[KevinDavis]

Here is my thinking.. Why in heck would they travel billions of miles just to pick up some drunk and not land in Washington DC???

[GingisK]

Why in heck would they travel billions of miles just to pick up some drunk and not land in Washington DC???

A drunk out in the sticks, or a drunk in Washington D.C.? There is a chance that the one in the sticks would be honest.

If you read the lore, the US government is already in contact with "ET"; and, allows them to pick up some of the local folks as part of "the deal". Besides, how would the government prevent ET from messing around anyway?

[Quix]

They

1. Buzzed DC a LOT in the 1950’s, IIRC.

2. They met with Ike twice—at Edwards and at Holloman AFB’s.