White House aide resigns over NYC flyover
May 8th, 2009 . by TexasFredWhite House aide resigns over NYC flyover
WASHINGTON (AP) - A top White House aide resigned Friday for his role in Air Force One’s $328,835 photo-op flyover above New York City that sparked panic and flashbacks to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Louis Caldera said the controversy had made it impossible for him to effectively lead the White House Military Office.
“Moreover, it has become a distraction in the important work you are doing as president,” Caldera said in his resignation letter to President Barack Obama.
The sight of the huge passenger jet and an F-16 fighter plane flying past the Statue of Liberty and the lower Manhattan financial district sent panicked office workers streaming into the streets on April 27. Obama said it would not happen again.
Caldera’s office approved the photo-op, which cost $35,000 in fuel alone for the plane and two jet fighter escorts. The Air Force estimated the photo shoot cost taxpayers $328,835.
White House officials said the flight was designed to update the official photo of the plane, known as Air Force One when the president is aboard. The White House released a photo of the blue-and-white plane high above the Statue of Liberty, with New Jersey in the background.
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White House aide resigns over NYC flyover
OK, it’s a nice picture. Air Force 1 looks great, the Statue of Liberty is beautiful. In fact, it’s a fantastic picture. It makes me proud to see AF-1 and the Statue of Liberty in this flyover.
I’m pretty sure that it instills a sense of patriotism in many Americans, and well it should. These are highly recognized symbols of our great nation. They represent the office of the president and the freedoms that ALL Americans currently enjoy!
That said, I have to ask this question. In this time of job loss, recession, bailouts, money matters, home foreclosures and all of the other financial maladies the United States of America is currently facing, is this picture worth $328,835 of U.S. taxpayer dollars?
Not in MY opinion. Somehow, I can’t help but believe that this $328,835 could have been better spent on a much more needed service for at least some of the American people!
It appears that this White House aide, Louis Caldera, is going to fall on his sword like a good troop and protect the integrity of the office of president. I have to wonder, given the recent LIES told by the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, regarding her supposed lack of knowledge concerning water boarding and other enhanced interrogation tactics, is Louis Caldera the top of the chain? Or did certain other White House officials, or perhaps a noted resident OF the White House know this was being done?
Do you think we’ll ever get a straight answer on that question?
Integrity? Considering the current administration, I don’t think integrity comes into play. To be honest, I’m real surprised anyone considered it necessary to resign, or get fired.
Call me skeptical, but I’d say this was one more left hand/right hand issue. While folks were focused on the photo today, B. Hussein was telling the media how to report the story on the economy.
Not the integrity of the POTUS, just the integrity that is supposed to come from that office…
Obama would choke if he had to say the word integrity!
And ya know, now I am thinking, integrity and anything to do with the Obama administration are words that just don’t go together…
Integrity?? What the hell was I thinking??
His resignation may satisfy mostly everybody but it takes authorization higher than him to fly that plane. I’m wondering if this didn’t blow up in their faces, what they were going to use those photos for? I think captions would have placed Obama in the aircraft for publicity shots over NY City.
It’s a good photograph and I can’t say I disagree with its being planned. But it’s not a GREAT photograph because the framing leaves a little to be desired. Apparently the photographer hasn’t heard of the Rule of Thirds.
That being said, the handling of the entire affair was a complete abortion on toast. And BobF makes an entirely very important point: you don’t swipe AF1 or, more appropriately (since the President was NOT on board it’s not officially AF1) a Boeing VC-25 without a LARGE contingent of “someones” knowing precisely what is occurring. Including Mr Obama.
Otherwise, what was Caldera going to do — ? Spring it on Mr Obama like a “happy birthday” present?
I think not.
Lies. Just like Speaker Pelosi’s lies.
BZ
Hey Dad, can I borrow the plane?? Me and some buddies want to take a few really cool pictures… Can we Dad?? Huh Dad?? Can we??
When I first heard about this I was appalled and wondered just who in the hell would do something as stupid as this.
Then I remembered who won the election.
Somethings not right. This Usurper is destroying this country and all of a sudden the MSM decides to report on pictures? hmmm, Let’s pull back the curtain and see what’s really going on, any Bills get signed during that time?
How many people have to RESIGN before the Kenyan Usurper has to pack up and leave?
Hell I want my copy of the picture! It seems to me that this guy is just “cannon fodder”. Someone higher than him has to approve this, not just an aide. It’s funny how things just continue to make this administration look bad, yet the media lets them slide. This guy resigning is as funny as Obama saying he is going after the “Tax Cheats”.
I think Biden got drunk and hopped into A-1 and took a little Drunken flight around the block. I can’t blame him, I’d stay drunk too if I had to work with that Big eared Obama.
My suggestion for the picture.
They need to add on a few extra rooms at the White House for all the poor, innocent, Gitmo terrorist. Terrorist, sorry that’s the word for us, umm, how bout little Angels, wrong religion.
Anyway, they can move them into the extra rooms, right next to the Obama’s. Then they can hang one of these huge photo’s in their rooms. So sweet. One big happy family. gag.
INTEGRITY?!!?!?!?
ROTFLMAO!
Good one, Fred.
Maybe obamba denying knowing anything about it(yeah, right)because maybe he’s thinking he’d have to resign too!!. I would say that, that 328,000 would be money well spent.
This moron will still be on the govt. payroll, just so far in the backroom that no one will ever hear of him again. Now he will really get paid for doing nothing.