Boeing VC-25 entered into a contract to purchase two of a bankrupt Russian firm's (Transaero) undelivered 747-8 Intercontinentals from Boeing, which is storing them in the Mojave Desert to prevent corrosion. These aircraft are to be retrofitted with telecommunications and security equipment to bring them to the required security level for the presidential aircraft. On 27 February 2018, the White House announced a $3.9 billion agreement with Boeing to modify two unsold 747-8s to replace the current VC-25A fleet. The new aircraft will be designated VC-25B. They are due to be delivered by 2024. The VC-25 "Air Force One" is a prominent
Barack Obama 2008 presidential primary campaign online performance, measured Obama as the candidate that connected the most with potential voters via the Internet. Chris Hughes, a Facebook co-founder and coordinator of online organizing within the Barack Obama presidential campaign, called the on-line surge backing Obama "unprecedented". One group on Facebook, "Barack Obama (One Million Strong for Barack)", had 894,913 members as of November 5, 2008. Obama's politician page reached more than one million supporters as of June 17, 2008. On February 2, 2007, Obama attended a rally at George Mason University organized by "Students for Barack Obama", a group that began on Facebook, with several thousand