White House Apologizes For Low NYC Flight

Photo-Op Had Boeing 747 Circling Over 9/11 Scarred Manhattan Without Public Warning

(CBS/AP)  An airliner and supersonic fighter jet zoomed past the lower Manhattan skyline in a flash just as the work day was beginning Monday. Within minutes, startled financial workers streamed out of their offices, fearing a nightmarish replay of Sept. 11.

For a half-hour, the Boeing 747 and F-16 jet circled the Statue of Liberty and the lower Manhattan skyline near the World Trade Center site. Offices evacuated. Dispatchers were inundated with calls. Witnesses thought the planes were flying dangerously low.

But the flyover was nothing but a photo op, apparently one of a series of flights to get pictures of the plane in front of national landmarks.

It was carried out by the Defense Department with little warning, infuriating New York officials and putting the White House on the defense. Even Mayor Michael Bloomberg didn't know about it, and he later called it "insensitive" to fly so near the site of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

The director of the White House military office, Louis Caldera, took the blame a few hours later. One of the planes was a 747 that is called Air Force One when used by the president.

"Last week, I approved a mission over New York. I take responsibility for that decision," Caldera said. "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."

Still, federal officials provided few details and wouldn't say why the public and area building security managers weren't notified. They also wouldn't address why someone thought it was a wise decision to send two jets into New York City, all for a few photos with the Statue of Liberty as a backdrop.

On The Early Show Tuesday, co-anchor Harry Smith remarked, "This is just one of those things that defies explanation, that defies logic, that defies common sense. ... This is nuts. People downtown look up, they say what on earth is going on? And oh, by the way, has anybody told them there's a recession going on? You know what it takes to pull that thing out of the parking lot?"

CBS News affiliate CBS 2 HD's report showed video of the two jets circling over Manhattan.

One construction worker said he was "there on 911 and I don't need this twice in one lifetime. My hands are still shaking."

According to many callers who flooded CBS 2 HD with their concerns, at about 10 a.m. the aircraft were seen flying at low altitudes over the Statue of Liberty and parts of lower Manhattan.

"I saw the jet flying very very low over the Hudson river, it looked like it was going to fly through our office window. Then it banked sharply toward New Jersey. But our building was evacuated because it did this 3 times," one office worker from New Jersey wrote to CBS 2's Web site.

An administration official said the purpose of the photo op was to update file photos of the president's plane near the Lady 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, such as the statute in the New York harbor and the Grand Canyon. The official requested anonymity to give more details than the official White House announcement.

The photo op was combined with a training exercise to save money, according to another administration official who also spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to speak publicly about the behind-the-scenes discussions about the flight.

The FAA notified the New York Police Department of the flyover, telling them photos of the Air Force One jet would be taken about 1,500 feet above the Statue of Liberty around 10 a.m. Monday. It had a classified footnote that said "information in this document shall not be released to the public or the media."

"Why the Defense Department wanted to do a photo op right around the site of the World Trade Center catastrophe defies the imagination," Bloomberg said. "Poor judgment would be a nice ways to phrase it. ... Had I known about it, I would have called them right away and asked them not to."

NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said typically a flight like this would be publicized to avoid causing a panic, but they were under orders not to in this case. They regularly get requests for flyovers, but without secrecy restrictions.

The FAA also alerted an official in the mayor's office, but he didn't tell Bloomberg, who said he first learned about it when his "BlackBerry went off crazy with people complaining about it."

The Bloomberg official who was notified was Marc Marc Mugnos, director of operations for the Office of Citywide Event Coordination and Management. Mugnos didn't immediately respond to questions about why he didn't tell the mayor; Bloomberg's spokesman Stu Loeser issued a statement saying: "He has been reprimanded and a disciplinary letter has placed in his file."

Workers in lower Manhattan were stunned by what they saw.

John Leitner, a floor trader at the New York Mercantile Exchange Building, said about 1,000 people "went into a total panic" and ran out of the building around 10 a.m. after seeing the planes whiz nearby.

"We were informed after we cleared out of there," Leitner said. "I kind of think heads should roll a little bit on that."

Employees of the Wall Street Journal also left their desks to see what was going on.

Kathleen Seagriff, a staff assistant, said workers heard the roar of the engines and then saw the planes from their windows.

"They went down the Hudson, turned around and came back by the building," she said. "It was a scary scene, especially for those of us who were there on 9/11."

Air Force spokesman Vince King said the "photo mission" involved one of two VC-25 aircraft. The aircraft is part of the Presidential Airlift Wing, based at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.

The F-16 jet that flew alongside came from the D.C. National Guard's 113th fighter wing.

"This was a photo shoot. There was no need for surprise," Sen. Charles Schumer said. "There was no need to scare thousands of New Yorkers who still have the vivid memory of 9/11."

[4wreportagent]

thankyou. also can we find the orders of the f16 pilots? now who was in the airfroceone that day? frank247 4wagent.

[galtgulch]

The Campaign For Liberty is a movement of citizens who cherish the Constitution and the individual freedom promised by it and the Declaration of Independence. Our elected officials take an oath to uphold the Constitution buy if you read Article 1 Section 8 you will see how few but explicit powers were enumerated there and granted to the Congress by the Framers.

It is obvious that our government has usurped powers not granted to it and which have led to interventions in the marketplace which created the current economic crisis. Rather than acknowledge their mistaken and unconstitutional policies others are blamed and further interventions are promulgated which will only make things worse.

Obama is not at fault for the fly over photo op but it is a distraction from his unconstitutional extensions of government powers which further erode our freedoms while debasing our currency. Notice how only gold and silver coins are to be legal tender in Article 1 Sections 8 and 10. The purchasing power of the dollar has been reduced ever since the unauthorized creation of the Federal Reserve System in 1913.

HR 1207 is the Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2009 and has a growing number of cosponsors thanks to the efforts of the growing number of Campaign For Liberty members who have called and emailed their Congressmen. Join us www.campaignforliberty.com and help restore our Constitutional Republic as we will challenge office holders at every level in upcoming elections from now on. 149,975 and growing!

[Trust_me_]

New York should install anti aircraft guns and shoot down all the low flyers,
I bet they would speak up then.

You know I never heard Obama say he was sorry for the event!
his lackey did but he said< it was a mistake and it wont happen again>

that sounds dismisive, maybe devisive or arogant!

[Trust_me_]

I can think of a reason.....the public can't be trusted, since we now have terrorists living among us, who could have prepared a possible attack against AF-1, which is probably why they didn't want the public knowing.......
Posted by Joe-NY-4

unless you live in the white house, you dont live with them!

[Trust_me_]

"The photo op was combined with a training exercise to save money, according to another administration official "

nothing like live training over the population huh?

[BethPie]

Proof, again, that this administration is full of a bunch of self-serving noobs.

[Mom1st]

This just goes to show how serious our government has taken the 9-11 attack. Shame on them!

[Newster1]

Witnesses thought the planes were flying dangerously low. "

Nothing like those never licensed amateur armchair 747 and F16 jet pilots to tell us what they "think"!!

"The photo op was combined with a training exercise to save money, according to another administration official "

Cool, so the ones claimign it cost so much can sit down and relax, funny how these same people don't seem to complain about the $10 BILLION a month we are still throwing away in Iraq!
Lets scream about a one time $50,000 instead, yeah that makes more sense!

[Newster1]

At the very least, there was NO reason whatsoever not to tell the public beforehand.
Posted by MorganKnives

I can think of a reason.....the public can't be trusted, since we now have terrorists living among us, who could have prepared a possible attack against AF-1, which is probably why they didn't want the public knowing.......
Posted by Joe-NY-4

Umm, the president wasnt ABOARD the plane, so if it was shot down it would not have done anything to him.
But yeah the veil of secrecy, lets panic a few million people to keep a flight secret, smart idea by the NYPD not to release details on the news, at least 15 minutes before the event, "terrorists" arent going to gear up THAT fast!


" Did you see the comic in the NYT's of the Statue of Liberty hoisting a whip over her head? It was disgusting and blemishing to our Country.
Posted by promaclaura"

So what, the statue has been the subject of tens of thousands of parody and political satire images since it was installed, get over it it's a STATUE.

[denziel56]

as i look over the comments referring to how brave everybody is , it shocks me ! to all the brave ones that feel the need to post on this site , new yorkers reacted correctly in such a show of power you have given the government , ie: BHO voters , this was a test of just how much control government will apply to the common person in the future , i'm glad you are so brave , because there will come a time when you and you family will be shaking in you boots . i hope your bravery will be more than an attack on the ones whom actually survived 9/11. as for the apologies offered by our government , don't you think that our "elected officials" could use photo shop to impress who ? you ! i think they should send you the bill for operational costs for 2 hours of fuel for the 747 and the f-18 .if you have clue over costs to do this i think you just might see my point. we are supposed to stop wasteful government spending , not create mass hysteria amongst the general population . being from Texas our reaction would not have been much different than running into the streets , but only to shoot down the 747. better get ready 'Change is Coming" believe it or not its here now !

[ReallyMeanIt]

What a city of drama queens. Running into the street because a plane fllew to low. I went through the OKC bombing and I don't start hiding under the sheets when I see a ryder rental truck
Posted by mrzerato
------------------------------------------
To the New Yorkers, it looks liked a low flying airliner BEING CHASED BY A FIGHTER PLAN.
Get a clue.

[Newster1]

Did you see the comic in the NYT's of the Statue of Liberty hoisting a whip over her head? It was disgusting and blemishing to our Country.
Posted by promaclaura

And um how was a comic parody "blemishing" anything??

[mrzerato]

The hear the pilot was calling himself "teabagging the Big Apple."
Posted by mcthreeteeth

So that was what he was calling the 2 jets following him!!!!!

[mrzerato]

What a city of drama queens. Running into the street because a plane fllew to low. I went through the OKC bombing and I don't start hiding under the sheets when I see a ryder rental truck

[nikosk11]

I'm glad it happened. I'm sorry about those who were traumitized by the event and I would never down play the horror and devasatation felt by so many on 9/11, but we needed this. We needed to show that we are NOT prepared as a society to react appropriately to another attack.
Posted by iDragon13 at 7:11 AM : Apr 28, 2009

I am glad it happened too. We MUST be on the alert at all times and be prepared for any terrorist attacks. Leaving it up to the government is not enough. WE MUST do our part as well. BE PREPARED!!!

[1notrub11]

Given the current technologies available for "photoshopping" such an event, this is a monumental waste of energy, money, time and emotion on the part of many people. Given how much some of these people are being paid for their work, I question whether they used any intelligence at all making the decision to do this.

[MorganKnives]

What the heck is wrong with them? Did they HONESTLY think no one would be bothered by this? At the very least, there was NO reason whatsoever not to tell the public beforehand. The worst part is, the people involved will probably get scolded a bit until the thing blows over and the public forgets. 9/11 scared the heck out of me and I just live in Philadelphia. I still remember seeing the smoke from there! I can only imagine how the people up there must have felt.

[TheMasses02]

how many times are we going to be embarrassed, because this guy can't give a speech, without Mr. 57 States having a problem with a teleprompter.
Posted by Joe-NY-4
------------------------------
Hey Joe.
I can forgive him for that.
It was wrong to allow the flyover though.

[promaclaura]

Still, federal officials provided few details and wouldn't say why the public and area building security managers weren't notified. They also wouldn't address why someone thought it was a wise decision to send two jets into New York City, all for a few photos with the Statue of Liberty as a backdrop.


This is the transperency of the Obama administration.
Posted by endurorob at 7:10 AM : Apr 28, 2009

Did you see the comic in the NYT's of the Statue of Liberty hoisting a whip over her head? It was disgusting and blemishing to our Country.

[promaclaura]

I'm glad it happened. I'm sorry about those who were traumitized by the event and I would never down play the horror and devasatation felt by so many on 9/11, but we needed this. We needed to show that we are NOT prepared as a society to react appropriately to another attack.
Posted by iDragon13 at 7:11 AM : Apr 28, 2009

I agree with that statement, people are pooh-poohing the reality of terror. They've been taught that Bush is the "boogy-man" instead and "went into denial", a little reminder of who the "real" bad guys are is maybe a wake-up call. Mind you, I think they SHOULD HAVE NEVER DONE THIS, it certainly opened up the wound again, didn't it.