Presidential Cadillac Limo Bottoms Out in Ireland

[Davidinhartford]

Maybe the 2009 Obama-mobile is back at Cadillac getting fitted for whitewall tires finally?

Those 2006s may be older but they sure look nicer.



Look how thick those doors are!

[Tim Pawl CLC#4383]

Note that Charles Barnette correctly identifies the Limo as being a "2006" , not the newer "2008" version that is based on a truck chassis.  The video looks like the metal bar protruding up from the driveway caught the suspension or a cross-member.   Hard to believe the Secret Service has never heard of "Skid Plates" .     Tim Pawl CLC#4383

[Eric S. Maypother #15104]

I didn't realize either it was the older Limo till Charles pointed it out, could it be the Beast is so heavy they don't want to put it on Air Force 1 for a Trans Continental flight? Would be interested to see if during O'Bama's other over seas visits if they also used the older limo's. 

Does the Beast also have an identical twin like the older limo's?

They must have driven in same gate at Embassy, you would of thought it would have caught going in as well.

[Charles D. Barnette]

Since there were 3 1993 Cadillac Presidential Limos built for Clinton, and three 2001 and three 2006 Cadillac Presidential Limos built for George W. Bush, it is believed to be three of the newest Cadillac Presidential Limos that were built for Obama in existence. Although at first blush it is comical as to what happened in Ireland, the ramifications of a security breach are serious! If the President was indeed riding in the disabled vehicle, then that means he must be physically moved out of the car to another car in public. Further it is my understanding that the "the black box" that holds the codes to destroy the world travels with him in the Limo! That must be moved as well! I have cited this before, but I distinctly remember when Clinton came to Texarkana in 1999 and the Limo was parked behind the motel where Clinton was speaking. I asked my friend to get a picture of the Limo while I got a picture of Clinton inside the motel. My friend told me that as he approached the Limo a Secret Service agent stopped him telling him that if he took one more step toward the vehicle that my friend would be shot. The agent pointed to an agent with a rifle standing on top of the motel with his rifle aimed at my friend. I assume all of this was because of the black box being in the Limo. This also reminds me as to when a barricade was not installed in Hartford, Conn., and President Ford's Limo was broadsided by another car innocently knocking the President down into the floorboard on impact! Charles D. Barnette-I wish I could get a copy of the final Secret Service report on the Ireland incident once it is completed. I am sure it would be most interesting!

[Quentin Hall]

Let's hope Obama doesn't accidently mistake his  Rule the World Gamebox  for his Nintendo Wii gamebox while he's sitting is in the back seat bored. To be sure . To be sure.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Actually, I think the "small" protrusion was the Irish version of the "Bollard".    And was only raised to stop O'Bama from venturing further into the grips of the Irish countryside.

Bruce.

PS.   It is still VERY funny.   But, with my background into parades and convoys, I can understand the ramifications of this sudden stoppage.

PPS.   I think the reason why it took so long for people to alight from the vehicle, especially the President, could be that he needed time to compose and clean himself up after spilling whatever he could have been holding.

[Glen]

I would imagine that the protocol in an incident like this is the agents inside the car do not throw the doors open to see what happened.  That would literally open the door for attack.  They would let the agents outside assess the situation first. 

Did you notice they moved a bus to block the view?  An improvised screen against a sniper?   

I’m amazed at the number of agents looking at the car instead of the crowd where an attack would come from. 

[Gravel]

Glen, I completely agree. Sure seemed like they handled it rather lackadaisically..

[Charles D. Barnette]

My hat is off to the Secret Service and the huge job they have in protecting the President of The United States and others they must protect by law. The Secret Service has come a long way in security since President Kennedy was allowed to ride in an open convertible limo in downtown Dallas with some 20,000 windows in buildings that needed to be guarded against! However the second the Secret Service lets their guard down they are flirting with disaster. Bottom line is that the advance agents designing and inspecting the route to be taken by the President should have spotted any potential, permanent obstacles to be encountered by a Presidential Limo that has been in their hands for five years! Charles D. Barnette

[jaxops]

I think that they're out of business aren't they (Hess & Eisenhardt)?  If not these are the ugliest cars that I ever have seen next to the "AZTEC" SUV!

[jaxops]

Beauty!  Also, funny that it was a failed airbag....like a lot of things that collapsed recently! A perfect analogy for this bunch of folks!