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White House takes heat for flight scare

Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor April 27, 2009 07:23 PM

The White House ended up having to apologize, sort-of, for a photo-opp that became a terrorist scare.

A presidential Boeing 747 flew low over Manhattan today, escorted by an Air Force fighter, for an updated patriotic snapshot showing the plane in the same frame as the Statue of Liberty.

The surprise scene unnerved New Yorkers, who have not forgotten Sept. 11, and angered officials.

This afternoon, Louis Caldera, director of the White House Military Office, issued a mea culpa:

“Last week, I approved a mission over New York," his statement said. "I take responsibility for that decision. While federal authorities took the proper steps to notify state and local authorities in New York and New Jersey, it’s clear that the mission created confusion and disruption. I apologize and take responsibility for any distress that flight caused.”

But after the statement was issued, anonymous White House officials issued a string of clarifications. In one, an official told the Associated Press that the military office told the Federal Aviation Administration that it periodically updates file photos of Air Force One near national landmarks, like the statute in New York harbor and the Grand Canyon.

In another, an administration official told the AP that the FAA warned New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's office and other New York and New Jersey police agencies ahead of time about the Boeing 747's flight, but told local agencies that the information was classified and asked them not to publicize it.

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The whole episode could have been averted -- and turned into a positive "photo-op" for everyone had the officials in charge simply notified the public of its plan. Why the need for secrecy if the mission actually is as innocent as stated? (Makes one wonder about the real mission.) How could every approving official up and down the line have been so bone-headed as to not have seen the havoc that a huge commercial jet flying without warning on a weekday morn below building line in NYC --and apparently "pursued" by a scrambled fighter plane to boot -- would cause? Just plain dumb.

Posted by Tim Murphy April 27, 09 10:34 PM
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Ladies and gentlemen, you wanted change, you got change. Just not very bright....
not to mention a waste of resources, and incredibly insensitive. Couple of phone calls could have prevented the whole mess. If you don't want people to see AF 1 flying over NYC, you could photoshop it for a lot less money.

Posted by DXManners April 27, 09 10:35 PM
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nice.....our frugal government putting our tax dollars to work....washington is worried about corporate executives who got government bailout funds flying in their corporate jets to legitimate business meetings, yet we can run air force one, a 747, up and down the hudson river scaring half of manhattan simply for a photo opportunity? where is the logic to that obama, barney and nancy? where are the hearings to look into this scandal. where is the fiscal responsibility for the governnment itself. shameful and wasteful.

Posted by spk April 27, 09 11:29 PM
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A ten year old imbecile would have known that this was a bad idea.

Posted by PBKingman April 28, 09 12:50 AM
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Aside from the fact that this "mission" must have cost the taxpayers plenty, I don't have a problem with it. If you make it public, you're increasing the security risk. Before you attack me for being insensitive to New Yorkers who are still traumatized by 9/11, please know that I knew someone who died that day, and I know several people who saw the towers fall, and I know that they will never be the same, but I also know that they would be the last ones to panic in seeing something like this. If you live in fear, you've conceited victory to the terrorists, plain and simple.

Posted by chuckp April 28, 09 01:11 AM
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Ever heard of PhotoShop?

Posted by california April 28, 09 03:58 AM
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So - with all the concern about Global Warming and the tight economy it's OK to fly a 747 and a fighter jet to NYC just to take an updated publicity photo of Air Force One with the Statue of Liberty in the background?

Posted by Wayne April 28, 09 07:50 AM
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747's flying over NYC? So. What's the prob? Yeah, let's do that! I don't see a problem. Approved. What a bunch of idiots! Hey, I have an idea...let's turn over every aspect of our lives to the federal government. Let's elect someone who wants more and more control over what should be personal decisions. Let's make sure we elect someone who moves closer and closer to socialism. YOU PEOPLE VOTED FOR HIM! STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT YOUR CHOICE! YOU ARE THE BIGGEST IDIOTS!!

Posted by upchuck April 28, 09 10:12 AM
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This smacks of the overreaching arrogance of the current administration. And listen to this White House fool take the fall. What a bunch of clowns.

Posted by obamaobamaobamaobamaobamaobamaobama April 28, 09 12:15 PM
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Seriously, yall are complaining about this. The Terrorist have truly won, you people suck and make me sick. Get over it, it happened, move on, do not live in fear, tools.

To the moron who said they should alert the public....Yea, smart.. Hey Everyone, the President will be flying over air space at this time, don't worry....... That would be very secure....

So who complained when Bush did the same thing back in 2005?

Posted by Thanos73 April 28, 09 01:38 PM
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Thanos73 you are the one who sucks. The president wasn't in the plane you moron.

Posted by obamaobamaobamaobamaobama April 28, 09 03:35 PM
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Instead of photo op they should have been thinking photo SHOP to get their patriotic pictures. More lunacy and self-centered antics from the new administration! Wow, what next! I shudder to think!

Posted by live4thatday April 28, 09 05:34 PM
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