Lots of commentators last night said the President looked distracted. I agree.....and I know why.....
What some people seem to forget is that unlike Gov. R-Money, the President of the United States doesn't have the luxury of taking three weeks off to prep for a debate. He has a day job....and a night job.
American Fighters Escort a Pair of Russian Strategic Bombers on a Long-Range Flight
Interfax 4 Oct 12
Moscow, 04 October, INTERFAX-AVN—The RF Ministry of Defense informs that a pair of Russian Federation Air Force TU-95MS strategic bombers, performing a flight over the neutral waters of the Arctic and Pacific Oceans, were escorted by USAF fighters.
The TU-95MS aircrews were honing their skills over featureless terrain, as well as performing midair refueling from an IL-78 tanker, with each [bomber] receiving 20 tons of fuel. “The flight lasted 15 hours,” RFAF official spokesman Colonel Vladimir Drik informed INTERFAX-AVN on Thursday.
Drik pointed out that, “Two USAF F-15 fighters escorted the aircraft on their flight route.”
The TU-95MS aircraft took off from Ukrainka airbase in the Amur oblast’ on 04 October. “All missions according to the plan of strategic deterrence were performed successfully,” V. Drik said.
He also noted that, in fulfilling the strategic deterrence mission, Long Range Aviation aircrews coordinated with high-altitude MiG-31 fighter-interceptors of the Northwestern Air Force and Air Defense Group over the Russian Federation, practicing joint planned missions.
According to V. Drik, “The flight path of the TU-95MS bombers passed over the neutral waters of the Arctic and Pacific Oceans.”
This was happening while the debate was going on. The President was informed and knew about it.
Distracted? Just a bit. Each TU-95 carries enough missiles to make the top 20 TV markets glow.