Cheney's iPod Takes Top Priority on Extended Flight

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2005 — -- After a four-day overseas trip that took him to four countries in the Middle East, Vice President Dick Cheney really wanted to get his iPod charged for that long return flight to Washington.

Since it is his plane, the vice president's iPod took priority and was plugged into one of the only working power outlets on Air Force Two, frustrating reporters who were trying to file stories.

What's on that iPod that Cheney was so eager to charge it up and put on the headphones?

The vice president's iPod library ranges from country to classical, according to an administration official.

He has a good amount of music from the 1940s and 1950s (oldies but goodies) and apparently is fond of Johnny Cash.

Last week, in an interview with Fox News, President Bush revealed that he has an iPod Shuffle -- the stripped-down version of the music player that's barely bigger than a stick of chewing gum.

"Lightweight and crank it on, and you shuffle the Shuffle," he said. The president said his library includes the Beach Boys, the Beatles, country music and Aretha Franklin.

Bush's daughters gave him a standard iPod for his birthday earlier this year. His media adviser, Mark McKinnon, said the commander in chief used it to play "heart-thumping" music while he rode his mountain bike. The player featured plenty of country music but also Joni Mitchell and the Knack's "My Sharona."

McKinnon cautioned against reading too much into the selections, though.

"No one should psychoanalyze the playlist," he said. "It's really just great songs designed for a great workout. And if there any songs in there with controversial lyrics, I'll take the heat for that."