foxnews.com/story/0,2933,518112,00.html
Photoshop: a few hundred bucks
Flying VC-25 up to NYC to get a shot in front of the Statue of Liberty, putting a scare in tens of thousands of people: a few hundred thousand dollars
With such a robust economy, isn’t it good that the US Government is being such good stewards.
*"…Obama was not on board, …
One businesswoman, told FOX News that it looked like a plane was going to hit their building, and everyone in her office ran down the stairs because they were “frightened.” "*
Hahahahah…I love the writing on FoxNews…they’re just plain funny…TC
Federal officials knew that sending two fighter jets and Air Force One to buzz ground zero and Lady Liberty might set off nightmarish fears of a 9/11 replay, but they still ordered the photo-op kept secret from the public.
http://wcbstv.com/topstories/air.force.one.2.996457.html
Also, DrudgeReport says the white house press corp has asked for a list of passengers.
Ditto that, turned out to be $328K plus some odd change. Like you said, how about photoshop. Probably would look better anyway. Waste, waste, waste. 
FAA Memo: Feds Knew NYC Flyover Would Cause Panic
CBS 2 HD has discovered the feds will have plenty to question.
Federal officials knew that sending two fighter jets and a 747 from the presidential fleet to buzz ground zero and Lady Liberty might set off nightmarish fears of a 9/11 replay, but they still ordered the photo-op kept secret from the public.
In a memo obtained by CBS 2 HD, the Federal Aviation Administration’s James Johnston said the agency was aware of “the possibility of public concern regarding DOD (Department of Defense) aircraft flying at low altitudes” in an around New York City. But they demanded total secrecy from the NYPD, the Secret Service, the FBI and even the mayor’s office and threatened federal sanctions if the secret got out.
“To say that it should not be made public knowing that it might scare people it’s just confounding,” Sen. Charles Schumer said. “It’s what gives Washington and government a bad name. It’s sheer stupidity.”
The flyover – apparently ordered by the White House Office of Military Affairs so it would have souvenir photos of Air Force One with the Statue of Liberty in the background – had President Obama seeing red. He ordered a probe and apologized.
“It was a mistake. It will never happen again,” President Obama said.
The cost of the frivolous flight was about $60,000 an hour and that was just for the presidential aircraft. That doesn’t include the cost of the two F-16s that came along.
The flight by the VC-25, a modified Boeing Co. 747, and two F-16 fighter jets cost $328,835, Air Force spokeswoman Vicki Stein said.
That includes $300,658 for the larger plane, which flew a three-hour mission, and about $28,178 for the F-16 jets, which flew 1.8 hours each, Stein said in an e-mailed statement.
The NYPD was so upset about the demand for secrecy that Police Commissioner Ray Kelly vowed never to follow such a directive again and he accused the feds of inciting fears of a 9/11 replay.
“Did it show an insensitivity to the psychic wounds New York City has after 9/11? Absolutely. No questions about it. It was quite insensitive,” Kelly said.
The mayoral aide who neglected to tell Mayor Michael Bloomberg about it was reprimanded.
I also read that the F-16s were from the 187th Fighter Wing of the Alabama Air National Guard (the Tuskegee Airmen). Considering that Obama is in charge and that his aircraft do not move without his permission, I think it’s pure BS when Obama says he didn’t know anything about this ill-conceived flyover.
All that money and all this hub-bub just to get a shot of AF1 with the Statue of Liberty… and HERE’S the pic!
Yeah, PhotoShop would probably have been a better choice!
WOW! 
It’s not like he has the keys in his back pocket.
(We get it Juan, you hate the guy and all he stands for.)
You were in the military so you should know that the commander (in this case, the highest commander) is responsible for whatever goes on in his command, period. Same thing here. As commander-in-chief, rather than just saying he was furious (which I honestly doubt), he should have accepted responsibility and said steps were being taken to prevent it from happening again.
He did…
Seventh paragraph in… msnbc.msn.com/id/30435336/
Besides calling it a mistake, Obama said Tuesday, “It was something we found out about along with all of you.** And it will not happen again**.”
I didn’t like Obama’s smirk when he addressed the matter. I recall the Clinton staffers using the Marine One helicopters to go golfing. I know it’s not called MO when he’s not on it.
That is not the same thing as Obama **accepting **responsibility for it. In other words, he should have said something like “As President, I accept full responsibility for this mistake and I will make sure it will not happen again.”
Less you think I’m picking on Obama, I would have said the same exact thing if it had occured during Bush’s administration or if McCain had won the presidency and the same thing happened. In other words, as Harry S Truman said, “the buck stops here.”
You’re right. It’s Obama’s responsibility. He should have established a signature chain that ensures somebody else with some perspective and common sense will see it and put on the brakes. If this had happened more than 6 months in, I’d be a lot less forgiving. As it is, he got bad PR, and folks are stinkin mad, but nobody died. I think this was an education on what processes and structure he needs. Rahm’s gonna be busy.
The thing I can’t figure out is why the police et. al. were warned – threatened – to keep it secret. Was it because it was classified, and if so, why? Now that it’s been all over the news, and Caldera’s hung out to dry, was it still worth it? Was the secret kept (long enough) anyway?
Why? Somebody already ponied up to the mistake. From the very same web page
“Last week, I approved a mission over New York.** I take responsibility for that decision,” Caldera said in a statement.** “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.” **
The buck stopped with Caldera and he owned up to his error of his ways.
Obama promises that it won’t happen again.
Unless I am missing the bleeding obvious seems like the people involved responded appropriately.
I’d suspect you don’t control decisions made by your subordinates by micro-managing, do you?
I bet he will now… He did say it won’t happen again… We do learn from mistakes… I HOPE ANYWAY!
The 911 audio was on Cnn dot com yesterday and the terror in the poor man’s voice on the phone I’d have been pissing my pants to if I were there and had seen 9/11 to then be looking up in the sky and see this going on.
As for what the pres. knows or doesn’t…what about when they would take the jumbo out and do touch and go’s over at KIAD for instance? Not the same huh 
lol @ pika,
isnt only the pres allowed to move that aircraft … even for a photoshot?
No.
who then?
Commander, Presidential Airlift Group of the 1st Airlift Squadron (1 AS), part of the 89th Airlift Wing. Or, as directed by higher authority.
From New York Post (with doublespeak highlighted by me):
Last updated: 11:24 am
May 5, 2009
Posted: 1:56 am
May 5, 2009
The $328,835 snapshots of an Air Force One backup plane buzzing lower Manhattan last week will not be shown to the public, the White House said yesterday.
“We have no plans to release them,” an aide to President Obama told The Post, refusing to comment further.
The sole purpose of the secret photo-op, which sent thousands of New Yorkers running for cover, was to take new publicity shots of the presidential jet over the city.
“The photos . . . are classified – that’s ridiculous,” Councilman Peter Vallone Jr., said.
The photos have not technically been “classified,” a White House aide said, but they are being kept from public view.
New Yorkers said they could not understand how a president who shares intimate snapshots from the White House could justify keeping these secret.
“So we’re not gonna see the fruits of this cruel joke?” said Frank Antonelli, 39, one of the Wall Street traders spooked by last week’s flyover.
“I’m not surprised. Obama . . . wouldn’t further all the bad publicity by putting out those pictures.”
New York Post, FoxNews, CNN, and I believe LA Times have all filed FIA requests for the photos. They won’t stay hidden very long…