Obama has apologised, so too have officials. It’s still not clear why US agencies acceded to an FAA request to keep details about the photo op in which a Presidential Boeing 747 flew low around the statue of Liberty followed by two US Air Force Fighters, given the potential for concern and a public relations disaster. As The Times reports:
CBS TV reported last night that it had obtained a memo which made clear that the Federal Aviation Authority knew that the low altitude flyover could cause panic and demanded secrecy from the New York Police Department, the FBI, the Secret Service and the mayor’s office.
“The Public Affairs posture for this effort is passive. No media or press releases are planned,” said the memo, which was signed by James Johnston, an FAA security official.
It added: “Due to the possibility of public concern regarding DOD aircraft flying at low levels, coordination with Federal, State and Local law enforcement agencies, emergency operations centres and aviation units has been accomplished.”
Risk Communication. Difficult at the best of times, made worse by idiots. As Amanda Ripley suggests:
Perhaps the most alarming thing about the Air Force One fiasco was that it was planned and announced in advance to several agencies–with an order to keep it SECRET. This, to me, stinks to holy hell. I have talked a lot in the past about people in charge not trusting the public–and the devastation that follows. This is a classic bureaucratic move.
