The Chevy Suburban (And The Politicians Who Love It)

V.P. nominee Palin’s ride of choice

It appears that all of the Presidential and Vice Presendential candidates have sketchy pasts.  No, not of the Monica Lewinsky type.  I’m talking about their cars.  Following a report last year that Barack Obama owned a Chrysler 300 that got 18 mpg, he was soon seen driving a Ford Escape Hybrid instead.  Was this just an attempt to dodge questions about his attitude towards the environment and/or the countries fuel crisis?  Probably, but at least he is now in a more fuel efficient car.  More recently, his wife Michelle was seen in a Hybrid Tahoe.  For the sake of being “fair and balanced,” according to the Los Angelas Times the newly selected Republian Vice Presidential Candidate Governor Sarah Palin’s choice of vehicle to commute to work in is a Chevy Suburban.

1967 Corvette

According to Xconomy.com, a Chevy Suburban, which gets a whopping 16 mpg, produces 15 kilowatts of exhaust heat energy during city driving, enough to power three or four air conditioners.  In Palin’s defense she is from Alaska which may or may not warrant such a vehicle and the aerodynamics-of-a-breadbox Suburban is owned by the State.  Not sure if she’s allowed to use the vehicle for personal use, but she does have 5 kids, the eldest serving in the Army.  Republican Presidential nominee Senator John McCain drives a Cadillac CTS that gets 19 mpg.  But definitely the coolest of the four, in terms of their mode of transportation anyway, is Democratic V.P. nominee Senator Joe Biden of Delaware.  Biden takes home the top honors for commuting to Washington via train, therefore not contributing to the god-awful traffic in D.C., but more importantly also owns a 1967 Corvette.  (If it’s a Coupe he earns extra points in my book)

Lawmakers, on both sides of the aisle, are notoriously bad when it comes to driving efficient vehicles.  According to Congressional Records reported By Sean Mussenden of Media General News Service, taxpayers spend about $1 million per year to lease vehicles for 127 members of the House of Representatives, more than a quarter of the 435-member body.  Half of all vehicles leased by members of Congress with taxpayer funds are gas-guzzling SUVs and twice as many lawmakers drive luxurious Lincoln Town Cars than hybrid Toyota Priuses.

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