President Barack Obama had car trouble in Jerusalem without even being there. The driver of the limousine awaiting Obama's arrival in Jerusalem filled the car up with gasoline instead of the required diesel fuel and was towed at 10:00 a.m., two hours before the president actually landed, according to an official cited in a CNN.com report.

Edwin Donovan, a Secret Service spokesman told a reporter traveling with the president, "We experienced mechanical trouble with one of the cars. We don't know the cause." Donovan would not confirm the reports of incorrect fueling by the driver, but the tow truck company that received the limo said they were called because it would not start.

A second limo was sent to receive the president. Donovan said to the media, "This is why we bring multiple vehicles and a mechanic on all trips. Situations like this are planned for extensively by our advance teams so that the president's itinerary is unaffected by these types of issues."

Sending multiple presidential vehicles ahead of time is a common practice when Obama makes international trips. CNN reports that the Cadillac limousine Obama uses is nicknamed "The Beast" and is rumored to weight a whopping eight tons. It is built on a Chevrolet Kodiak chassis that requires diesel fuel and supposedly features armor and the bulletproof glass and doors that seal shut in the event of a gas attack.

This trip to the Middle East, the first trip of Obama's second term, began with a press conference in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, followed by a speech on Thursday at the Jerusalem Civic Center, according to the U.S. Department of State's official blog.

On Friday, he will hold a press conference with King Abdullah of Jordan in Amman. In addition to those listed events, Obama will also be making stops in Tel Aviv, Ramallah, Bethlehem and Petra.

Tags: obama Middle East