Teach Obama to drive properly, will you?!?!?

[Gob]

US officials requested that a roundabout outside the University of Queensland be demolished so President Barack Obama's G20 motorcade would not need to slow down, according to reports.

The Australian reported on Thursday that the Secret Service request was turned down by Queensland authorities.


A spokeswoman for Transport Minister Scott Emerson said she was not aware of any request being made to Transport and Main Roads.

The Queensland Police Service and Office of Prime Minister and Cabinet declined to comment, while a spokesman for Queensland Police Minister Jack Dempsey said all security requests were a matter for G20 authorities.

Mr Obama is due to deliver a speech on Asia-Pacific leadership to a select audience at the St Lucia campus, part of which will be made into a G20 "declared area".

The president, who is expected to arrive after 10.45am, could make his way to UQ in a motorcade featuring the presidential state car, known as "The Beast".

The Beast is a Cadillac that can withstand biochemical attacks, bullets, and has an armoured plate to protect the President from roadside bombs.

It also has tear gas cannons, storage for a loaded shotgun and supplies of the President's blood type in case of an emergency.

It is also possible the President could be taken to the university by helicopter. On Wednesday, three US marine choppers were seen practising take-offs and landings outside the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital at Herston, just north of the Brisbane CBD.

The president's official plane Air Force One will touch down in Queensland at RAAF Base Amberley on Saturday morning after a flight from Beijing.

The Australian also reported that officials rejected a request by Saudi Arabia for an oversize motorcade for King Abdullah's trip from the airport to his Gold Coast hotel.

The King, Brazil President Dilma Rouseff and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu are scheduled to land in Brisbane on Thursday night.

Most of the world leaders are due to arrive in Brisbane on Friday.

[Lord Jim]

It is also possible the President could be taken to the university by helicopter.

Gee, that would seem to be the logical solution....

[rubato]

Didn't Rupert Murdoch get his start by exporting Australian press practices to other parts of the English speaking world?



Yrs,
Rubato

[oldr_n_wsr]

The Australian reported on Thursday that the Secret Service request was turned down by Queensland authorities.

I think they are afraid his motorcade might pull a "Griswald" and get stuck going around and around and around.

look kids, Big Ben, Parlament

[MajGenl.Meade]

storage for a loaded shotgun

Storage what? Jar? Space? Locker?

Storage for just one loaded shotgun.... and whose vehicle doesn't?

[Big RR]

they have to state it that way as Obama doesn't have a permit to carry a concealed weapon--so it just has storage, no weapon is admitted to (Clinton would word it "It depends what the meaning of "for" is". Plausible deniability, that's the ticket.

[Guinevere]

Pretty sure the weapon isn't for him, but for those law enforcement types with badges (and oh yeah, guns) who ride along with him.

[Big RR]

Pretty sure the weapon isn't for him, but for those law enforcement types with badges (and oh yeah, guns) who ride along with him.

Maybe, but don't those guys just run along outside the car?

[Guinevere]

Who do you think is driving the thing, not Miss Daisy . . . And there is usually another in the front passenger seat.

[Big RR]

I thought the chauffeur drove, and the other guy was the navigator?

Seriously, it was a joke; and for all I know, if the president can carry the nuclear launch codes (or have someone near him with them), he can also carry a shotgun if he wants.

[MajGenl.Meade]

Big RR - no, it wasn't. Jokes are funny.

[Big RR]

Not all. Just some. Of course, my joke was hilarious, except for the humor-challenged.

[MajGenl.Meade]

[Lord Jim]

There's also usually at least one (sometimes more than one) Caravan full of heavily armed guys in the procession...

[Big RR]

Meade--thanks; I knew you'd come around.

Jim--probably some strategically placed, armed persons along the route as well.

[Lord Jim]

Jim--probably some strategically placed, armed persons along the route as well.

Absolutely...Mostly to keep an eye on the crowd and to scan the building windows along the route for anything suspicious...

And security people on rooftops...

Plus a large deployment of local police (both when he travels here and abroad)

[oldr_n_wsr]

I wonder what kind of Aussie gun laws all the secrest service agents are violating?

[Gob]

None one would imagine.

[Joe Guy]

Jim--probably some strategically placed, armed persons along the route as well.

Absolutely...Mostly to keep an eye on the crowd and to scan the building windows along the route for anything suspicious...

And security people on rooftops...

Plus a large deployment of local police (both when he travels here and abroad)

And drones like the ones on Homeland that can follow you everywhere you go.

[oldr_n_wsr]

I have a drone. It even has a camera. It' 5" x 5". Not a big one. Maybe for christmas this year. Really cool to check out the roof before the winter. Beats climbing up the ladder if I don't need to. Now if I can put an arm on and get it to put up the christmas lights.