May 5, 2009 9:58 AM

White House Keeping NYC Flyover Pics Under Wraps

By
Daniel Carty
Topics
White House
(AP Photo/Jason McLane)
If a 747 and supersonic jet fighter buzz the Manhattan skyline as part of an ill-conceived photo-op, but the pictures are never seen, did it really happen?

The White House hopes not.

The photos of Air Force One's low flyover of Manhattan will not be released, CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller confirms.

The operation, carried out by the Defense Department and designed to capture one of the president's planes near national landmarks like the Statue of Liberty, sent panicked New Yorkers rushing from their office buildings April 27, fearful of a terrorist attack reminiscent of 9/11.

But now the photo-op will apparently yield no photos. The New York Post first reported the White House's plans to keep the pictures under wraps, citing an unnamed administration official as saying "we have no plans to release them."

The operation, which included an accompanying Air Force jet fighter, cost $328,000.

Mr. Obama was reportedly furious over the incident and ordered an internal review.

Add a Comment See all 99 Comments
by longtree-2009 May 6, 2009 5:01 AM EDT
shocked that obama has not fired louis caldera, director of WH military office, who wasted taxpayer monies by approving the fly mission and creating panic. louis caldera obviously is not honorable else he would have submitted his resignation. obama has questionable personnel in his administration just as bush did, there is no change. bush lacked stones at times and so does obama. there is no change, unfortunately.
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by MSM_Democrat_Partisans May 6, 2009 4:48 AM EDT
Rules? Laws? Constitution? Transparency? Who needs 'em? The Obama administration makes them up as they go along. They are whatever they say they are.
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by michaelm07 May 6, 2009 4:24 AM EDT
Gee, what a surprise. Hypocrites
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by stn_sage May 6, 2009 2:40 AM EDT
I think this is a great political blunder!

Much of the public has heard about it, the opposition will exaggerate and use it at every opportunity, and not to release the photo(s) is both wasteful and looks like a mini-cover up!

I'd release any photo(s) along with a story that stated I was uninformed about it (if true), I was greatly unhappy about it (if true), those responsible are...how it happened was...any action I'm taking related to this is...and apologize for it. End of story!

In the scheme of things, it's not that 'big of deal', but if you mishandle it, it becomes a big deal!
Reply to this comment
by ReallyMeanIt May 6, 2009 12:48 AM EDT
platteman, there are no journalist s at msnbc and the like. Just a bunch of obamas apologist and terrorist sympethizer.
Good for comic relief......olberman is an excellent clown, matthews make a good lapdog, maddow.......well, you get the picture.
Reply to this comment
by kaylag04 May 5, 2009 11:52 PM EDT
Um, didn't this administration just change the rules under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to make Government more responsive to FOIA requests? It would be interesting to see what exclusion they'd use to refuse a request for information and photographs from the flight. Probably National Security...uh, oh...that sounds strangely familiar. Kinda like the last 8 years.
Meet the New Boss; Same as the Old Boss,
Reply to this comment
by budmag06 May 5, 2009 11:22 PM EDT
It is sad that our great leader treats American people as idiots. The truth needs to come out!
Reply to this comment
by RickCoston May 5, 2009 10:20 PM EDT
Obama's "New age of transparency in Government":

Air Force One Photos
Stimulus rushed through without promised Public viewing
Budget rushed through without promised Public viewing
Behind the scenes strong-arming of Financial Companies in the Chrysler deal, threatening to use Obama's sycophants in the media to smear them.

I guess the transparency thing was only one more in a long series of lies by this Administration. Hopefully the media will soon end its cult-like fascination with Obama and start treating him like they treated Bush for eight years.
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by jonesjep May 5, 2009 10:01 PM EDT
$328,000 of our taxpayer money. I want my 4x5 in the mail!!
Reply to this comment
by platteman May 5, 2009 9:51 PM EDT
The main stream media, MSM are still so in love with him that they won't ask any serious questions in a press conference. The economy is in the tank, yet no one asks a question about it. No one asks a question about the flyover, They are still so in love with him that they refuse to be real journalists. Look at the ratings of all the MSM new networks. They are in the tank like the economy.
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