More bus story

It turns out that President Barack Obama’s multistate tour on jobs and the economy is taking place in a $1.2 million bus that was made in Canada rather than the United States.

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus blasted Obama’s choice of a Canadian bus for the tour during a conference call with reporters Wednesday.

“We don't believe that it is any coincidence that the president is embarking on this sham jobs tour in his Canadian bus,” Priebus said. “He is doing this because this bus tour is nothing but another campaign jaunt for this president, who, as we all know, is absolutely in love with being the campaigner in chief.

"This is an outrage that the taxpayers of this country would have to foot the bill so that the campaigner-in-chief can run around in his Canadian bus and act as if he is interested in creating jobs in our country,” Priebus said.

Priebus also advised the president to spend more time in the White House finding ways to fix chronically high unemployment, rather than “planning his next vacation in Martha’s Vineyard.”

Obama and his family are scheduled to begin their annual vacation in exclusive Martha’s Vineyard after the bus tour. White House officials say the presidency and its responsibilities essentially travel with Obama, no matter where he goes. But Priebus wasn’t buying it.

"Two weeks ago, the president said that his number one focus would be jobs,” Priebus said. “And he promised, like he always likes to do through speeches, to put together a jobs plan. But yet again we have no plan from the president. We have no engagement from the president.”

The White House says Obama will speak to the nation about his job proposals in a post-Labor Day speech.

The New York Post reported Wednesday that Obama is barnstorming the heartland aboard a bus built by Quebec-based Prevost. The VIP H-45 model is a top-of-the-line bus that many rock bands use while on tour. It is equipped with armored doors and has other state-of-the-art security features, as well as Secret Service equipment.

According to the Post, officials ordered two of the Canadian-made buses in July 2010 from a Tennessee firm, Hemphill Brothers Coach. Hemphill Brothers installed custom upgrades to the interior before delivering the buses two months ago.

According to the Secret Service, when the president isn’t using the buses, they will be available to others under Secret Service protection. This could include the 2012 GOP presidential nominee, the Post reports