Bush not told about plane scare until after biking

asia.news.yahoo ^ | Thursday May 12, 8:24 AM | Reuters

[Tulsa Ramjet]

Bush not told about plane scare until after biking

Photo: Reuters Click to enlarge

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush was not told for nearly an hour while he finished a bike ride about a breach in White House airspace on Wednesday that prompted the highest alert since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the White House said. The White House said the Secret Service held off informing the president because he was not in danger.

Bush was about a half-an-hour into his ride at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland when an unidentified Cessna airplane came near the White House, sending the Secret Service scrambling to evacuate Vice President Dick Cheney and move First Lady Laura Bush to a secure location.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the president's Secret Service detail was informed about the plane at about 11:59 a.m., when the decision was made to raise the threat level at the White House to "yellow."

Fighter planes were immediately scrambled to intercept the plane, and the threat level at the White House was raised all the way to "red" before the "all clear" was given at 12:14 p.m.

McClellan said Bush was informed about the incident around 12:50 p.m. at the end of his ride. He left the reserve around 12:57 p.m. and returned to the White House at around 1:30 p.m., well after the security scare had ended. ADVERTISEMENT

"A determination was made that the threat posed no danger to the president since he was at an off-site location, and protocols were in place to protect people in the area of the threat," McClellan said. "Those protocols did not require any presidential authority."

"Given such circumstances and the fact that the plane turned away from the White House, the decision was made to inform the president upon conclusion of his bike ride," McClellan said.

Bush had left the White House at about 11:03 a.m. and had arrived at Patuxent for the bike ride at 11:34 a.m.

[MJY1288]

BTW, Do you consider AP, Rueters, and Asia News as credible sources to actually know what the President knew and when he knew it?

[Tulsa Ramjet]

"You should quit your day job and become a "Hostile Threat" advisor. God only knows we need more of them."

Can you honestly say how many RED threat assessments we have had over the year in DC? Probably not a lot I would surmise.

[SoCalPol]

The DU needs to do better instructing you folks
on posting to people who are informed.
You lost, get over it.

[Tulsa Ramjet]

McClellan said Bush was informed about the incident around 12:50 p.m. at the end of his ride. He left the reserve around 12:57 p.m. and returned to the White House at around 1:30 p.m., well after the security scare had ended.

"A determination was made that the threat posed no danger to the president since he was at an off-site location, and protocols were in place to protect people in the area of the threat," McClellan said."

I guess unless you were sitting in the white house briefing room, nobody will ever know anything. Do you know of a report that the White House spokesman "mispoke"?

[MJY1288]

Yes I can, I own a business within 10 miles of the White House

[West Coast Conservative]

Fighter planes were immediately scrambled to intercept the plane, and the threat level at the White House was raised all the way to "red" before the "all clear" was given at 12:14 p.m.

[MJY1288]

LOL, Go to bed before you make more of a fool of yourself

[MJY1288]

See post #28

[West Coast Conservative]

Oops. Didn't see your correction post. Sorry.

[MJY1288]

:-) NP

[endthematrix]

"Mr. President, small plane has crossed over the White House restricted airspace. "

President: "AGAIN? How many friggin' times have I told you security guys, DO NOT bother me with this. There are hundreds of incursions per year! You are security, deal with it."

[Tulsa Ramjet]

"Yes I can, I own a business within 10 miles of the White House."

I....guess this is in response to the red alerts.
One question then, do you think the president should be alerted on all RED alerts? If you don't, then it is a matter of differences on potential catastrophic crisis management. But then again, being that you live near DC and if red alerts happen every other day, you may got me.

[Tulsa Ramjet]

"President: "AGAIN? How many friggin' times have I told you security guys, DO NOT bother me with this. There are hundreds of incursions per year! You are security, deal with it."

Camera then follows the "PROPERLY INFORMED" President of the United States as he pedals off to complete his ride.
Fade to black. Country is secure.

[endthematrix]

While NORAD would still prepare to launch jet fighters during each intrusion, a quick response by an errant pilot might keep the fighters on the ground, saving the tens of thousands of dollars it costs each time jets are scrambled.

Hundreds of incursions per year

Incursions into the restricted space are common. NORAD officials said there are typically two or three incursions a day, usually by pilots not familiar with the restrictions or who stray from their intended flight paths.

The most notable incident occurred during President Reagan's funeral activities last summer when a jet carrying Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher entered the airspace with a broken transponder, prompting the evacuation of the U.S. Capitol.

Following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the government severely restricted air traffic in the region. It established an Air Defense Identification Zone -- an area consisting of a 30-mile diameter circle around Reagan Washington National Airport and 22-mile circles around Dulles and Baltimore-Washington international airports.

Pilots in the airspace must communicate with air traffic controllers, transmit a four-digit identifier with their transponders and take other measures to let controllers know their identity and intentions.

Restrictions are more severe in a 15.75-mile inner circle called the Flight Restricted Zone.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/04/15/laser.warn/

[MJY1288]

What I do when a "Red' alert is announced is run down the street screaming..... "Where is President Bush, and why hasn't he been told about this"... Then shortly after that I realize that the President has a roll to play, and it isn't to give a knee jerk response to every Cessna 150 that violates the 15 mile no fly zone around the White House, he leaves that up to those who are responsible for carrying out his orders in these situations.

When the Coffee machine at DU runs dry, do you immediately notify Hillary?

[SoCalPol]

Fade to black. Country is secure.


I guess so. We are all here on FR.

[endthematrix]

Tulsa Ramjet is trolling on a "My pet goat" campaign. Instead of reading, Bush was riding. Oh my...

[Tulsa Ramjet]

"When the Coffee machine at DU runs dry, do you immediately notify Hillary?"

When you run out of meaningful retorts, do you immediately
notify your hand?

[Ramius]

I guess we can all rest safely that crises can be handled by people that aren't a bunch of bedwetters.

Get a grip. This whole situation was under far better control than you imagine well before you even knew about it.

[Tulsa Ramjet]

"Tulsa Ramjet is trolling on a "My pet goat" campaign. Instead of reading, Bush was riding. Oh my..."

Not really. But as the harshness began to heat up as the thread continued, I thought that this could be mistaken as such.

I have served under 10 different commanding officers. All would want to be informed. That is all the intent of posting the article after I read that the WH spokesman said the president was not interrupted. Nothing more.