After Air Force One Flyover, Military Office Director Resigns

[JonLP24]

Source: NY Times



The director of the White House Military Office has resigned, an administration official said Friday, two weeks after he authorized an Air Force One flyover of the Statue of Liberty that terrified thousands of people in New York City.

Louis Caldera, who served as the secretary of the Army in the Clinton administration, had apologized for approving the flyover. But Mr. Caldera submitted his resignation on Friday, after the president ordered up an internal White House review on the matter.

On April 27, a plane that usually serves as Air Force One was flying low over the New York City skyline, trailed closely by two fighter jets. It was a photo opportunity – authorized by several government officials, including Mr. Caldera – that infuriated President Obama.

Last week, Mr. Obama ordered a deputy chief of staff, Jim Messina, to review the incident.

Read more: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/08/after-air-force-one-flyover-military-office-director-resigns/?hp

[bluestateguy]

1. All they had to do was give a heads up to NYC

But this incompetent boob seemed to think that that was not a priority.

[ManiacJoe]

14. Lots of officials knew, just not the public.

[No Elephants]

23. Public didn't know because the officials were told not to say anything.

[Ian David]

2. Louis Caldera has resigned to spend more time scaring the shit out of his family. n/t

[florida08]

3. LOL!

[Jack from Charlotte]

7. That's funny. Funny, funny stuff. (nfm)

*

[panzerfaust]

4. Good. It is nice seeing an administation offical taking responsibilty

... after the last 8 years.

How many Bushers resigned over 9/11 itself?

Nice pix though.

[kimmylavin]

5. THAT'S the picture?

It looks like bad Photoshopping.
They couldn't have accomplished this with $5000 worth of software and personnel?

[hedgehog]

8. You know, if it had been photoshopped, wouldn't the distracting little boat down

next to the island have been removed for a better composition?

[kimmylavin]

9. Indeed.

And they could make the water a little bluer. :)

[ManiacJoe]

15. And the glare from the canopy in the upper right corner.

[shadowknows69]

6. But we can't jail one fucking person that approved torture.

Just seems out of balance somehow.

[DissedByBush]

10. This is still bad for the administration

That Obama's top people didn't know about this shows horrible communication within the White House. It is not just Caldera's fault. I blame it on the chief of staff for not having staff communications straight, and then the President for choosing that chief of staff.

The first rule of leadership: It's always your fault.

But I give some leeway since this is a new administration. Don't let it happen again, or the miscommunications could have disastrous consequences if a real crisis hits.

[humbled_opinion]

11. Oh Please...

Sure lets have Obama take the blame for everything that the Repukes want to take issue with.

Look the NYC Police were notified, it was an official function, people that want to make this purely political and accuse the administration of incompetence are hate filled and spiteful.

Enough of the distractions this Administration is fixing Years of bad policy the country is finally on the right track.

Obama has held his house accountable, that alone shows real change so that is the end but it won't be the vindictive political class will try everything to bring Obama down... but I digress, we all should do everything it takes to maintain support for OUR President.

[DissedByBush]

13. The President always takes the blame

We rightfully blamed Shrub for everything that happened under his administration. It is only fair that we hold President Obama accountable too.

Watch out about claiming distractions. If you have a narrow "I love Obama" view you'll start claiming everything is a distraction including anything that is quite bad.

[Ian David]

17. If Obama had just used Twitter, none of this would have happend

RT @Obama OMG! We're totally gonna take photos of Air Force One over New York tomorrow!

[DissedByBush]

18. That's not a bad idea

The CDC was using Twitter during the swine flu. It would probably be good for the administration to leverage this popular communications medium.

[peace13]

12. I'm glad that he resigned.

It needed to happen.

[Ian David]

16. Before he leaves...

... he's gonna drive his car really fast through the parking lot and barely miss a bunch of people before swerving to avoid them.

[autorank]

19. Great stuff. Finally an administration where screw ups get fired. k*r

Good for Obama. This was just outrageous. It was sick, as a matter of fact.

Those who authorized it above Caldera should go, if there are any (and I don't
believe Obama did anything other than sign something that was in the innocuous pile).

Those who did it really need to examine why the heck they didn't object. It's
so obviously wrong.

But excellent work. I wondered what would happen to this guy.

"Caldera distinguished career includes serving on the board of directors for IndyMac Bank from 2002 until its failure and subsequent seizure by the government in July 2008. In other words, he was there for the entire housing bubble while the bank destroyed itself." Apr 27, 2009
http://www.businessinsider.com/fire-louis-caldera-white-house-terror-plane-plotter-2009-4

[Triana]

20. Thanks. I posted about this a while ago and could find nary another thread on it..

..I guess this is one of them - or THE one. All I got was a snarky reply "yea we heard..." (put the idiot on ignore after that - my asshole limit has been reached for today) - so I figured it'd been posted 5,000 times already - and I DID search before posting myself. Also looked on Greatest/Latest front pages - nada.

Went searching for the subject AGAIN after pissy, snarky reply - never found it. DU's search function ain't so hot sometimes.

So - thanks. I FINALLY see it's already been posted. I appreciate seeing it.

[Kablooie]

21. and that looks SO photoshopped. A photoshopper could even do a better job.

[DCKit]

22. Sure they scared the pants off a lot of people....

but do y'all know how much it costs just to fly that monstrosity? Every time I see that thing in the air it's like a bad flash-back.

I worked with someone who used to crew AF-1. Fifteen years ago, he told me it cost about $650K every damn time that plane took off. Fifteen years ago. And remember, every time the President flies, there is also a decoy for AF-1 as well as a fleet of support planes carrying the limo, the black SUVs, staff, press and equipment.

There is a serious mental disconnect between the WH and the daily struggles of "Teh Peoples".

[No Elephants]

24. I can see why they wanted a new photo for the white house website

In the one that's there now, AF One looks as though it's flying over a giant dried turd.


http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/air_force_one/


I think this guy was scapegoated.