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6 Responses to "Air Force One Photo Op Cost $320k"

1. | Reply Daniel
   Posted 01 May 2009 at 2:59pm #
   

   Who thought it was a good idea from two perspectives?
   1- the sheer cost of it.
   2- terrorizing NYC residents.

   You can bet your last dollar that if GWB had done this, the media and Congressional Democrats would be having a field day with it. But, Obama's White House does it, and we hardly hear a peep.

   Sad, and stupid.

2. | Reply Tim Buchheim
   Posted 01 May 2009 at 3:34pm #
   

   Daniel: Hardly heard a peep? What news sources do you use? This was all over the news for a few days.

   The media quieted down pretty quick though, because Louis Caldera (head of the white house military office) took the blame immediately. He acknowledged how stupid it was, and admitted that he had approved it. (His apology: "Last week, I approved a mission over New York. I take responsibility for that decision. 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.")

   The guy responsible has already admitted his mistake. What's left for the media and congress to go after?

1. Daniel
   Posted 01 May 2009 at 3:37pm #
   

   Tim, he should be removed from office, plain and simple.

   Anyone with half a brain should've known how stupid that was, and anyone who approved it should no longer be in a position to do it again.

   If he "take[s] responsibility" for it, but nothing happens to him, then he didn't really take responsibility for it.

   As for my news sources, those tend to be primarily NBC and Drudge, but there are others too.

2. Jeff Foster
   Posted 02 May 2009 at 1:16pm #
   

   I'm with Tim.

   I think removal from office is a little harsh, in the grand scheme of things. in context, this is miserably embarrassing, but hardly "career ending" material. My opinion at least. Maybe the previous administration just set the bar so low that i'm jaded now 🙁 haha.

3. | Reply Don
   Posted 04 May 2009 at 10:05am #
   

   Ideally, they would have notified more people in advance of the event. My understanding is that some NYC officials knew about it, but not enough. OTOH, times being what they are, you don't want to give too much advance notice regarding the location of a 'high-value target'.

   As for the cost, you have to discount that by the amount they would have spent on a training mission anyway. And you can't say that there isn't some value in giving your fighter planes some experience with chasing a large jet around a big city.

4. | Reply TC
   Posted 06 May 2009 at 8:57am #
   

   Photoshop is cheaper than flying Air Force One over the Statue of Liberty.