White House Panic Attack

Never mind that the White House has spent trillions of dollars it doesn’t have to jump start the economy, but now a carefully choreographed flight of Air Force One has New Yorkers in a panic.

The White House Military Office notified federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in the New York region last week that they wanted to update photos of the presidential aircraft. The information, given on a “need-to-know basis,” wasn’t shared with New Yorkers, who saw the plane accompanied by an F-16 flying low over the Hudson River. The aircraft could be seen turning tightly over the Statue of Liberty for what was later described as a “photo op.”

While it’s true the events of 9/11 are a few years removed, but for New Yorkers especially, low flying aircraft over the Hudson River are a haunting reminder of that dreadful day. Thousands of workers apparently fled their high-rise office buildings at the unexpected sight of the signature blue and white 747 aircraft near Miss Liberty.

Apparently, the photo op is routine over New York Harbor and the Grand Canyon, both national landmarks. And the flyover had been approved and coordinated with everyone that mattered in such instances.

A confidential FAA security memo went out last week noted there might be “the possibility of public concern regarding Department of Defense aircraft flying at low levels.”

President Obama was furious when he found out about the gaffe, according to unnamed sources.

The bottom line is, the photo op flight was insensitive and a cause of poor judgment on the part of the administration. Nerves are still raw in New York and surrounding communities, as well they should be. Any aircraft, especially one with a trailing F-16 Fighting Falcon, is cause for civilians to peer skyward, refreshing their memories of 9/11 and two aircraft droning down the Hudson River with only terrorism in mind.

This act was not only poor planning, but poor judgment on the part of the administration.

About the Author

Ralph C. Jensen is the Publisher/Editor in chief of Security Today magazine.

Featured

  • Security Industry Association Announces the 2026 Security Megatrends

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has identified and forecasted the 2026 Security Megatrends, which form the basis of SIA’s signature annual Security Megatrends report defining the top 10 factors influencing both near- and long-term change in the global security industry. Read Now

  • The Future of Access Control: Cloud-Based Solutions for Safer Workplaces

    Access controls have revolutionized the way we protect our people, assets and operations. Gone are the days of cumbersome keychains and the security liabilities they introduced, but it’s a mistake to think that their evolution has reached its peak. Read Now

  • A Look at AI

    Large language models (LLMs) have taken the world by storm. Within months of OpenAI launching its AI chatbot, ChatGPT, it amassed more than 100 million users, making it the fastest-growing consumer application in history. Read Now

  • First, Do No Harm: Responsibly Applying Artificial Intelligence

    It was 2022 when early LLMs (Large Language Models) brought the term “AI” into mainstream public consciousness and since then, we’ve seen security corporations and integrators attempt to develop their solutions and sales pitches around the biggest tech boom of the 21st century. However, not all “artificial intelligence” is equally suitable for security applications, and it’s essential for end users to remain vigilant in understanding how their solutions are utilizing AI. Read Now

  • Improve Incident Response With Intelligent Cloud Video Surveillance

    Video surveillance is a vital part of business security, helping institutions protect against everyday threats for increased employee, customer, and student safety. However, many outdated surveillance solutions lack the ability to offer immediate insights into critical incidents. This slows down investigations and limits how effectively teams can respond to situations, creating greater risks for the organization. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.