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Biden was deathly pale... Air Force One was flying so fast I felt sick
[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] … Daily Mail's reporter on board reveals the incredible inside story of the mad rush to get Joe to Covid isolation - and why she feared for himAir Force One was flying so fast that I was shaking in my seat. Less than 30 minutes ago, my colleagues in the White House press corps and I had received word – just before the rest of the world – that President Biden had been diagnosed with COVID. Now we were joining him on a mad rush back from Las Vegas to the Bidens' Rehoboth Beach getaway in Delaware. Moments after fastening my seatbelt, the massive engines of the presidential Boeing 747 roared to life. The flight attendants, in their custom blue uniforms, stumbled in the aisles as the jet's nose pointed skyward. Tray tables shook. Reporters held up their water glasses so they wouldn't spill. Most concerning, though, was that we had no idea what was going on. For security reasons, there is no Wi-Fi on Air Force One, so we were cut off from the outside world. A doctor always travels with the President, but no word came on the type of care he was receiving or how ill he was. Twice, we asked White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who was also onboard, to give us an update on Biden's condition. Twice, we were denied. Even if she had spoken to us, there would have been no way to know what was coming. That the president wouldn't be seen again in public for nearly a week. And that in less than four days' time, his 52-year career in politics would come to a dramatic end. After all, Biden's week had begun on a high note. On Monday, July 15, despite escalating calls from within the Democratic party for the president to quit the 2024 race, he appeared to be in a jovial mood when he arrived in the afternoon at Joint Base Andrews, outside of Washington DC. I was standing with the press pool – reporters from more than a dozen media organizations – waiting for him on the tarmac.
'Just go,' we called out to our driver as we arrived at Harry Reid International Airport. We all pushed our way out of the van and ran to get close to Air Force One. The Secret Service held us back as Biden stepped out of the Beast, six staff and agents forming a circle around him. 'How are you feeling, sir?' we yelled. He gave a thumbs-up: 'I feel good!' But as he walked slowly towards the plane, we knew that wasn't the case. The president inched up the shortened gangway — built-in stairs near the front of the plane that he's been using instead of the traditional, longer staircase for more than a year now. Once he was on board, we reporters rushed to find our seats in the back of the plane.
It's not entirely uncommon for Air Force One pilots to drop the hammer. President Trump routinely asked his crew to cut down flight times by going faster. But this break-neck speed was unusual for President Biden. The normal flight time from Vegas to Delaware is around four and a half hours. We made the trip in three hours and 48 minutes. Our destination was Dover Air Force Base — the closest suitable airport to Biden's Rehoboth home. Touching down, we rushed into position once more on the tarmac to watch the president deplane. And as the steps of Air Force One were lowered, we waited anxiously under the wing. He began his exit at 10:29pm (EST), still looking pale and frail. He stepped down gingerly, then paused and waved. Half way down, and for a few seconds, he stared off into space, until a Secret Service agent gently tapped his shoulder. The touch seemed to rouse him and he continued down, appearing so unsteady that I was worried he would fall. But he sluggishly made it to his SUV and shakily climbed inside for the hour-long ride to Rehoboth.
Posted by: Skidmark 2024-07-24 |
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