Four Senators, Four Candidates ... Four Planes?

April 27, 2007 — -- The life of a presidential candidate is hectic, with flights from one campaign stop to the next.

Yesterday's schedule was even more manic for four candidates who are doing double-duty as U.S. senators.

Sens. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., Barack Obama, D-Ill., Joe Biden, D-Del., and Chris Dodd, D-Conn., all had to be in Washington, D.C., for the Senate vote on the Iraq spending bill, which set a withdrawal deadline of October for U.S. troops.

It was also the day of the first debate for the presidential candidates of the '08 season. However, despite all being in Washington, and all needing to be in South Carolina, none of the candidates traveled together.

Instead Biden took a private plane and the three other senators each chartered individual flights.

Hey guys, what about plane-pooling?

Environmental groups have been encouraging the presidential candidates to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions.

"The biggest environmental concern with private jet flights is the carbon footprint," said David Willett, spokesperson for the Sierra Club. "Using a private jet particularly rather than a commercial jet, you're adding another flight so you are increasing the amount of carbon dioxide being emitted and that impacts global warming."

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Why Plane-Pooling Might Not Be an Idea That 'Takes Off'

However Willett said the political reality of the modern presidential campaign makes flying necessary.

"There isn't really any way for presidential candidate to avoid having to fly," said Willett, "and for security reasons and scheduling reasons going to be times when they need to take charter flights from campaign stop to campaign stop for sure."

Plus, there's the awkward political reality that the candidates are in competition with one another.

Even though the candidates showed a united front against President Bush at Thursday's debate, soon the gloves will come off and it'll be every man -- and woman -- for themselves.

Willett also concedes that candidates can't often rely on commercial flights to get them and their staff where they need to be on time.