"Government-Sponsored Photo Op"

The first report was that NYC was terrified for a photo op. Over at Hot Air, I read the word was being put out that it was some kind of "readiness" exercise -- which is cute spin, implying that people were at least terrified over something useful.

Nope, it's a frigging photo op:

It wasn't an attack, or even a drill -- it was a government sponsored photo op. The Pentagon did tell local authorities about the startling fly-over that sent a Boeing 747 and a F-16 fighter screaming over New York's scarred skyline, but officials said they couldn't share the information with the public. They couldn't even share the information with the mayor.

Mayor Bloomberg said he was "furious" and criticized both the feds and his own administration for failing to issue a simple warning to the public in a city that is still somewhat traumatized by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

"The good news is it was nothing more than an inconsiderate, badly conceived and insensitive photo op with the taxpayers' money," Bloomberg said.

"It's completely asinine after 9/11 to do that," said Keith Mercantine, who witnessed the chaos in Jersey City. "I saw ambulances out here with pregnant women."

An Air Force One lookalike and F-16 buzzed the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor in the morning, halting work on nearby construction sites, causing resident and office workers to flee their high-rises and giving thousands of people in downtown Manhattan and New Jersey a major fright.

The Statue of Liberty is a nice touch, for extra drama and terror. Know how to make people really scared? Put a 747 on an intercept course with a major element of the New York skyline.

The F-16 chasing it, almost as if it's about to shoot it down and rain steel and jet fuel over the city, demonstrates Obama's attention to detail.

WSJ says it was a photo op, too.

Well. Obama got his photo op, didn't he? The screaming, running, terrified Manhattanites makes for a great picture.

Thanks to AHFF Geoff and Locus.

More: WH Wanted to Update Its File Photo of Air Force One Buzzing the Statue of Liberty: Update it. As in, they already have several. But those were from the nasty Bush Administration (or, more likely, before; I doubt Bush got the chance before 9/11).

So the NOTUS (Narcissist of the United States) decided it was about time he buzzed NYC, so he could have his pretty picture.

posted by Ace at 05:36 PM

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