Was this a filming sequence for Obama campaign donor George Lucas due to the unusual presence of a National Guard Tuskegee Airman "Red Tail" F-16 escorting Air Force One over New York City?
Posted on 05/09/2009 4:30:54 AM PDT by Beckwith
A White House military aide who authorized an Air Force flyover of New York that caused panic among some people in the city resigned on Friday.
Louis Caldera said in a resignation letter to Obama that the controversy over the mission -- a photo shoot of a jumbo jet used as Air Force One with the Statue of Liberty in the background -- made it impossible for him to lead the White House Military Office (WHMO).
White House officials said the flight was designed to update the official photo of the plane, known as Air Force One when the president is aboard.
The flight over lower Manhattan for a photo shoot scared some New Yorkers who remembered the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001 involving hijacked airliners that destroyed the World Trade Center. Many people panicked and evacuated office buildings when the planes flew over -- as low as 150 feet.
Caldera had approved the mission. His resignation came on the same day Defense Secretary Robert Gates said in a letter to Senator John McCain that the photo shoot cost U.S. taxpayers as much as $357,000.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs (Gibbels) said Obama had accepted the resignation. Obama had been described as furious when the incident occurred on April 27 and demanded a review.
Isn't that tidy -- Louis Caldera is responsible -- but responsible for what?
Louis Caldera is responsible for "approving" the flight. No need to look any further. Caldera is responsible -- off with his head -- move on!
However, none of this answers the key question -- WHO REQUESTED THE FLIGHT?
Start with Caldera's boss. Who does Caldera work for -- and who does that guy work for -- and who does that guy work for. Somewhere up that food chain is the genius whose brainstorm is responsible for this clusterflop -- that person is the "Requestor" or "Initiator" -- that's the guy that is really responsible.
When the flight was a "Go," the WHMO Deputy Director sent an email to the Director, saying the flight would receive some "local press," but the White House shouldn't catch any questions about it. The email also suggested notifying Jim Messina and Robert Gibbels.
The flight then flew into history.
The White House (read Rhambo) investigated the flight and The White House Counsel's Office (Gregory Craig) produced a report, "Internal Review Concerning April 27, 2009 Air Force One Flight." (It's interesting this report uses the "Air Force One" designation, as the aircraft is only referred to in this way when POTUS is on board. Is Craig suggesting that Obama was on the flight?)
The report (I could access only the first 3 pages of the .pdf file for some reason) says that the Deputy Director of the WHMO "suggested that when the plan was finalized, the Director MAY want to inform White House Deputy Chief of Staff, Jim Messina (not the singer). The Deputy Director believed that Mr. Messina would want notice because the plan involved the use of the Presidential aircraft and because it was unusual."
Note, the focus of this report is on the WHMO, the initial flight planning and the subsequent processes and reviews that resulted in the flight. Nowhere in the "official" report is there any mention of the person or persons who initiated the request for the flight mission that was ultimately "approved" by Caldera.
And, it doesn't answer the secondary question -- WHO WAS ON BOARD? Any honest investigation would provide the flight and passenger manifests. Neither of these are addressed in the report (whitewash).
A Reuters news article said the report of the review, mentioned above, said ultimately Caldera did not notify relevant White House officials about the flyover in advance.
"When asked why he failed to do so, he did not offer a coherent explanation. He stated that it was not a conscious decision -- he did not intend not to notify them," it said. "Instead, he suggested that it may have been an oversight."
An oversight? I just find that statement to be unbelievable.
Caldera had previously apologized for the April 27 incident, saying, "Last week, I approved a mission over New York. I take responsibility for that decision (approving the flight). 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."
And like a good little Obot, Caldera fell on his sword.
The White House Military Office (2,300 managers and staff) knew about the flight, and so did the Department of Defense, and Andrews Air Force Base, and the Air Mobility Command, and the Presidential Airlift Group, and the 89th Airlift Wing, and the Federal Aviation Administration and air traffic control representatives in the New York are, and "federal, state and local authorities."
It seems everyone in the government knew about the "secret flight" except Obama and his senior White House advisers. Sgt. Schultz ("I know nothing") would be proud.
Of course Obama was furious when the incident occurred. It hit the fan the day before his 100th day's celebration and victory speech, dramatically affecting the news.
But he knew nothing about it -- nor did any other "responsible" person in and around the White House -- just Caldera, even though the report contains several mentions of Jim Messina, whose boss is Rhambo -- and Rhambo's boss is Obama -- that's two degrees of separation.
This whole thing is seeming more like Obama’s “posse” were smoking some “blunts” and decided to buzz New York...
If any member of the First Family was aboard ( excluding Obama ), the callsign would be Executive 1 Foxtrot. If it was anybody else it would be SAM 2800 or SAM 2900 depending on the plane. Venus 1 sounds like it may have been a callsign of one of the fighters.
I noticed the Druge photo looked as if the plane was way up high.
But this says at one time the plane was 150 feet off the ground,,that is incredibly low.
I do wonder about the grandmother and the daughters,,was this a thrill for them?
The manifest should be public,,someone will leak it.
150 feet off the ground in NYC is just about impossible.
INTERESTING! Nice catch.
I would not want zer0 to have my back. But with that said, We will no more have a look at the manifest that we will have a look at zer0s real birth certificate. The press also has no interrest.
That was said in the article. Do you think it was wrong? It seemed awfully low. I wondered if they meant 150 yards.
Then they better get out the manifest list NOW....ASAP!!!!
I don’t know about this. Is the lincoln bedroom really unavailable or are you joking?
It seems everyone in the government knew about the “secret flight” except Obama and his senior White House advisers.
So in essence, the term, “PLAUSIBLE DENIABILITY” comes into play? Oh how sweet, Barack can gently give a nod turn away and sail along with his trusty teleprompter.
I saw a documentary on AF1, the ground crew, the flight crew, etc... It was facinating.
I feel bad that all those good people had the reputation of their prestigious assignments damaged so profoundly.
AF1 was an untouchable symbol of America, now it has a tarnished reputation.
It been reported that someone moved the famous “The Buck Stops Here” paper weight, placed on the desk on the Oval Office by President Harry Truman , to the writing desk in the White House’s Lincoln bedroom
http://www.theusmat.com/
I've said that VERY THING about a lot of other simple, fundamental questions about other issues. Basic information, things that any REAL reporter would have some curiosity about, would already be in the public domain. But we live in a society with a media that voluntarily muzzles itself to advance the cause of socialism.
I wonder what obama promises his minions when the DO fall on their swords for him.
It been reported that someone moved the famous “The Buck Stops Here” paper weight, placed on the desk in the Oval Office by President Harry Truman , to the writing desk in the White House’s Lincoln bedroom
http://www.theusmat.com/
If it is one of the Obama faithful then he just performed a Lewinsky to get a job
.
P.S. Caldera will be amply repaid with some sinecure somewhere.
![](http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv39/fullersstuff/tst235457438007627640.jpg?t=1241367735";;)
Ping to 36. Curiouser and curiouser!
Was Air Force One lent out as a movie prop????????????????
Thanks for that information! As I said, that tidbit was part of a long and very meandering thread, so possibly I got it wrong or the poster was referring to something else.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.