THE TELEPROMPTER PRESIDENT™ - President Barack Obama - Bloopers & Commentary!

Obama Uses Teleprompter in Sixth Grade Classroom

TELEPROMPTER PRESIDENT — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:00:00 -0500

President Barack Obama is facing criticism after using a podium and teleprompter to address the media in a sixth grade classroom.

President Obama, accompanied by Education Secretary Arne Duncan, spoke to the media after a discussion with sixth grade students at Graham Road Elementary School in Falls Church, Virginia. Continued with Video below...

Although Obama was not speaking to the students from the podium, questions are being asked as to why the president needed a teleprompter to address the media.

What many are interpreting as a gaffe comes at a difficult time for Obama as a Zogby poll in the Washington Times shows that only 43% of Americans would vote to re-elect the president, 10% lower than the number that put him into office just over a year ago.

That disappointing poll comes hot on the heels of the the Republican party's surprise victory in Edward Kennedy's Massachusetts senate seat last week.

Republican Scott Brown won a bitter race on Wednesday, dealing a stunning blow to Obama's legislative agenda and casting doubt on the fate of his sweeping healthcare overhaul .

VIDEO — Jon Stewart: Obama Uses a Teleprompter to Speak in a Sixth Grade Classroom at Graham Road

TELEPROMPTER PRESIDENT — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:30:00 -0500

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

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Obama Speaks to a Sixth-Grade Classroom

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Ray Stevens - We The People - RayStevens.com

TELEPROMPTER PRESIDENT — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 18:30:00 -0500

President Obama Admires Backside of Jr. G8 Deligate

TELEPROMPTER PRESIDENT — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:00:00 -0400

"Speaking of Change Mr. President, what do you think of that?! — Oh, I was looking at her bare feet! — Oh, were you, now?"

U.S. President Barack Obama and France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy were caught admiring 16 year-old Brazilian junior G8 delegate Mayora Tavares’ ‘backside’ when the two leaders were taking their places for a family photo-op with junior G8 delegates at the G8 summit in L’Aquila, Italy.

Barack Obama — Teleprompter Crashes to the Floor!

TELEPROMPTER PRESIDENT — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 18:00:00 -0400

Government Motors presents the Chrysler Genericus!

TELEPROMPTER PRESIDENT — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 23:00:00 -0400

MUSIC — Freedom Movement: "A Righteous Man"

TELEPROMPTER PRESIDENT — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 21:00:00 -0400

Song Title: "A Righteous Man" — Featured Artists: Alais Clay — Artist: Freedom Movement — Location: Boulder, CO — Label: Self/Independent (Freedom Movement, Inc.) — Album: None/Upcoming — Copyright: 2009 Freedom Movement, Inc. — Web-site: www.FreedomMovement.org — MySpace: www.myspace.com/theFreedomMovement —
Email: FreedomMovement@comcast.net

Biden Jokes About Obama and Teleprompters

TELEPROMPTER PRESIDENT — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 18:00:00 -0400

(CNN) — Joe Biden couldn't help but take a dig at his boss Wednesday when one of the vice president's teleprompter screens fell down during his commencement speech at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

"What am I gonna tell the president?" Biden said as a gust of wind knocked down his left teleprompter. "I'm gonna tell him his teleprompter is broken. What will he do then?"

The off-handed quip immediately drew laughter and some the loudest cheers of day from the graduates.

What Would Obama Do Without His Teleprompter?

TELEPROMPTER PRESIDENT — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 17:00:00 -0400

Unreleased Photo: Air Force One Over New York

TELEPROMPTER PRESIDENT — Mon, 11 May 2009 05:00:00 -0400

On April 27, a plane that usually serves as Air Force One was flying low over the New York City skyline and generating worldwide interest.

Actually, I did the image in Photoshop. The building and view over NYC is a real photo. I added the three flying objects. The third flying object (if you look carefully) is a flying saucer. Of course, Uncle Sam could have saved $328,835 by asking a graphic designer with Photoshop to provide an image of Air Force One over New York. However, using Government purchasing philosophy, why spend fifty bucks when you can spend several hundred thousand dollars for the same thing. -TP-

Federal Reserve Inspector General Unable to Tell Congress What Goes on at the Fed (H.R. 1207)

TELEPROMPTER PRESIDENT — Sun, 10 May 2009 20:00:00 -0400

The Federal Reserve Inspector General was recently unable to tell Rep. Alan Grayson what goes on at the Federal Reserve and who has been receiving the trillions of dollars they created. (Watch the video below!)

This is why it is essential to support H.R. 1207, or the Federal Reserve Transparency Act, which would give the GAO the power to audit what the Inspector General is unable to audit. This would provide details into the functions of the Fed, and how they are wasting tax dollars everyday. The number of Co-Sponsors is up to 143!

Call the Capitol switchboard and encourage your Representatives to support this legislation (202)224-3121

Photo Released - AIR FORCE ONE Over New York City

TELEPROMPTER PRESIDENT — Fri, 08 May 2009 21:00:00 -0400

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 Louis Caldera – that President Obama says he was unaware of. (Oh Really?)

The Cost of Air Force One Flyover Faux Pas $328,835

Startled New Yorkers Run Through Streets as Obama Air Force One Photo-Op Goes Awry (Another 9/11?)

Washington, D.C. (BNO NEWS) – President Obama on Thursday accepted the resignation of Louis Caldera, the director of the White House Military Office, and released a photo showing Air Force One as it flew over the Statue of Liberty in New York City, a photo op that caused wide-spread panic on April 27. The White House also released an internal review concerning the flight.

"I have concluded that the controversy surrounding the Presidential Airlift Group's aerial photo shoot over New York City has made it impossible for me to effectively lead the White House Military Office. Moreover, it has become a distraction to the important work you are doing as President," Louis Caldera wrote in his resignation letter. "After much reflection, I believe it is incumbent on me to tender my resignation and step down as Director of the White House Military Office," Caldera added.

The letter, dated Thursday, said Caldera would resign effective May 22nd but will, as of today, be no longer involved with the office. "I will use the next two weeks to complete the necessary out-processing," he said. Obama accepted his resignation.

"The President has asked his Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina and Defense Secretary Gates or his designee to jointly review the organizational structure of the White House Military office and the reporting relationship of its components to the White House and the Air Force, and to make recommendations to him to ensure that such an incident never occurs again," said White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.

Further, the White House released a document detailing its internal review of the incident. The review was limited to the White House's involvement in the April 27 flyover, the Department of Defense is conducting its own internal reviews. Secretary Gates has directed the joint staff to conduct a review of the approval process for such flights, particularly with regard to the use of F-16 fighter aircraft. During the photo shoot on April 27, one F-16 fighter jet followed the presidential plane as it flew over the city.

Meanwhile, the Secretary of the Air Force and the Air Force Chief of Staff has directed the Air Mobility Command to review procedures for planning and executing Presidential Airlift Group flights, particularly the process for informing senior leaders and the public about atypical training flights.

The document, as released by the White House, showed that initial planning for the flyover began in March 2009 or earlier. On Friday, April 3, representatives of the Presidential Airlift Group, the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) and several local authorities held a teleconference to discuss "operational issues and public affairs / outreach issues," a written summary from the call showed. During the call, the participants discussed details such as the date, time and the location of the operation. It also discussed the altitude and the preferred flight path the plane should take.

In the call, the participants recognized the sensitivity of the aircraft involved in the operation and concluded "that public affairs and outreach efforts must be carefully coordinated and timed," according to the internal review. Coordination with the public was planned to start two days before the flight and the participants agreed that no reference should be made to the presidential aircraft in any public outreach. "However, it suggested that public outreach could reference "DOD aircraft," according to the summary of the call.

On April 9, Colonel Scott Turner, who is the commander of the Presidential Airlift Group, informed the White House of the plan to conduct a photo shoot over the Statute of Liberty. Turner notified the Deputy Director of the White House Military Office who asked him if the plan was feasible or not and if he encountered any problems or objections, the flyover would not go forward.

Several days later, Colonel Turner informed the Deputy Director that he was still working on the plan and coordinating with federal, state and local authorities. The White House Military Office did not receive any further updates during this period and Louis Caldera was not yet informed at this time.

On Monday, April 20, the Deputy Director "believes" that he notified the Director Louis Caldera about the proposed flyover. According to the Deputy Director, he briefly described the plan and stated that Colonel Turner was working on the details. He also suggested to inform White House Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina about the plan because the Deputy Director believed that Messina would want notice because the plan involved the Presidential aircraft and because it was unusual. Director Caldera stated that he did "not recall" the conversation, but does not deny the conversation took place.

On Thursday evening, April 23, Turner sent an email to the Deputy Director to describe the final details of the flight. The plan stated that federal, state and local authorities would be notified on April 23 and coordination with the general public would begin on or after April 26. Turner also said that Colonel Steven Harrison, who is the commander of the 89th Airlift Wing at the Andrews Air Force Base, had been informed. Several documents were attached to the e-mail, such as a memorandum from the FAA describing the flight plans and the "public affairs posture." A few minutes later, the Deputy Director replied with "got it."

However, the Deputy Director said he did not read Colonel Turner's e-mail until the following morning, April 24. After reading the e-mail, the Deputy Director called Colonel Turner to review the plan. During the call, the Deputy Director asked a number of questions "to ensure that everything was in order." Colonel Turner responded that everything was ready to go and no objections or concerns had been raised. The Deputy Director then forwarded the information to Director Caldera via e-mail and stated:

"Sir: per our conversation about Scott Turner's plans to fly over the Statue of Liberty - it's scheduled for this Monday, April 27th. All has been coordinated. AF PA plan/statement is below and will be released only if asked. Will probably receive some local press, but WH shouldn't catch any questions about it. Provided in case you want to pass to Jim Messina or Robert Gibbs for awareness. This is an AF operation, in close coordination with the FAA. Happy to discuss with you as necessary, v/r, -gm."

According to the Deputy Director, the phrase "our conversation" refers to the discussion Caldera could not recall. Caldera did not respond to the e-mail and stated that he did not read the email until the afternoon of Monday, April 27, after the flyover had concluded.

Asked about the fact he did not read the e-mail prior to the flight, Caldera told White House officials that he did not see the email "because it was sent to his WHMO email account," according to the documents. He also offered a second explanation for his failure, saying he was suffering from severe muscle spasms in his back during this time and went home early a couple of days.

On April 24, Coloner Turner sent another e-mail to the Deputy Director and stated that final preparations for the flight were moving forward. Turner said he had sent a "suggested response to any media queries" to public affairs and asked if the Deputy Director had any issues.

After reading the e-mail, the Deputy Director believes that he walked next door to the Director's office to see Caldera. He remembers repeating the information in his earlier e-mail, including a brief summary of the flight plan. He asked Caldera if he had any issues, and he said no. The Deputy Director also told Caldera to notify Messina and Gibbs to which he replied with "ok." The Deputy Director described the conversation as brief, approximately 30 seconds, but said it was direct and not a hallway discussion. He denied it was something that could be characterized as an "aside."

Caldera, however, has a complete different recollection of the discussion with the Deputy Director. He described it as a brief hallway exchange, "an fyi (for your information), that unfortunately didn't register as a big deal," the review reads. Caldera described it as an "aside."

The Deputy Director then replied to Colonel Turner to say he provided Director Caldera with "all of the information and suggested he run it up with Jim Messina and Robert Gibbs for their awareness only," the e-mail read. "Sec Caldera and I have no issues."

Further, Caldera failed to notify both Messina and Gibbs about the planned flyover. When he was asked about his failure he did not offer a coherent explanation, according to the internal review. "He stated that it was not a conscious decision -- he did not decide not to notify them. Instead, he suggested that it may have been an oversight," the document read. "He noted that the Deputy Director had not told him (and he did not understand) that Air Force One would be flying over lower Manhattan at a very low altitude." Caldera said that people frequently recommend him to notify Messina about certain events, but that they were not always right. Caldera also said he had not been asked to make a decision whether or not to approve the flight.

On April 24, Colonel Turner forwarded the Deputy Director an e-mail from an FAA official which contained a Flight Notification Advisory for the mission. The FAA e-mail stated that the notification was "considered FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY" and was not intended for release to the public or media. Colonel noted that "we are pressing forward with the photo shoot." Neither the Director nor the Deputy Director heard anything further about the flight until Monday, April 27.

On Saturday, April 25, Colonel Turner sent a detailed e-mail to General Arthur Lichte, commander of the Air Force Air Mobility Command. In the e-mail, Turner stated that "Secretary Coldera and George Mulligan have both 'blessed' this event." The flyover of lower Manhattan then occurred as planned during the morning of Monday, April 27.

The Deputy Director first learned about problems caused by the flight during a meeting at 10.30 a.m. EDT. Director Caldera and others participated in the meeting. During the meeting, the White House Military Office's Executive Secretary interrupted and asked the Deputy Director to step out, because White House staffer Denis McDonough was on the phone. McDonough informed the Deputy Director that issued had arisen regarding the flight over New York City.

After hanging up, the Deputy Director tried to gather additional information about what had happened. He called the Presidential Airlift Group to see if Colonel Turner had returned (which he had not), and he reviewed news reports on television and online. The Deputy Director then returned to the meeting and informed Caldera about the situation. He asked if Caldera previously had notified Messina and Gibbs about the flight. Caldera said no.

Later during the day, Caldera left his office to meet with Messina in the West Wing of the White House. According to Caldera, he then first learned that the flight had caused problems. He stated that White House Chief of Staff Emanuel entered the room and described the controversy created by the flyover. Emanuel asked whether the White House knew about the flyover in advance to which Caldera said yes. Caldera said "someone" had mentioned it to him. According to Caldera, this was the first time he learned that the flight reminded people of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 when two hijacked passenger planes crashed into both towers of the World Trade Center in New York City.

When Messina asked Caldera how he thought the White House should respond, he stated that someone needed to apologize and that it should be him because the Presidential Airlift Group reported to him. Shortly thereafter, McDonough entered the meeting with a prepared statement on behalf of Caldera in which he accepted responsibility for the flyover. Caldera, at the time, felt that the White House needed to take responsibility for the incident because it was the "stand-up thing to do." Caldera made some changes to the draft statement and gave it back to McDonough.

When Caldera returned from the meeting, he told the Deputy Director that he had taken full responsibility for the incident. At some time during the day, the Deputy Director spoke to Colonel Turner and expressed surprise about the flight, because he had been led to believe that the mission details had been coordinated. In the Deputy Director's view, the breakdown was the lack of public notification. Colonel Turner was equally surprised because the FAA had taken the lead on public affairs and coordination.

Both Caldera and the Deputy Director expressed regret about the incident, according to the internal review. Caldera stated that he had no idea that the plan called for the aircraft to fly at 1,000 feet. "He feels terrible that the flight had caused harm," the document read. The Deputy Director stated that if he had been aware that the flight would cause so much trouble or any embarrassment to the President or to the White House, he never would have allowed it to go forward.

"Our review suggests that structural and organizational ambiguities exist within WHMO that at times affect the organization's ability to operate effectively," Jim Messina wrote in the internal review. Messina recommended a comprehensive study to make recommendations to the President regarding these issues.

The Cost of Air Force One Flyover Faux Pas $328,835

Startled New Yorkers Run Through Streets as Obama Air Force One Photo-Op Goes Awry (Another 9/11?)

The Very Dangerous S.773 Cybersecurity Act of 2009

TELEPROMPTER PRESIDENT — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 18:00:00 -0400

The very dangerous S.773 Cybersecurity Act of 2009 is before the Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee in Congress.

Democrat Senator Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia has introduced two senate bills that may severely regulate traffic on the Internet. The Canadian Free Press explains it this way: "The White House will have new powers to access private online data, regulate the cyber security industry and even shut down Internet traffic under the provisions of Senate bills No. 773 and 778, introduced by Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.V. It’s called the Cybersecurity Act of 2009." (Continued)

Obviously this bill would put the government in control of the flow of information in this country. The internet would be in the total control of Obama. Barack Obama’s nominee for ‘regulatory czar’ (Cass Sunstein) has advocated a ‘Fairness Doctrine’ for the Internet that would require opposing opinions be linked and also has suggested that angry e-mails should be prevented from being sent by technology that would require a 24-hour cooling off period. — Nowhere in the Constitution does it give our government the right to control the free flow of information!

Follow news on the bill: Cybersecurity Act of 2009 and read the full bill: Text of S.773 as Introduced in Senate. Then, call your senators, the sponsoring senators and the committee as soon as possible! — The number to contact the committee is: 202-224-5115. — Bill Sponsors: Sen John Rockefeller (D-WV) 202-224-6665, Sen Evan Bayh (D-IN) 202-224-6665, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) 202-224-6665, Sen. Olympia Snow (R-ME) 202-224-6665.

Please forward this story to as many friends and family as you can! — Click the 'ShareThis' icon below to send this as an email.

Obama Takes Shot at Tea Party Participants

TELEPROMPTER PRESIDENT — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:00:00 -0400

First off, President Obama said on April 15th that he was unaware of any tea parties taking place across the country, but now it seems that he was completely aware that they were happening, and he doesn't like it.

Watch this video and see for yourself the disregard he has for opposition and how he considers anybody involved with the tea parties incompetent jerks for disagreeing with him:

So, he thinks that the only way you can understand the issues that plague this country is if you are on his level in intellectual comprehension? Democrats and anyone associated with the liberal agenda always come back to "what are we going to do to cut health care in half, what are we going to do to make sure social security stays in tac?" May I remind them that they are the ones that got us into these messes, and they shouldn't have been created in the first place.

Also, the formula of tax cuts did work, but the reason we are in this mess is incompetent idiots at the federal reserve, and banks that approved bad loans. It has nothing to do with tax cuts for the wealthy, but that is another talking point they always revert too.

I don't think this guy understands...more government takes away the liberties of the ordinary working class.

Thomas Jefferson once said "The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases."

Source: Posted by Robert Bentley on Conservative for Change

The Cost of Air Force One Flyover Faux Pas $328,835

TELEPROMPTER PRESIDENT — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:00:00 -0400

Source:

This is a rush transcript from "On the Record ," April 28, 2009.

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: Got a pen? Take this one down -- $328,835. Now think what you could do with that amount of money. Now, here's what the White House thought to do with that huge amount of cash. According to the Air Force, that is how much money the White House spent yesterday to terrify New Yorkers. Watch this video. It shows our government truly not thinking, just being really dumb, a 747 and two F-16s flying low over Manhattan for a photo op to take pictures. Not kidding. This is a fact! The 747 is one of the planes used as Air Force One, and this mission was designed to get pictures of the plane in front of New York landmarks.

VAN SUSTEREN: Rush Limbaugh had some thoughts about this photo op flyover, as well.

LIMBAUGH: To do this at that altitude over that part of Manhattan -- over any part of Manhattan, but particularly down there over Ground Zero, it has to mean that you are in a 9/10 mentality. It has to mean that this is -- this is not even on your mind. It means, if you're a member of the Obama administration, that that's a Bush problem. Oh, well, that's -- that happened -- oh, we weren't here. We had nothing whatsoever to do with that.

Whatever it is, it was profoundly stupid not to tell the general public about this. And number two, it was terribly insensitive. Terribly! I mean, scared these people left and right in New York City, running out of their office buildings, running for cover!

VAN SUSTEREN: Sam Youngman, White House correspondent for The Hill, joins us live. I guess -- I take it the president -- this wasn't his idea.

SAM YOUNGMAN, THE HILL: Well, I think the word we've heard the most the last two days out of the White House is "furious."

VAN SUSTEREN: The president's furious?

YOUNGMAN: I think so.

VAN SUSTEREN: Well, but I mean, it's so profoundly stupid! Who was the idiot?

YOUNGMAN: Well, the gentleman's name is Louis Caldera, is what the White House is telling us. He issued an apology yesterday, and we get the sense today that heads are going to roll after a very brief internal review.

VAN SUSTEREN: You know, but I mean -- you know, there's terrifying New Yorkers. There's that one part. But there's $328,000. Now, I know that there was some other part of this exercise and training, but that -- I mean, when the president's going around, you know -- you know, telling everybody to -- everybody else -- everyone else in the cabinet, you know, Cut some costs, and then he -- this is under his watch.

YOUNGMAN: Right. And I mean, it reads like a bad credit card commercial -- you know, $300,000 for two training exercises scaring the bejesus out of already skittish New Yorkers is priceless. It really was just a bone-headed call. And the sense we got out of the White House today was that they're going to -- that they -- president has ordered a full internal review.

VAN SUSTEREN: Which is going to cost us more money!

(LAUGHTER)

YOUNGMAN: Right.

VAN SUSTEREN: I mean, that's -- I mean, that's the other thing, too, is that -- I mean, like, why do we have to review this to know that this is just a stupid idea? Now we got to pay for a review!

YOUNGMAN: Right. Well, and -- but I think they're moving quickly on this. The sense we got from Robert Gibbs today was that it's going to take a week to two weeks. And whether or not those findings will be made public, we won't know. But we could be looking under...

VAN SUSTEREN: But I...

YOUNGMAN: ... find a "help wanted" ad for Mr. Caldera.

VAN SUSTEREN: But I don't even get this. I mean, like, sometimes there are things, like, where, you know, it's sort of questionable whether we should do something or not. This isn't even questionable! I mean, like, you scare people. You could -- we photoshopped it, didn't cost us a dime. You could use probably old pictures. Don't they have old pictures? They -- that 747 hasn't changed since we got it in 1991 as Air Force One.

YOUNGMAN: And the Statue of Liberty's been around for a while.

VAN SUSTEREN: That's been around for a while, as well. I mean, like -- I mean, like, I still have a hard time, you know, getting an idea, like, why we even have to investigate this. I mean...

YOUNGMAN: I think -- to be fair, I think the president was as shocked as we were by this because I just -- I think it defies common sense.

VAN SUSTEREN: Well (INAUDIBLE) why don't we spend the time -- instead of investigating who did this one at this point (INAUDIBLE) why don't we investigate to see how else it's going to be done in the future to save that money and to save scaring those people? I mean, that -- sort of preventively, rather than...

YOUNGMAN: I would love to know where these pictures are used. I know last time I was on Air Force One -- I think you and I were coming back from Norfolk, Virginia, with President Bush. And they gave me a picture flying over the Grand Canyon. Now, is that what they use those for? Because I could have bought a postcard.

VAN SUSTEREN: I guess so. But I mean, it's just -- it is unbelievable to me. And $328,000, and we got people being putting out of their homes on foreclosures. He's telling the cabinet, you know, Cut your expenses, and right under his own nose in his own White House, we're doing that. And Gibbs and everybody else who's -- you know, all the way up the chain, they ought to be -- they ought to be -- I don't know what. Something.

YOUNGMAN: It almost sounds like real money these days in this town.

VAN SUSTEREN: Real money. Right. Sam, thank you.

YOUNGMAN: Thank you.

Source: Fox News

Startled New Yorkers Run Through Streets as Obama Air Force One Photo-Op Goes Awry (Another 9/11?)

TELEPROMPTER PRESIDENT — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 01:00:00 -0400

President Obama had Air Force One fly low over New York City with a fighter in tow. Thousands of workers near ground zero reportedly called 911, jammed stairways of high-rises, and otherwise ran for cover as the White House conveniently 'forgot' to tell them. (Continued with more video)

The Obama administration decided not to inform the FAA. In reality they were taking photos of Air Force One near the Statue of Liberty. President Obama decided that no one needed to know. NYC residents already are tanked for Democrats; perhaps Obama didn't care what they thought. (Continued with full story and additional video)

A 'Classified' Photo Op Turns Into a Soaring Blunder for the White House

Mission to Get Beauty Shots of Presidential Jet at Statue of Liberty Panics 9/11-Wary New York

Source: Wall Street Journal - Business

As secret missions go, this one was a flop.

On Monday morning, one of the 747s used to ferry around the U.S. president was dispatched to the Statue of Liberty, escorted by a fighter jet. Assignment: Get some fresh glamour shots of the plane.

The Air Force said the flight needed to remain confidential. So while New York police knew about it, as did at least one person in the mayor's office, regular New Yorkers remained in the dark.

As a result, to onlookers Monday all across downtown Manhattan -- where the World Trade Center once stood -- the photo shoot looked like a terrorist attack. People watched in horror as a massive aircraft, trailed closely by an F-16 fighter jet, banked and roared low near the city, in a frightening echo of the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

Fearing the worst, thousands of people streamed out of the skyscrapers and into the streets. Some buildings ordered evacuations. "Oh God, it was mayhem in here, just mayhem," says Rubin Shimon, manager of Styling Haircutters, a barbershop near Ground Zero. Many people took shelter in the shop to call loved ones on their cellphones.

It was all over in a half-hour or so. Then the finger-pointing began. "I'm annoyed -- furious is a better word -- that I wasn't told," said New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg at a news conference. He'd been scheduled to talk about a swine-flu outbreak at a Queens school, but also sounded off at the federal government for its "badly conceived" flyover plan.

He chastised his own office for its role in keeping the flyover secret. On Thursday night, city officials say, a junior mayoral aide had been alerted to the flyover by the Federal Aviation Administration, which requested that it be kept secret. Someone in City Hall alerted the New York Police Department, but no public announcement was made.

Marc Mugnos was reprimanded for not apprising the mayor, and a disciplinary letter was placed in his file, a spokesman said. Mr. Mugnos couldn't be reached for comment.

The email sent to City Hall describes a "flying photo op" -- government-speak for a publicity photo -- to include two or possibly three passes over the area. The email, sent by an FAA official and reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, lists flight patterns and specifies a photo-op altitude of 1,000 to 1,500 feet.

The email specifies that the information "only be shared with persons with a need to know" and "shall not be released to the public." It also says that, "Due to the possibility of public concern regarding [Department of Defense] aircraft flying at low levels, coordination with Federal, State and Local law enforcement agencies...has been accomplished."

The email's author, James J. Johnston, of FAA air traffic, declined to comment.

An Obama administration official said the mission was "classified" by the military and that the FAA, which controls much of the airspace over Manhattan, did what the military asked. "The mission was to send [the aircraft] up to get a picture of it flying around the Statue of Liberty," this person said. "They said they needed to update their photo files." President Obama wasn't aboard.

The New York photo shoot wasn't the only one planned. The White House had scheduled a follow-up session on May 5 or May 6 in Washington, D.C., according to two government officials. The D.C. flyover has now been canceled, a government official said.

Louis Caldera, a former Secretary of the Army who runs the White House Military Office, took the blame. "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," he said. "I apologize and take responsibility for any distress that flight caused."

Mr. Caldera met Monday afternoon with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina "to hear the president's displeasure," an official said.

It was a beautiful spring day in the Big Apple -- perfect for picture taking. The aircraft, painted in White House livery, was trailed by one F-16 fighter jet. The aircraft had flown from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, across New Jersey, down the Hudson River and then circled the Statue of Liberty before heading off.

For many who witnessed the maneuver, it stirred dark memories. Andrew Wybolt, who works for Barclays PLC in a skyscraper that borders the Hudson, said people rushed for the windows when they heard the planes. "They just started sprinting and freaking out," he said.

Thousands of workers from Merrill Lynch, American Express and other companies in the buildings that ring the former World Trade Center site hustled for the exits. Many stood outside their offices, nervously looking up into the sky, while hundreds of others walked north, along the West Side Highway, as thousands of people had done the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.

"To do something like this to all these people who have already been through 9-11 is just wrong," said Greg Forman, a broker at the New York Mercantile Exchange, which is located in a building along the Hudson river, across the street from the World Trade Center site.

One block north, construction workers on the 43-story Goldman Sachs Group Inc. tower said they had a close-up view of the low-flying plane. "I saw that thing coming and ran down the stairs," said Eddie Navedo, who was clearing construction debris on the 23rd floor of the new building when he spotted the plane flying low over the river, then banking sharply to the west. "Everybody was saying, it's a terrorist attack."

Not everyone lost his cool. Mr. Shimon, the manager of the barbershop where people fled on Monday, was present for the attacks in 2001, and in fact at that time worked in a shop even closer to the World Trade Center than his current one. He watched the towers fall that day.

So did the events of Monday scare him? "To tell you the truth, not really," Mr. Shimon said. "I didn't think it was such a big deal. I'm a New Yorker."

Webmaster: You would think that someone in the Obama administration could have suggested a graphic designer, with a computer, Photoshop, and a few stock photos to work with. They could have easily 'photoshopped' an Air Force One onto an aerial photo of NYC. However, this is an administration on a spending spree, so why not send up Air Force One with a fighter escort, spend $328,000, just to update some photos! We're being asked to tighten our belts while the Democrats take our credit card on a four year spend-a-thon. Just wait until the interest rates rise and OUR bills start rolling in... —TP

Obama Wants Authority To CONTROL The Internet

TELEPROMPTER PRESIDENT — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 23:30:00 -0400

New bills (S.773/S.778) give the President emergency authority to halt web traffic and access private data. —By Steve Aquino

Should President Obama have the power to shut down domestic Internet traffic during a state of emergency?

Senators John Rockefeller (D-W. Va.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) think so. On Wednesday they introduced a bill to establish the Office of the National Cybersecurity Advisor—an arm of the executive branch that would have vast power to monitor and control Internet traffic to protect against threats to critical cyber infrastructure. That broad power is rattling some civil libertarians. (Continued)

The Cybersecurity Act of 2009 (PDF) gives the president the ability to "declare a cybersecurity emergency" and shut down or limit Internet traffic in any "critical" information network "in the interest of national security." The bill does not define a critical information network or a cybersecurity emergency. That definition would be left to the president.

The bill does not only add to the power of the president. It also grants the Secretary of Commerce "access to all relevant data concerning [critical] networks without regard to any provision of law, regulation, rule, or policy restricting such access." This means he or she can monitor or access any data on private or public networks without regard to privacy laws.

Rockefeller made cybersecurity one of his key issues as a member of the Senate intelligence committee, which he chaired until last year. He now heads the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, which will take up this bill.

"We must protect our critical infrastructure at all costs—from our water to our electricity, to banking, traffic lights and electronic health records—the list goes on," Rockefeller said in a statement. Snowe echoed her colleague, saying, "if we fail to take swift action, we, regrettably, risk a cyber-Katrina."

But the wide powers outlined in the Rockefeller-Snowe legislation has at least one Internet advocacy group worried. "The cybersecurity threat is real," says Leslie Harris, head of the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), "but such a drastic federal intervention in private communications technology and networks could harm both security and privacy."

The bill could undermine the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), says CDT senior counsel Greg Nojeim. That law, enacted in the mid '80s, requires law enforcement seek a warrant before tapping in to data transmissions between computers.

"It's an incredibly broad authority," Nojeim says, pointing out that existing privacy laws "could fall to this authority."

Jennifer Granick, civil liberties director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, says that granting such power to the Commerce secretary could actually cause networks to be less safe. When one person can access all information on a network, "it makes it more vulnerable to intruders," Granick says. "You've basically established a path for the bad guys to skip down."

The bill's scope, she says, is "contrary to what the Constitution promises us." That's because of the impact it could have on Internet users' privacy rights: If the Commerce Department uncovers evidence of illegal activity when accessing "critical" networks, that information could be used against a potential defendant, even if the department never had the intent to find incriminating evidence. And this might violate the Constitutional protection against searches without cause.

"Once information is accessed, it can be used for whatever purpose, no matter the original reason for accessing something," Granick says. "Who's interested in this [bill]? Law enforcement and people in the security industry who want to ensure more government dollars go to them."

Nojeim, though, thinks it's possible the bill's powers could be trimmed as it moves through Congress. "We will be working with them to clarify just what is needed and how to accomplish that," he says. "We're hopeful that some of the very broad powers that the bill would confer won't be included."

Source: Mother Jones