Heckuva job, Louie and Barry!
What a way to cap off 100 days in office, huh?
Using military resources for a cheap photo-op. Scaring the pants off the public. Exploiting 9/11 imagery for self-aggrandizement. Keeping secrets and causing mass panic.
Um, can you imagine if a GOP administration did this?
Can you imagine?!
Here is what President Obama said about Louis Caldera, the head of the White House Military Office, who conducted this disastrous “mission” when he appointed him:
President-elect Barack Obama announced today that Louis Caldera will serve as Director of the White House Military Office. Caldera brings a lifetime of military and public service to the Military Office, which coordinates all military support for Presidential operations.
“Louis has served his country with distinction in uniform and in government, and his pedigree is second-to-none. I know he’ll bring to the White House the same dedication and integrity that have earned him the highest praise in every post, from Secretary of the Army to university president,” said President-elect Obama.
Stephen Spruiell points to a fun fact left off Caldera’s official bio.
Allahpundit launches the Obama’s next terror photo op contest!
Tmazgal suggests: “Hey maybe the Prez will want to do a photo op with a rental truck in OKC next?”
***
The NYPost calls it “Plane Dumb:”
Workers scrambled out of their office buildings, thinking the worst. Calls to emergency hotlines flooded in. Even Mayor Bloomberg was caught unawares: “I’m annoyed — furious is a better word — that I wasn’t told,” Hizzoner fumed. Terrific.
An FAA spokesman, Jim Peters, defended the event, calling it “a planned, pre-approved military flight over New York to take photos.” He said it was “pre-coordinated with everyone involved, including the city.”
Except that an FAA memo specifically warned officials that if they released information about the flights to the public or the press, they’d be violating the law.
It even cited a specific statute.
The director of the White House Military Office, Louis Caldera, later apologized: “While federal authorities took the proper steps to notify state and local authorities . . . it’s clear that the mission created confusion and disruption. I apologize and take responsibility for any distress that flight caused.”
But, hey: These folks don’t just hide information so as to needlessly trigger alarm; it also keeps secrets concerning problems the public clearly needs to know about — like the rate of birds striking planes.
After geese brought Flight 1549 down in the Hudson last January, the FAA refused to release relevant data about such incidents.
Later, the agency relented under pressure, and it turned out that bird collisions at JFK were actually on the rise.
Indeed, Kennedy is America’s most at-risk airport when it comes to bird strikes. La Guardia and Newark are tied for 16th-most-dangerous.
The FAA had long preferred to keep passengers ignorant of these dangers. Better to have people panic, it seems, at the sudden sight of low-flying aircraft over Lower Manhattan.
Someone needs to straighten out these folks — quick.
A better description: “Felony stupidity.”
See what others have said
Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.
Trackbacks
- Tel-Chai Nation
- “Air Force Dumb” Closes Obama’s First 100 Days of Stupid Moves « Peace and Freedom Promises
- Bloodthirsty Liberal
- 9/11 Flashback for New Yorkers: White House Apologizes, Bloomberg Enraged « Frugal Café Blog Zone
- Obama's 100-Day Chicken Drop on NYC
- Obama Terrorizing Manhattan « Scott’s Slant on Politics
- White House terrifies New York City « Jim Blazsik
- silent E speaks » Blog Archive » Obumbler’s Scare Force One…
- Air Force One 2009 « Nice Deb
- Jules Crittenden » Pork Flu
- “Scare” Force One - A mistake
- An Obama Administration “Photo Op” scares the sh*t out of New Yorkers, brings back the nightmares of 9/11! | Fire Andrea Mitchell!
- NYC Air Force One Flyover ‘Blame Game’… White House Press Secrectary Robert Gibbs Clueless with Press (Video) « Frugal Café Blog Zone
- Scare Force One « Jane Q. Republican
- Malkin: Heckuva job, Louie and Barry! - osmoothie
- Holy Spendthrift, Batman! NYC Air Force One Flyover Cost Taxpayers $328,835! « Frugal Café Blog Zone
- Obama Gang Freaks Out New York City With 9/11 Plane Stunt « BUUUUURRRRNING HOT
- Pork Flu « Evynn’s Weblog
- 100 DAYS & 100 MONTHS: TORTURED BY LIBERALS (videos) « FactReal
- Superman and Air Farce One « Thegardeningsnail’s Weblog
- Obama Refuses to Release Photos from ‘Secret’ NYC Flyover That Terrified New Yorkers… ‘Era of Transparency’ Gets Murky « Frugal Café Blog Zone
- OBAMA’S NEW TERRORISTS: AMERICANS « FactReal
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Categories: Barack Obama
Legal Insurrection
» Calling For Sparkman Apologies
Power Line
» More From the East Anglia ArchivesRiehl World View
» Update2: No Cancer?? Suicide! Staged As Homicide - Live Stream Of Sparkman News ConferenceAmerican Thinker
» The Wilding of Sarah PalinFounding Bloggers
» Did The New York Times Just Tell Glenn Reynolds To “STFU”?Radio Equalizer
» Media Matters Admits Rush Didn't Make Key Racist RemarksHot Air
» 3rd quarter GDP 2.8%, not 3.5%Mudville Gazette
» Leakiest administration ever?
May we be in fact witnessing the beginning of taking back the GOP from the liberal pod people who stole it? I hope McCain, McConnell, Graham, Hatch, Steele and several more follow his example (if true). Good riddens. Maybe they could find new jobs with the LA Clippers.
Pasadena Phil:
Many people who die with the flu die from a secondary infection, like pnemonia. Muddies the stats, but what the heck. At least everyone fits in a stat somewhere.
It’s official. Spector is now a Democrat.
Errah, I’ve always considered the “(R)” after Sphincter’s name a spelling error. DLTDHYWTGLSY . . . . AMF (Adidos My Friend) How long will it take him to stab Reid and Pelosi in their backs? This may ultimately be a blessing in disguise since he like playing the Trojan Horse and is as old as one.
Don’t look for any of that. The Dimocrats do not allow any deviation from the party line.
This was criminally stupid, just like Obama himself. The man should be removed from office for this alone. I’m sure he’ll claim he didn’t know about it, just like he’s claimed ignorance on these:
Jeremiah Wright
Tony Rezko
William Ayers
Bowing to a Saudi King
The multiple Tax Frauds he hired for his Administration.
I’m sure I forgot a few..
There should be a Congressional Investigation into exactly why this “Fly By” was done, & what it cost us in the midst of an economic & now maybe even a health crisis.
The Obama Admin’s version of the facts should not be accepted as the Gospel.
I’m a
little tired,ALOT Tired of the “Gospel according to Obama.”Teddy: it also assumes he will be re-elected. If the Republican wins, it’s a great thing.
I guess he’s trailing his Republican challenger by 20% and sees switching as his only chance of winning. I’m wondering what his general poll numbers look like.
Are you ignorant?
Do you have ANY IDEA about what people went through in NYC on Sept 11th? To see an even larger plane flying an erratic course at low altitude with an F-16 trailing had to be devastating to a lot of people in lower Manhattan.
So yeah, for a lot of people, it WAS the worst thing ever. Hopefully, you won’t ever have to live through what they already have 8 year ago and then hav to have the S*** scared out of you again because you believe it’s about to happen all over again.
The truly idiotic thing about this “Photo Op” is that, because of the controversy, it will never be used. What a waste of taxpayers money.
Not surprising that NarcissObama achieved his “Mission Accomplished” moment in his first 100 days.
What’s up with NYC residents? Air Force One flies overhead with an F16 and they freak out? What a bunch of wimps. Get a back bone.
Also, why is it acceptable for the Marines to create a commercial, at great expense, but not the White House? Isn’t that hypocritical?
I love the Marines commercial and I’m sure I’ll take pride seeing the results of this fly-by. That plane represents America, not Obama.
God Bless America!
n00bama is gone in 1363 days!
Regards,
Mike
(former republican, now just a plain old fashion conservative)
Like a Photo Op near DC wasn’t good enough?
And I’ll add this this.
THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL OBAMA DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT IT.
Of course he knew about it.
Which is why you cannot be like us and we thank gawd every day HE does not let stoopid people in our club.
Question. Why more pictures of Airforce One? Is it because it is new? Does it look any different than the older ones? Can anybody tell the difference? Aren’t there like 10 million pictures of AF1 already in existence?
Stoopid voters.
“Heat” is simply not enough.
Time to impeach.
Of course, if he’s not legally eligible for the office to begin with, perhaps that would preserve him from impeachment? We’ll never be rid of this parasite!
The NYPost says they were notified, but NY City not so much:
Regarding Arlen Sphincter…Rush Limbaugh just said that the MSM is calling him a “moderate”. Rush said the real reason he is leaving is that he didn’t like the lack of accolades he felt he should have gotten when he voted against the “open ballot” bill for voting in the unions. He wanted to be congratulated for doing the right thing!! Also, since he thinks he probably wouldn’t get the nomination from the Republican Party, he decided to switch. Let us pray that he gets the democrat nomination so we can get our guy Toomey into office and get Sphincter the hell out of dodge. How sweet that would be!!!
maybe some enterprising lawyer can start a class action suit against him for mental anguish and torture??
I saw a clip of Obama this a.m. with the head of the FBI. Obama was praising the FBI all over the place, with slow, painfully slow, deliberate speech and lots of uhs and ums. It was truly hard to listen to. Then, he abruptly put his hand up and said that was all, no questions. But the press got a question in anyway and he couldn’t dodge it. The question of course was about the airplane fiasco. His answer? “That was a mistake. It won’t happen again.” That was it. So, he didn’t acknowledge that he knew about it or anything like that…just that it was a mistake. I think the people of NYC deserve a lot more than that, don’t you???
Absolutely!!! But will there be? Don’t hold your breath. Could a conservative lawyer step in and pull together a class action lawsuit??
Lots of stress-related lawsuits waiting to happen. Class action suit. This HAS to happen! Otherwise, no one will be held accountable.
Sorry…I posted before I read yours. Two great minds!!
Nope. Sorry, Scrappy.
Individual citizens…even groups of them…generally are held to have no standing to sue government.
That is a generalization, but true.
Wish it were otherwise…
The Port Authority Of New York could sue, but…
Um…this is a precise description of exactly what the last GOP administration did for years. That last line (”Um, can you imagine…”) comes off as some sort of ironic punchline. Um, we don’t have to imagine. We just witnessed it.
We CAN’T sue them? Phooey! This just gets worse and worse. Why isn’t there something in the Constitution for this kind of nightmare scenario?? We are in real trouble here folks. Our country is being run by far-left radical liberal wackos, both the presidency and the congress. This has not happened before and we are in a serious crisis of the biggest magnitude.
Are you talking about in practice or statutorily? Because I don’t see anything, nor have I read anything about the Federal Tort Claims Act that limits standing for individuals. I thought that, with some exceptions, the general rule was if it would fly with respect to a private party defendant, it’s ok under FTCA.
Newspaper headlines should have read…
“White House Stunt Creats Panic in NY”
Instead there is hardly any mention of it …
I thought he was lying ’til I read about IndyMac. Caldera is in fact as incompetent as the rest, and does have as lousy a resume as the others…
Let me get this straight…Obama didn’t know about this. Gibbs told the press he didn’t know about it and they should “ask the White House”. No one knew about it. WTF???? These people are complete, incompetent boobs! IMPEACH THEM ALL…NOW!
Chaps;
A Tort Claims statute…state of federal…is an exception to the general rule.
You can read more about it on-line. There are needles that one must thread.
Hell, there are some pretty good, motivated plaintiff’s lawyers in New York…
Happy learning…!
Obama’s Mission Accomplished
Isn’t this what that would be? A tort?Negligent infliction of emotional distress? I can’t really think of any other type of claim that would pass the laugh test.
Please tell me what Bush did that caused people look to suddenly panic and run for their lives.
Yep, no one knew about this, Happyscrap. What are you doing later this week? Let’s go for a spin in AF1. No one will ever know!
Negligent infliction might work in that jurisdiction.
In Texas jurisprudence, it is generally seen as a really weak cause of action that CAN (sometimes) get you into court with really egregious facts.
Rush just had a former Secret Service guy (caveat on caller IDs) who said it was impossible for THE ONE not to know about the use of his toys.
Why do I have the feeling that Little Caesar and his crew of Nitwitians are laughing about the whole thing.
How about a nice MasterCard-type “Priceless” commercial?
Don’t you even dare mention double standards, Malkin! You’re side is abjectly hypocritical in every way. Imagine if the Govs. of Massachusetts or New York or Illinois hinted as secession under Bush, just as Perry has done with Texas? Imagine!?
I’d of held the door, personally…
Most in the GOP aren’t that stupid! And even worse was the lame “We found out about when you did!” WHAT? As a retired secret service guy told Rush today, that is just not possible for this to have happened without BO knowing it!
So exactly who can dispatch Presidential aricraft? Could this Caldera actually send both 747’s out if he felt like it?
There have to be strict rules about this and I’d love to know what they are.
I have been listening to Rush. Yes, The One HAD to have known. And he sat in front of the press and the cameras this a.m. and said “I found out about this when you did”. I know he is a liar. But does he really think he won’t be caught in this one, big time? I don’t think he CARES that we know he is lying. He truly has a messiah complex and thinks he is untouchable. Oh, please God, help us find a way to defeat this evil.
I still wonder about the purpose of this “photo op”. It has to have a sinister reason. Will we ever know?
something stupid to try and get us off-topic. Don’t fall for it.
Omu, this is just too good of teaching moment to pass: For you edification, moron, Texas is the only state that has the legal right to secede! We were a Republic [of Texas] before we were a state, and retained that right when we joined the union. In fact, the Texas flag is flown at the same height as the US flag.
Omu said:
They and CA along with them already did try that after Bush was elected the second time. I believe it was putting all their votes together to circumvent the Electorial College. I hope for the day when the Liberals from the Right Coast migrate to the Left coast and finally leave the rest of the US alone. Let them live in Liberal Paradise.
nyk & familiars: link me again to the video of Bush or his people scaring folks in his arrogance?
And, Dagney, I would have helped New York, Illinois, and Mass. with the paperwork.
Excellent bargain, IMNHO…!!!!
And then dress up with lots of guns and visit Columbine.
I knew there was a reason I have been wanting to move to Texas!! We spent a week in San Antonio last year, drove through a large portion of the state, and fell in love with it!!! Their pride in their state is amazing and you’d better not Mess with Texas!
Rush is spending a LOT of time on this airplane issue today. Another trick of the Obama administration to change the subject. They are all just like the trolls on these threads…trying to get us off track. And they succeeded in doing so with Rush this a.m…for a while anyway.
question to the (POS) president: Sir, why would you authorize the use of your plane in such a manner?
POS: Well, er, uh, er…remember I won, and the main reason is, I can, so how’s that?
And Mr. Bill O’really calls this guy brilliant, huh.
We don’t have to imagine. We were given a Republic to govern and that governing has turned on the Republic. On second though, we have to imagine how it would be to move to a free country like Texas. I would love to have a do-over. Of course idiots like you love being taxed into oblivion. Children? I am guessing not as you would be upset with Obama’s $3.5 TRILLION budget for 2010. All I hear from you idiots is how Bush left Odumbdumb with a trillion dollar deficit and not a word on the deficit Oidiot has built in under 100 days.
God, why didn’t you make stoopid painful?
Scrappy,
Rush is a very keen observer. While this is trivial (unless you are in NY) compared to what else is going on, it is one of those things that will register with people. Remember how Quail was marginalized over a nothing? This makes THE ONE appear feckless…which he is, and it registers in the popular culture.
Great question, and another one I will be asking Him when I get the chance!
Earth to Omu!
Vermont??!? Hello!??!
Back then secession, just like dissent, was patriotic.
I just pray the doofuses out there in la-la land will be paying a little bit of attention to this stuff. You know, when they aren’t busy watching their reality shows and Entertainment Tonight.
The town of Brattleboro has issued warrants for the arrest of Bush adn Cheney!
That’s how stupid Vermont is. I didn’t see anyone in Texas seeking a warrant for Obama’s arrest.
the only thing one can say is D’OHHHHH.
And nobody flies airliners low over downtown Houston or Dallas.
Ground fire can be effective…
He said he was moving to Dallas?
Speaking only for myself…
“I’m abandoning capitalism to save it.”
That was my pucker moment…
It was to run 24/7 on all the networks while the voice of Katy Couric assured you you have nothing to fear, America is in good hands, turn in your weapons at your local Whole Foods in return for a case of arugula…
I saw some people running for their lives…when the A10’s came in to kill their tanks in Iraq!
Yes, that reminds me, when people worry about what to do with “waste” from nuclear reactors, some of it makes fine projectiles…
Teaching moment for you: You are wrong.
Wrong about the Texas flag as well.
Silly argument.
And the Dallas Morning News is hardly an authority.
If Texas moved to secede, it would not hinge on a “right” out of history…in either direction.
It would hinge on what Texans were prepared to do, and what the rest of American public opinion would support.
If the current trajectory of events continues, we may find out…
That is hardly different than a legal right now isn’t it?
The poster’s clear implication, and common misperception was that Texas had somehow retained some special right to leave the Union when it joined. It did not.
I meant either:
That is hardly a legal right; or
That is different than a legal right.
Combined them somehow to say the exact opposite.
Vacant argument, about which you are no more an authority than the other poster.
Some of us recognize rights that current law disparages. A right and a legal right are not necessarily synonyms.
That is sort of where the sheep separate from the goats in the larger questions of ideology.
While Texas may not have a special right, their legal rights might be stronger than you think. These people think so anyway. I thought the comments on whether Texas had actually left the Union and had to be re-admitted were at least interesting. I have no ax to grind, I’ve visited Texas and like it though…
What the hell are you talking about? Are you being purposely stupid about this?
TEXAS HAS NO LEGAL RIGHT TO SECEDE. IT IS A COMMON, YET TOTALLY UNFOUNDED BELIEF.
You can talk about the general “right” for a state to leave the Union, based on some sort of amorphous principle of whatever. But it is absolutely clear that is not what the poster was talking about, since s/he seems to think this is a right unique to Texas. You can choose not to believe what the Dallas Morning News or the hundreds of other sites saying the exact same thing say about it. But you would be stupid to do so.
Don’t be contrary just for the sake of it. I know YOU are smarter than that.
If Texas does not have a right to secede and Texas is a Republic then my question is:
Why during the Civil War, Texas had its own Embassy located right in good ole London, England. To me that means, as a Republic it has that right then as well as now.
Neither the Texas Constitution, nor the Constitution of the united States, explicitly or implicitly disallows the secession of Texas (or any other “free and independent State”) from the United States. Joining the “Union” was ever and always voluntary, rendering voluntary withdrawal an equally lawful and viable option (regardless of what any self-appointed academic, media, or government “experts”—including Abraham Lincoln himself—may have ever said).
I have no issue with this type of statement, though I might disagree with its ultimate merits.
But that is not at all what DagneyT was saying in her post.
You might want to stick that in quotes, since it seems to be verbatim off the site I linked…
Chaps,
You’d be stupid to try to keep beating this empty bag.
Either way, it does not matter.
IF there were a right of secession in Texas, it would be ignored if people supported ignoring it. The Supremes have proven quite capable of ignoring the law.
IF there is no right for any state to secede, but they do, there will be no effective response if it is not supported by public opinion.
Wars are tests of will, as much as anything else.
I can see what Dagney T is saying though. Putting it as a Legal Right, there is nothing illegal with seceding considering Texas voluntarily joined the union so can voluntarily leave.
AlohaGuy:
Woops
But they weren’t in the United States at the time.
And when Texas leaves the Union, I’m moving to Texas. Unless Malthus was right, in which case New England will be habitable again.
If the effete Europhiles in the Right Coast follow the European suicide pact, they will depopulate that area voluntarily.
This is the result of the fear that we are being taught by the country’s leaders. In personal aviation the fear environment is creating headaches that only server to increase the bureaucracy’s power, and therefore the government employees can justify higher salaries.
Right now the oldest airport in the country (College Park, MD) is closed to almost everyone. There are 3 mile radius no fly zones around sporting events to keep terrorists away, however there are no methods in place to protect the crowd from the 2 minutes it would take a plane to get through. It’s simply giving away the public airspace to private companies so aerial advertising can’t take place with the lie of saying it’s for security.
The TSA now wants to have security clearances for anyone who flies out of an airport with any commercial service. Even if it’s a single 19 passenger flight a day. A separate clearance is required at every other airport you fly to. This is only to increase their power, and nothing to do with security.
Even if you don’t personally fly, allow me to paraphrase…First they came for the pilots, but I did not speak out because I was not a pilot…
I don’t believe that the 747 flying over NYC was “Air Force One”. The way I understand it, the designation is only given once the President is aboard. When he isn’t aboard, it has a usual designation. In other words, the President can go to a local airport, board a 2-seater Cessna, and the minute he steps aboard, that plane is designated “Air Force One”, with all the perks that come with the title. The plane over NYC didn’t have the President aboard, hence, it isn’t Air Force One. I know…being picky. Still, the whole stunt was ridiculous and it shows the arrogance of the administration. If I was President, I would certainly, by now, call a meeting of the staff, and let it be known, some heads will roll if this nonsense doesn’t stop. But that’s me and my values and my understanding of responsibility. Knowing Obama, he’ll need a “working” teleprompter to say anything to anyone. I wonder if he uses a teleprompter in his private life? Interesting question.
Whoopsie-doodle !
From Drudge : http://wcbstv.com/topstories/air.force.one.2.996457.html
Federal officials knew that sending two fighter jets and Air Force One to buzz ground zero and Lady Liberty might set off nightmarish fears of a 9/11 replay, but they still ordered the photo-op kept secret from the public.
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.
A-freaking-maaaazing…!!!!!
So “But teacher, he did it first!” is your argument? I see…
Doesn’t anyone in the new administration know how to photoshop?