The United States presidential state car (nicknamed "the Beast", "Cadillac One", "First Car"; code named "Stagecoach") is the official state car of the president of the United States. The current model of presidential state car is a unique Cadillac that debuted on September 24, 2018.
United States presidents embraced automotive technology in the early 20th-century with President William Howard Taft's purchase of four cars and the conversion of the White House stables into a garage. Presidents rode in stock, unmodified cars until President Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration bought the Sunshine Special, the first presidential state car to be built to United States Secret Service standards. Until the assassination of John F. Kennedy, presidential state cars frequently allowed the president to ride uncovered and exposed to the public. President Kennedy's assassination began a progression of increasingly armored and sealed cars; the 2009–2018 state car had five-inch-thick bulletproof glass and was hermetically sealed with its own environmental system.
Decommissioned presidential state cars are dismantled and destroyed with the assistance of the Secret Service to prevent their secrets from being known to outside parties. Late 20th-century and 21st-century presidential motorcades have consisted of 24–45 vehicles other than the presidential state car, including vehicles for security, healthcare, the press, and route-clearing, among others.
In 2014, General Motors (GM) was awarded three contracts for the new limousine. Each state car was expected to cost US$1–1.5 million, and by January 2016, GM had been paid $15,800,765 (equivalent to $17,840,492 in 2021) for its work on the new model.
The first serving president to ride in a car was President William McKinley, who briefly rode in a Stanley Motor Carriage Company steam car on July 13, 1901.
According to the United States Secret Service, it was customary for them to follow the presidential horse-and-buggy on foot, but that with the popularization of the automobile, the Secret Service purchased a 1907 White Motor Company steam car to follow President Theodore Roosevelt's horse-drawn carriage. The president himself eschewed riding in the vehicle due to his "image as a rough-riding horseman".
President William Howard Taft changed things at the White House, converting the stables there to a garage and purchasing a four-car fleet on a budget of $12,000 (equivalent to about $362,000 in 2021): two "luxurious" Pierce-Arrow cars, a Baker Motor Vehicle electric car, and a $4,000 (equivalent to about $121,000 in 2021) 1911 White Motor Company steam car. President Taft became a fan of the steam car when he discovered he could conceal himself from press photographers with a "carefully timed burst of steam."
President Woodrow Wilson was such a fan of the three Pierce-Arrow cars purchased by his administration that he bought one of them from the government for US$3,000 (equivalent to $45,576 in 2021) when he left office in 1921. President Warren G. Harding was the first president to use a car to drive to his inauguration, and was the first qualified driver to be elected president. President Herbert Hoover had a Cadillac V-16.
Legend has it that Harry S. Truman held a grudge against General Motors because they would not give him use of their cars during his run for the 1948 presidential election; and, so, in 1950 he chose Lincoln to make the presidential state car. The White House leased ten Lincoln Cosmopolitans. The cars were modified by coach builder Henney Motor Company and Hess and Eisenhardt provided extra security features, with extra headroom to accommodate the tall silk hats popular at the time, and were painted black. Nine of the automobiles had enclosed bodies, while the tenth was an armored convertible especially for President Truman. The tenth Cosmopolitan was 20 feet long, 6.5 feet wide, and weighed 6,500 pounds, 1,700 pounds heavier than a stock Cosmopolitan. All ten cars were outfitted with 152-horsepower V8 engines "with heavy-duty Hydra-Matic transmissions."
In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower had the Cosmopolitan convertible fitted with a Plexiglas roof that became known as the "Bubble-top"; it remained in presidential service until 1965.
If you want to read lots more about the president's vehicles, go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidential_state_car_(United_States)
They'll go head over heels for these beefed up rollups that look as good as they taste! From the flaky crust to the hearty filling, this eye-catching, mouthwatering combo should be on your table tonight!
- 1 (10-ounce) package refrigerated pizza crust
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 1/2 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (7-ounce) jar sliced roasted peppers, drained
- 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozarella cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
- Cooking spray
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
- Preheat oven to 400º. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Roll out pizza crust dough onto a cutting board. Spread spinach over crust. Spread ground beef evenly over spinach and season with onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Top with roasted peppers and shredded mozzarella. Place whole basil leaves over cheese.
- Roll up jelly-roll style and place on baking sheet. Lightly coat with cooking spray and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Bake 22 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Let sit 5 minutes then cut into slices and serve.
1931 – Willie Mays, American baseball player