Federal officials knew that sending two fighter jets and a 747 from the presidential fleet 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.
~CBS News Interactive, April 29, 2009
I normally don’t pay a good White House gaff too much attention, but when Air Force One did a ground-zero fly-by with an F-16 escort last week, the hair on the back of my neck stood up.
The effect?
In a best case scenario this was a epic screw-up. If as the White House has said this was a photo shoot, I want to see every photo and have access to every publication in which these photos will appear.
Who’s to blame? The Administration appears to be holding a sword under a cabinet member while Senator Charles Schumer of New York is intent on throwing a Bush-appointed FAA official under the bus. When the blame game becomes a maelstrom, I find it’s usually a diversion.
Who in their right mind would send an airliner into Manhattan airspace at a mere 1000 feet above the street, with an F-16 escort? I don’t work in downtown Manhattan, but I have friends who do. I wasn’t in the World Trade Center on 9/11, but I have friends who were. I remember being physically upset riding the subway through what was once Cortlandt Street Station last summer…
Could this have been an object lesson—I mean, after all, Air Force One came perilously close to Goldman Sachs Tower. The Administration has announced, after all, its desire to curb Wall Street’s influence on the economy?
It’s true that when nothing’s at arm’s length, anything is possible, but if this was merely a photo shoot, I’ll eat my hat.
I don’t think there was any ulterior motive, just a plain old moment of shocking stupidty
Mitch, I wouldn’t have taken you for a conspiracy theorist. Not in a million years. There’ve been a lot of shenanigans over the last few years, and you’ve dismissed them all. Now we have a Democratic administration and you suddenly suspect sinister motives? Well at least we know you’re not a party loyalist.
I think the jet incident was nothing more than arrogance. It couldn’t be stupidity, because they were made aware of the possible consequences during the decision making process. They just ignored the warning in favor of getting their cool souvenir postcards for friends and family. No conspiracy, no lack of judgement, just pure assholeness.
the photos have now been classified and will never be seen by the public.