« Update: McCain and Senate Select Committee on POW and MIA | Main | The World Laughs at Obama's 100 Days of Failure »
April 29, 2009
UPDATE Below: White House Apologizes for Air Force Flyover That Terrified New Yorkers
UPDATE: Please scroll down thank you.
Jim Brown, took this photograph from 10 Exchange Place in Jersey City, looking toward 77 Hudson Street and the Statue of Liberty.
An Air Force One lookalike, the backup plane for the one regularly used by the president, flew low over parts of New York and New Jersey on Monday morning, accompanied by two F-16 fighters, so Air Force photographers could take pictures high above the New York harbor.
But the exercise — conducted without any notification to the public — caused momentary panic in some quarters and led to the evacuation of several buildings in Lower Manhattan and Jersey City.
By the afternoon, the situation had turned into a political fuse box, with Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg saying that he was “furious” that he had not been told in advance about the flyover.
Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, said Monday afternoon that he was unaware of the flyover. At his daily press briefing, Mr. Gibbs initially referred questions to the F.A.A. and the Air Force. When told that those government offices were referring questions to the White House, Mr. Gibbs said: “I have no information on this other than what I saw.”
Mr. Gibbs, pressed by reporters, said he had seen news reports of the flyover, but declared: “I was working on other things. You might be surprised to know that I don’t know every movement of Air Force One.” Later, he added that he would look into the matter.
Unaware of the planned exercise, scores of office workers flooded out of buildings, worried about the prospect of terrorism.
“People came pouring out of the buildings, the American Express Building, all the buildings in the financial district by the water,” said Edward Acker, a photographer who was at the building, 3 World Financial Center. “And even the construction guys over by 100 North End Avenue area, they all got out of their buildings. Nobody knew about it. Finally some guy showed up with a little megaphone to tell everyone it was a test, but the people were not happy. The people who were here 9/11 were not happy.”
Wild Thing's comment............
How many people are going to have to fall on their swords for obama? It is disgraceful that he would use the military in this way.
Obama and his people are such idiots. They have not only forgotten about 9-11, they don't even care that it happened. For it to not even enter their minds when they planned this stupid thing tells the world how stupid they are.
We can easily imagine the dialog in the White House, prior to this incident, probably went thus:
Rahm: "Mr. President, we're making a promotional video for your 100-day celebration. We're going to create a shot of you flying Air Force One over Manhattan, looking down at Ground Zero."
Obama: "Sounds good. Go ahead and set up the shot."
Military Aide: "We'll need to have an escort following the plane, Mr. President - protocol"
Obama: "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Are we done? I'm late for my golf game."
Mayor Bloomberg furious about Air Force one buzzing New York for photo op
UPDATE:
Obama Orders Review of New York Flight as Cost Put at $328,835
FAA Memo: Feds Knew NYC Flyover Would Cause Panic
Threatened Federal Sanctions Against NYPD, Secret Service, FBI & Mayor's Office If Secret Ever Got Out
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said yesterday’s flyover was “two training missions that became in the end a picture mission” and only Air Force personnel were aboard.
Obama has directed Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina to review “how the decision was made to conduct the flight,” Gibbs said at the daily White House briefing.
In a memo obtained by CBS 2 HD the Federal Aviation Administration's James Johnston said the agency was aware of "the possibility of public concern regarding DOD (Department of Defense) aircraft flying at low altitudes" in an around New York City. But they demanded total secrecy from the NYPD, the Secret Service, the FBI and even the mayor's office and threatened federal sanctions if the secret got out.
What are your feelings on federal officials demanding the NYC flyover be kept secret by the NYPD and the mayor's office?
"To say that it should not be made public knowing that it might scare people it's just confounding," Sen. Charles Schumer said. "It's what gives Washington and government a bad name. It's sheer stupidity."
The flyover -- apparently ordered by the White House Office of Military Affairs so it would have souvenir photos of Air Force One with the Statue of Liberty in the background -- had President Obama seeing red.
He ordered a probe and apologized.
"It was a mistake. It will never happen again," President Obama said.
The NYPD was so upset about the demand for secrecy that Police Commissioner Ray Kelly vowed never to follow such a directive again and he accused the feds of inciting fears of a 9/11 replay.
Posted by Wild Thing at April 29, 2009 05:40 AM
Comments
If there hadn't been a uproar about this, we would be watching it when Obama makes his 100 day speech. That aircraft (747) didn't fly without White House approval. That's the backup to Air Force One and must always be ready at a moments notice in case the president must travel. Clearance to do that had to come from the White House at its top levels from someone who knew the presidents schedule.
Posted by: BobF at April 28, 2009 09:23 AM
What a stupid ploy. Well, New York City voted for Obama. Let them enjoy the panic while he uses his toys for a self promoting photo-op.
Posted by: TomR at April 28, 2009 11:59 AM
This seems to be a minor screw up what's going to happen in a real crisis. These people can't even get out of one anothers way.
This should be tagged 'the Keystone Cops at the White House'.
Posted by: Mark at April 28, 2009 12:26 PM
The Keystone cops had too much self-respect to work for this Whitehouse.
Hillary is probably regretting making that 3 am call commercial now that she may go down with Berry as he sinks.
Posted by: Avitar at April 28, 2009 02:26 PM
I live in NYC and was frightened that it was happening again. My husband just had open heart surgery a few weeks ago and he was running out of his building at work yesterday. If anything had happened to him, I'd have made ISLAMObama sorry he ever was born.
Maybe it was a dry run for when he lends Air Force One to one of his Muslim brothers. Now that people won't be shocked to see it flying over NYC again for another "photo op" the Muzscum pigs can finish the job they started on 9/11.
Now he's trying to get Congress to change US law so he can give that $900 billion to his buddies in Hamas. Take a look:
http://barenakedislam.wordpress.com/2009/04/27/islamobama-admits-to-wanting-to-use-our-money-to-fund-hamas-terrorists/
Posted by: Bonni from BareNakedIslam at April 28, 2009 10:31 PM
BobF., thank you for the information.
Obama keeps saying he is upset about this,
what a jerk, he is such a liar. Like you
said, he knew about it and now he is trying
to act as those he is innocent which he is
not.
Posted by: Wild Thing at April 28, 2009 11:34 PM
Tom, the people that did vote for Obama
should use this to wake up now and see
what they voted for. If this horrible
thing that happened doesn't make them
see what he is like first hand, I have
no idea what will.
Posted by: Wild Thing at April 28, 2009 11:38 PM
Mark, your right, that is exactly what is
in the White House.
Posted by: Wild Thing at April 28, 2009 11:40 PM
Avitar, yes I bet Hillary is thinking about
that. I would want to distance myself from
Obama very fast and be busy out of the
country of something if I was Hillary.
Posted by: Wild Thing at April 28, 2009 11:44 PM
Bonni, it is so great to see you.
I am so glad your husband is OK.
I agree 1000% what you said about if
something had happened to your husband.
That kind of thing happening could easily
have had people having another heart
atttack or worse.
Bonni, what you said is exactly what
my husband said. He said simple,he just
hires a Muslim pilot for Air Force one
to be a friend to his Muslim brothers,
then the rest like you said.
Thank you for the link too.
Posted by: Wild Thing at April 28, 2009 11:51 PM
Thanks, WT, he is a very dangerous person and we haven't seen anything yet. 100 days and look all he's done to compromise this country. I was sure we'd be attacked again soon but now I'm not so sure. The way he is socializing this country and kowtowing to the IslamoFascists, I think they can achieve their goal of submitting this country to Islam without any more terrorism, now that we have a Muslim-in-Chief instead of a Commander-in-Chief. I feel terrible about how he is planning to defund and weaken our wonderful military. It gets worse every day.
Posted by: barenakedislam at April 29, 2009 12:02 AM
I GRIND MY TEETH and get a crazy chill EVERY SINGLE TIME I see clips of the Twin Towers getting hit. Waterboard? vs HUNDREDS of people JUMPING out the windows to their death? That said, the 'Panic' was created by a bunch of cell phone drama whores who a re CLUELESS to the fact that IF that plane WAS going to crash into something, IT WOULD HAVE ALREADY DONE IT by the time they dialed 9 of 911 ... and what the fuck would an AIR FORCE Jet be doing ESCORTING it? It would have BLOWN THE SHIT OUT OF IT ALREADY (I would HOPE, but then again, OBAMA and the NONSENSE would probably want to 'talk it out' and 'negotiate' it first... LMFAO at that prospect, then again... NOT.....) == You can tell how much 9/11 affected New Yorkers , because of all the protests and uproar over the MASSIVE PANDERING , POLITICISING, and FOOT DRAGGING that has gone on at the site of the "Freedom Towers" and the ABJECT FAILURE to rebuild the Twin Towers IMMEDIATELY is why I DON'T PHAUCKING CARE WHAT the spazzoids that freaked out have to say, nor the BULLSHIT 'Media' and their complicity in all these matters (note to the media: SPEADING PANIC is NOT your job one, you VERMIN)=== They would have blown that plane out of the sky over the harbor. ONCE there was a CONFIRM of a terrorist situation./ or the plane REFUSED to turn AWAY from Manhattan. I will BET MY BALLS that the pilots WOULD have taken the shot rather than see ANY CHANCE of another 9/11- ONCE the plane crossed the 'point of no return line' and they'd flown EYE TO EYE with the 'pilot' or whoever the phauck was flying the Jumbo Jet, in case ALL the radios were out(unlikely) and for visual confirmation. Likely scenario: After hemming and hawing, assorted thumb twiddling and such , Fauxbama finally relents, taking the advice of GENERALS THAT HAVE A FUCKING CLUE, and gives the order to shoot it down..... only it's been buried into Manhattan's Union Station for 5 minutes ALREADY...... ====== The "Administration's" 'shock' and 'obliviousness' is LAUGHABLE and I'M NOT BUYING IT FOR ONE SECOND.
Posted by: pontiff alex at April 29, 2009 12:17 PM
Likewise Pontiff Alex. There doesn't seem to be any compassion or outrage about Americans and others forced to jump from a burning highrise in their choice of death between falling or burning yet these fuckwits have their panties in a wad over the way we question their muzzie butchers. I view this escapade as an insulting slap in the face by that piece of shit occupying the oval office. As for most New Yorker's, you got the asshole muzzy Marxist you voted for, just like that RINO Dork Bloomberg who is pontificating his pitiful 'protestations'.
You don't want me in charge of guarding muszzies!!!
Posted by: Jack at April 29, 2009 02:33 PM
But Alex, you forget that the military now takes orders from a Muslim C-i-C. Look how long it took him to let the Seals blow the Muslim pirates away. You can bet he wouldn't be letting the fighters take down a 747 so fast, especially if some of his terrorist friends were flying it.
Posted by: barenakedislam at April 29, 2009 05:20 PM
Hey Bonni,
You have it right. Will be in touch.
Bob A.
Posted by: Bob A at April 29, 2009 07:19 PM
