flemming, and John Vidal, "Why is Obama flying to Stansted?: How much kit and personnel is the US president bringing?" The Guardian (UK), March 31, 2009.

Also Known As (AKA)

The Beast

Links

Related on eAlmanac
Air Force One
The First Lady
The Oval Office
The White House

Beyond eAlmanac
Wikipedia article on Cadillac One