Posted on 04/29/2009 7:23:49 AM PDT by yoe
I wrote (here) about yesterday's bizarre fly-by of the Statue of Liberty and other New York landmarks by the federal government. I chalked it up to bureaucratic stupidity, and that's probably all there is to the story.
Still, it's hard not to wonder. News reports say that the point of the fly-by was to "update" the White House's photo of Air Force One flying past the Statue of Liberty. This seems odd: what is there to "update"? The statue hasn't changed, nor has the airplane, to my knowledge.
It has (also come out) that the FAA was aware of "the possibility of public concern regarding DOD (Department of Defense) aircraft flying at low altitudes" in New York. No surprise there, I guess. Yet they also insisted on secrecy, and even threatened local authorities with "federal sanctions" if the public learned of the impending fly-by. What sense does that make? Could they have been concerned that someone might have tried to shoot down the airplane? Perhaps, but doesn't that demonstrate the stupidity of "updating" the photo?
Further, it's now (been reported) that the flyover cost $329,000.
So, add it all up: the Obama administration spent over $300,000 to "update" a PR photo that could hardly have needed "updating." To do this, they knew they would likely sow panic in New York City, yet they nevertheless threatened city officials to force them to keep the fly-by secret from the public. On its face, this makes no sense. One question that some have asked is who was aboard the aircraft; perhaps this fiasco was staged for, say, a group of left-wing Hollywood contributors. Robert Gibbs said today, however, that only Air Force personnel were aboard. You can take that for what it's worth.
So at this point it us unclear whether there is a story, other than the basic stupidity of the operation, or not. But let's assume there isn't. Assume, as I originally thought, that this fiasco illustrates the kind of arrogant and clueless decision-making that a government bureaucracy inevitably produces (not, of course, all the time). One might wonder, then, whether it is a good idea to turn our energy system, our health care, our children's education, and our banks and auto companies over to institutions--here, the Obama White House--that can't be relied on to make sane decisions.
First things first. If it was a photo op, photos should be forthcoming. If they can’t produce the photos Lord Zero has a much bigger scandal on his hands than he can handle.
“So at this point it us unclear whether there is a story, other than the basic stupidity of the operation, or not. But let’s assume there isn’t. Assume, as I originally thought, that this fiasco illustrates the kind of arrogant and clueless decision-making that a government bureaucracy inevitably produces (not, of course, all the time). One might wonder, then, whether it is a good idea to turn our energy system, our health care, our children’s education, and our banks and auto companies over to institutions—here, the Obama White House—that can’t be relied on to make sane decisions.”
That’s largely how I see it, and I don’t think that’s a partisan viewpoint at all. Stupid is as stupid does. Maybe we got our Forrest Gump move right there, maybe at a level the masses can finally grasp.
I think the purpose was to get pictures for the background for Obama’s 100 speech tonight. Since there has been an outcry, we probably won’t see them, however.
If anyone in the media had a pair, they would ask, if the White House can produce the old pictures of AF-1 flying over the Statue of Liberty, and also the new pictures taken earlier this week. Bet they can’t produce either.
The bottom line is that a political appointee, not a career Military Officer as had been the custom until The One was coronated, is now in charge of the White House Military Office (referred to as “Whammo”).
This whole mess boils down to a political appointee who didn’t know his ass from a hole in the ground about his job, who made a decision on a request that he is completely unqualified to understand, much less address properly.
Dare I say it....???
Great job “Brownie”....!
(I have my gulag survival kit at the ready...)
Good points all!
Another possibility; while we are all looking at the Fly By something else happened that we haven’t really seen yet. The old magicians trick of misdirection. Don’t look at the Atlas Shrugged takeover of GM and Chrysler folks, watch this plane scare the heck out of NYers. At least the MSM has fallen for it. Give them a picture to print and they’re happy.
“Robert Gibbs said today, however, that only Air Force personnel were aboard.”
This White House has no record of credibility, yet a long list of lie after lie.
There is a coverup on this... this was either a hijack or a joyride... I believe joyride.
If there is no current photo, they will just Photo-shop one, which is what they should have done in the first place. I suspect that some of Obama’s cronies were on a joy ride as a reward for their contributions to his election. Better than sleeping in the Lincoln bedroom. The photo update is just the cover story.
Maybe the new photos will show that empty place where the WTC once stood. Now who would be happy to see that update, I wonder .....
Dry run.
re: If anyone in the media had a pair, they would ask, if the White House can produce the old pictures of AF-1 flying over the Statue of Liberty, and also the new pictures taken earlier this week. Bet they can’t produce either.
I'd like a little more proof than that offered by "Glib"...
Oh, c'mon! A new photo op was needed because there's never been a picture of the president and first lady flipping off and mooning the Statue of Liberty while flying past in Air Force One!
USSS had to be involved in this with AF1 leaving Andrews AFB which left only one of these planes on the ground. The President and his VP are not supposed to fly together.
To fly AF1 so low around the buildings is just WRONG and some heads should roll. By all accounts on the pilot boards the new AF pilot is a stand up guy.
Found this little gem — look who they report to — WH Military Office and he said he approved the flight request. It certainly wasn’t DoD that requested it since they don’t work for DoD. This gem comes from http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/air_force_one/: Air Force One is maintained and operated by the Presidential Airlift Group, part of the White House Military Office. The Airlift Group was founded in 1944 as the Presidential Pilot Office at the direction of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. For the next 20 years, various propeller driven aircraft served the President. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy became the first President to fly in his own jet aircraft, a modified Boeing 707. Over the years, several other jet aircraft have been used, with the first of the current aircraft being delivered in 1990 during the administration of President George H. W. Bush.
my thoughts exactly, the only thing that has changed is the disappearance of a couple of towers -
LOL
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