darwin award of the decade goes too....the government!

[domokun]

so they flew air force one or if you want to get technical ( military 747, since the president wasn't on it ) low in manhattan, circling the statue of liberty for a photo shoot......


this part takes the cake, they only told the military, police, and SOME media groups. they didn't publish this for civilians in the newspaper, news, internet, NOTHING. so people were freaking out and evacuating buildings etc....

I love this government!


http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/ylocalnews;_ylt=Aj6HssfygF54gX9VgJu5Czis0NUE;_ylu= X3oDMTJta3JmOTBxBGFzc2V0A2Nic19sb2NhbC8yMDA5MDQyNy 95bG9jYWxuZXdzd2NiczEyNzA2MwRjcG9zAzgEcG9zAzE3BHNl YwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcnkEc2xrA3ZpZGVv?ch=4226712&cl=13183297&lang=en

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMoy8JprKI0

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=7439287&page=1

[88Nightmare]

I wouldn't call that a Darwin award. Yeah it was stupid, but it didn't necessarily endanger anyones life. I'd call it a stupidity/waste tax payers money aka thanks again obama award

[domokun]

I wouldn't call that a Darwin award. Yeah it was stupid, but it didn't necessarily endanger anyones life. I'd call it a stupidity/waste tax payers money aka thanks again obama award

from what I heard ( uncle lives in manhattan and works in the Goldman Sachs building, and a couple people got stampeded, 3 of which went to the hospital. that is ONE building. how is that NOT endangering peoples lives or well being?

on a less physical note, imagine the things running through peoples heads seeing this, or think of the people that actually lost loved ones during 9/11

think outside of the box. :goof

it was VERY stupid!

[Crawlin]

I BET 100% without a doubt that someone will try and sue for not being told and being "wasted work time" or a "wasted lunch hour"

[Chalky]

Just a guess here but I am willing to bet it would have been cheaper to buy everyone a ticket on a commercial airliner for this purpose.

Obviously common sense is no requirement for government work.

[domokun]

Just a guess here but I am willing to bet it would have been cheaper to buy everyone a ticket on a commercial airliner for this purpose.

Obviously common sense is no requirement for government work.

what do you mean chalky?

they were taking pictures of air force one next to the statue of liberty

not people in air force one taking pictures of manhattan / statue of liberty.


the second passenger / co pilot in the fighter jet was the photographer.

[Chalky]

Oops. I guess I thought the 747 was filled with DOD personnel..:confused

[Goat Roper]

The problem is that all the right people were notified (NYPD, etc)..and then they (the people who need to update everyone else) stopped notifiying leaving the mayor's office out of it. They took the "don't make a big deal about this" just a lil bit too far.


WASHINGTON – An administration official says a presidential Boeing 747 and a fighter jet flew low near ground zero in New York City Monday because the White House Military Office wanted to update its file photo of the president's plane near the Statue of Liberty.

This official said the White House Military Office told the Federal Aviation Administration that it periodically updates file photos of Air Force One near national landmarks, like the statute in New York harbor and the Grand Canyon.



http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/04/president-ob-28.html


A White House official tells ABC News that President Obama was "furious" to hear about the incident this morning when Air Force One and Air Force fighter jets appeared to be flying into the Manhattan skyline, scaring many New Yorkers into thinking they were about to face another terrorist attack.

Many buildings in lower Manhattan evacuated. Angry New York politicians lashed out at whoever was responsible for the incident -- which turned out to have been for a photo op.

An explanation was forthcoming in a mea culpa statement issued from the White House.

“Last week, I approved a mission over New York," Louis Caldera, director of the White House military office, said. "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.”

When President Obama was told about the incident, he was "furious," a White House official says.

Caldera was called into a meeting with White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel and deputy chief of staff Jim Messina.

"It didn't sound like a fun meeting," the White House official says.

[MurphysLaw88GT]

They should have used photoshop

[domokun]

They should have used photoshop

lol, that would make to much sense....along with informing everyone in the area.

[65chevelleSS]

lol, that would make to much sense....along with informing everyone in the area.

I agree. I also heard that they were evacuating buildings. It was a stupid decision to not inform the public.

[Al]

It probably used $10,000 in jet fuel for that stunt, not to mention the cost of personnel.

Watched the YouTube vid. They really flew that plan low over the city. If anyone freaked out, I won't blame them. The AF-1 crew should have said "we might fly a bit close to NYC."