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Entry tags:	bullshit, ny_flyover, obama_administration

President Playing with His New Toys Again?

 

Today, we witnessed something so positively stupid from President Obama that it defies belief. This was a publicity stunt, referred to as a "photo-op", that involved sending Air Force One and two F-16 fighter jets buzzing lower Manhattan. Seeing an airliner with fighters in pursuit flying barely 300 feet above the tops of skyscrapers scared the living daylights out of a great many New Yorkers, prompting hundreds to flee office buildings, and bringing back some unpleasant reminders of 9-11-2001.



Of course, the White House offered this apology:

"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," said Louis Caldera, director of the White House military office.

"I apologize and take responsibility for any distress that flight caused," he said in a statement, adding that he approved the mission over New York -- described by other officials as a photo opportunity -- last week.

-- White House apologizes for Obama plane's NY flyover

How in the hell could anyone be that stupid? Or where they?

It doesn't look like we're getting anything close to the true story here. What kind of a "photo-op" is this? Take a look at that vid: doesn't look real impressive, does it? If they wanted to show off Air Force One, wouldn't it make more sense to show it on the ground? How about showing us what it looks like on the inside? Wouldn't that make for a better "photo-op"? Why the need for such a "photo-op" anyway? The campaign's over, it's way too early for the 2010 mid-terms. Besides, as a campaign stunt, this one backfired badly. It's also out of character. Obama is a narcissist and an egomaniac. Why would he want a photo-op in which he does not appear?

After criticizing CEOs and their corporate jets, why in the hell would he think it was a good idea to fly an empty 747 up to New York, with fighter escorts? Air Force One costs a helluvalot more to operate that a Lear Jet or a Gulfstream. What about all that talk about carbon footprints and wasting taxpayer money? Doesn't he realize what a hypocrite this makes him to seem? What about all that criticism of his being an out of touch elitist? Why do something so outrageous as to make it look precisely that way?

The FAA notified the New York Police Department of the flyover, telling them photos of the Air Force One jet would be taken about 1,500 feet above the Statue of Liberty around 10 a.m. Monday. It had a classified footnote that said, "Information in this document shall not be released to the public or the media."

--Recriminations after NYC jet flyover photo op

Or is this "photo-op" something else entirely? Why the odd timing: early Monday morning when air traffic into and out of NYC is particularly heavy? Wouldn't doing this yeaterday (Sunday) have made more sense? Could this actually be a training exercise and/or feasibility test? Why else tell the NYPD about the "photo-op", and yet tell the NYPD to keep it a secret? Could gauging the public reaction have been part of the threat assessment? Has intelligence been received that indicated a "repeat performance" of 9-11 might be in the works, and they were testing the possible attack corridor, and the ability of to intercept at low altitudes over NYC?

Nothing about this story adds up.