by Mark Silva
On panic and panic prevention:
The White House could have a flu pandemic on its hands, with more than 150 dead in Mexico and 28 cases of the flu confirmed in New York City.
So the Federal Aviation Administration authorizes a "photo-shoot,'' a low-flying arc of one of the presidential aircrafts over the Statue of Liberty trailed by an F-16 fighter jet. The image conjures a 9/11 replay, and people in New York panic in the streets. "Air Farce One,'' the N.Y. Post calls it.
And here's Janet Napolitano, secretary of Homeland Security, boss of the Border Patrol, administration-appointed front-person on the flu crisis - and chief of the agency that recently warned of the safety risks of right-wing extremism -- saying there is no point in trying to seal the Mexican border, but something really went wrong in New York.
"You know, there are a lot of questions to be answered there,'' Napolitano said of the FAA-sanctioned "photo op'' for "Air Force One" (sans president, as it was in this flight, it's only an Air Force jumbo jet) this morning in an appearance on NBC's Today Show. "My understanding is the FAA sanctioned that. I share the concern. We have to get to the bottom of that. Mistakes were made. Mistakes should not be repeated... I don't think it was the right thing to do... We're looking into that.''
The White House director of military affairs, taking responsibility, also has issued a public apology.
With just 50 cases of the flu reported in the U.S., none fatal, yet more expected in coming days, President Barack Obama has called the <strong>flu outbreak cause for "concern,'' but not "alarm,'' and the administration has pressed Napolitano into fulltime service as front-person for the White House. She is promising daily briefings on the flu.
At the urging of the Centers for Disease Control, the State Department has issued an advisory against travel to Mexico. So, on the question of that flu outbreak, which the World Health Organization has elevated to a "Phase Four" situation but still short of a pandemic, Napolitano was asked today why her agency doesn't seal the borders against people entering the U.S. from Mexico, where more than 1,500 cases of flu have claimed more than 150 lives..
"We literally have thousands of trucks... that cross that border,'' the secretary said, citing the commerce involved, and the epidemiologists have told her that such a costly sealing of the border would have only a "marginal'' if any impact on disease prevention.
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With the Department of Health and Human Services still awaiting Senate confirmation of its fulltime secretary, the designated hitter for the Obama administration on the flu epidemic at Homeland Security was asked if the administration is up to the challenge.
"Yes,'' she said. "We had a homeland security council meeting last night'' with many agencies. "There is a very broad multi-agency response going on.''
The Senate will soon confirm the HHS secretary, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas, Napolitano said, and "in the meantime, we are working very well... with the career service'' people at the health agencies.
"We anticipate that there will be more confirmed cases,'' Napolitano allowed, but the nation should act in "preparation, not fear.''
"We're prepared as if there were a pandemic,'' the Homeland Security secretary said. "We're not going to wait for the World Health Organization.''
There's still that matter of the FAA, however.
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Comments
I'd say the swine flu mania is a good thing for the White House. It gets to portray Obama as an apolitical protecting figure and allows the media to publicize the GOP's reckless delay tactics used against Sebelius for HHS.
http://www.political-buzz.com/
Posted by: matt | April 28, 2009 7:55 AM
One, why the need for a very expensive photo shoot? Two, whoever thought of this flight over New York City - especially post 9/11 is an idiot. Three, whoever at the FAA that signed off on this needs to lose their job.
Posted by: Whiskey Tango Foxtrot | April 28, 2009 8:10 AM
What the Swamp leaves out of its coverage of the NYC flyover fiasco:
"Louis Caldera, director of the White House Military Office, apologizes to the city of New York. Caldera came to the White House from IndyMac, where he served on the board of directors from 2002 until the bank was seized by the feds last year.
Update: More on Caldera and IndyMac:
Former University of New Mexico President Louis Caldera, who taught corporate governance at the UNM School of Law last fall, is on the board of directors of a California bank seized by the federal government. [...]
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation was quickly named conservator, and the bank reopened Monday as IndyMac Federal Bank. The FDIC estimates the cost of the failure to the deposit insurance fund at between $4 billion and $8 billion.
Reached at his home Monday night, Caldera said, "I have no comment."
Caldera serves on Indy-Mac's corporate governance committee and on its management development and compensation committee, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing from earlier this year. In that same filing, the company disclosed Caldera took in $213,520 in total compensation for his service on the board in 2007 and $261,626 in 2006.
IndyMac is under investigation for fraud. That's some crackerjack oversight from the corporate governance committee. The Obama transition team left Caldera's IndyMac service off the press release announcing his appointment."
Another crook makes it to the HopeyChangy White House. And lies. Is anybody surprised?
Posted by: Arthur Henning | April 28, 2009 8:11 AM
In our rush to make this some sort of political ankle biting, let's keep this in context. 200,000 people a year are hospitalized in the US for seasonal flu. 36,000 die each year in the US from seasonal flu.
Posted by: bill r. | April 28, 2009 8:14 AM
One, why the need for a very expensive photo shoot? Two, whoever thought of this flight over New York City - especially post 9/11 is an idiot. Three, whoever at the FAA that signed off on this needs to lose their job.
Posted by: Whiskey Tango Foxtrot | April 28, 2009 8:10 AM
Agree with you-
But America is dealing with the Obama Admirstration and they are protective, Tax Cheats for example.
Posted by: Inky | April 28, 2009 9:36 AM
This ignorant fly-over was some WH PR stunt? Some low level flunky ok's spending 2-3 100Ks (not to think of a unnecessary carbon print) for a picture that could have been computer generated? Yeah right! Someone senior has to have dirty hands to get this approved. What was the photo op for; to make Obama's new "cool" ride cooler? Let's get the AF manifest and see who was on this joy ride. Yes sir, let us cut back, save some dough. What a joke. If the Bush WH had pulled this boner the NY Times and MSM would be aghast in outrage of insensitivity and the promoting of fear among us to support a misguided warmongering agenda. Maybe some good will come from this, such a a stark reminder that we are still in a war against terrorists and not some nameless contingency operation that is being turned into a hapless exercise of apology, incrimination, and appeasement.
Posted by: bubba Porter | April 28, 2009 10:04 AM
DHS staged a flyover about 4 summers ago in Chicago.
About 4 p.m. on a sunny summer afternoon. A jetliner flew low over the Loop, northeasterly in the direction of the Hancock Building, which is about 800 north on Michigan Ave.
And I mean: flying LOW over the Loop.
Fire engines were scrambled to Jackson & State (adjacent to Federal Plaza).
That flyover was very realistic, if you actually witnessed it.
Being Sunday afternoon, not too many did.
There was no panic and so far as I know no coverage by the press.
It was obviously a drill.
This episode in NYC however seems a stupid publicity stunt.
But, as with 9/11, don't expect anyone in the govt. to be fired or disciplined.
Posted by: ornery | April 28, 2009 10:35 AM
This badministration is so incompetent it is beyond scary.
Posted by: John D | April 28, 2009 1:03 PM
Another gaff from this administration.
And Janet baby down playing it.
After her right wing extremism comments. This women is a joke, and if she had any common sense or integrity she would leave by the back door. And anyone else that supports this wacko.
Posted by: Paul | April 28, 2009 1:47 PM
Arthur Henning, er Bruce,
Do you know what the Board of Directors do? Do you believe they sit in an office at the local branch and approve loans? Sheesh.
Posted by: GOP is ignorant | April 28, 2009 2:19 PM