Louis Caldera, White House Military Affairs Director, Resigns In Wake Of Air Force One Flyover

Louis Caldera, Director of White House Military Affairs, resigned today from his position in the wake of the Air Force One flyover photo-op over lower Manhattan two weeks ago.

Caldera's office approved the photo-op, which cost $35,000 in fuel alone for the plane and two jet fighter escorts, the AP reports. The Air Force estimated the photo shoot cost taxpayers $328,835. (Watch HuffPost's exclusive reader-submitted video of the frightening photo-op here)

President Obama accepted the letter of resignation, in which Caldera wrote he felt that the controversy surrounding the event made it impossible "to effectively lead the White House Military Office." He added, "moreover, it has become a distraction in the important work you are doing as president."

In addition to Caldera's resignation letter, the White House also released a report on the incident, as ordered by President Obama, as well as the product of the controversial flight -- a photo of Air Force One in the sky over the Statue of Liberty.

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Comments

[American50]

Oh Gollie That photo is awesome and surely worth $328,835.00
Oh gosh surely the tax payer dont mind at all........ wright

[raptor]

And of course no one said " I don't think this is a good idea".

[dubster]

People aren't getting the full story about the tax dollars. The cost of setting up the flyover photo was reportedly $328,835. Observers noted that an expense like this would have been incurred whether or not the photo shoot had been authorized. VC-25 flying time requirements dictate the need for regular training flights. Had the flyover not been ordered, a similar expense would have been incurred in the normal course of VC-25 flight training. Thus, people need to chill out about the tax dollars; they would have been spent regardless just not over the statue of liberty but maybe in a remote, more secured area.

[AN2009]

$328,835 for a lousy photo shoot? Not exactly the best way to allocate funds in a recession. Louis Caldera is a disgrace.

[Johnson Grande]

Thousands of hard working New Yorkers, 9/11 survivors who were involved in the horrors of 9/11 had PTSD stress triggers popping off left and right caused by this act. People were running into the streets in a blind panic hearing jets screaming around where they knew none are ever supposed to be flying.

How many heart attacks and strokes were triggered by this negligence? Many possibly occurring days later brought on by a massive PTSD attack by people who had been pulled out of 9/11 rubble only to die later from the fear this caused them?

Federal authorities knew this would panic New York City. Documents prove it.

In fact NYC authorities are on record saying they will never allow themselves to be ordered into something like this again and will refuse any and all federal orders to the contrary.

Those are strong statements by NYC authorities further proving that this whole think is no laughing matter.

There is negligence involved here that may be criminal. There are no excuses for pre 9/11 thinking or mindset. This does not inspire confidence in a government.

How much would the world have ridiculed Putin, Chavez, Castro or Amahdenijad if one of them had pulled this stunt for an ego driven alleged "photo op" for example.

Adding insult to to the injured - THIS is the photo that is released?

Expect a lot more to come out of this as lawsuits go forward and FOIA requests stack sky high.

[bigironal25]

As much as I support Obama, he dropped the ball on this one by not firing this person, as soon as the fly over story hit the news cycle!

[eden4barack08]

This is a man who likes "to know what he's talking about before he speaks". An investigation was IMMEDIATELY underway after the incident, and as soon as it was clear and unquestionable who was responsible, came the resignation. THIS is the right way to do things, THIS shows true leadership, not shooting from the hip, just to please immediate news cycles.
Here, read the internal review of the incident, you'll learn that it's more complicated than just firing the first guy who seems responsible, when you're dealing with an entire division of the Air Force who was planning this.

http://static.cbslocal.com/station/wcbs/docs/flyover.pdf

[dontvote4him]

BO was just checking out how much of Wall Street he owned now.

[American50]

Oh my the $327,000.00 Photo
Thanks Messiah well worth it


http://wwwamericanpatriot-vance.blogspot.com/

[shockmagog]

I'm still waiting for word on the missing 9 Billion during Bush's phony war.

But I guess we all have our priorities.

[motoGpifupleez]

A resignation? A show of accountability? A bad action with an actual consequence?
Imagine what would have happened to him if he had violated the Constitution.

[Blackspeare]

This could have been very nicely photoshopped! This is a case of White House staffers of not having enough to do and looking for work----if you call it that!

[msjimmied]

Bad mistake, a storm in a teacup...but I would sure love to see the photos regardless...

[lolyla]

Really, hasn't this man used Photoshop before?

[RickyBalboa]

Absolutely! Could have save taxpayers over a quarter of a million dollars.

[LWilkinson315]

Ummmmm for all you conspiracy theorist THIS is the type of public relations photo the Air Force/military was going for...the fly over NYC was stupid! The people should of known about it in advance BUT there was no "evil" intentions involved- no one going for a joy ride!

Another Air Force 1 photo op pic"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Air_Force_One_over_Mt._Rushmore.jpg

[sb250guy]

Boy, I hate what I'm about to say. This doesn't seem like taking responsibility to me. It seems like having someone take the fall. The president HAS to know where his plane is. The secret service HAS to know where the plane is. They HAVE to know all variables so they can make travel contingency plans and such. It is simple. Either Obama knew or he SHOULD have. No matter whether this military affairs guy did screw up. This is on Obama. I support my president on a wide range of things and I desperately wish him success. But he could have stepped up a little more on this. This whole Air Force One photo-op fly-over was a really stupid botched thing. Never mind that I could have produced the same picture with Photoshop for waaaayyyy less than$328,835. Heck, I could have done it for half that.

[LWilkinson315]

There are 2 goverment Air Force Presidential jets....the one flying over NYC was not the one the President flys on- better known as The Flying White House- with all the gadgets and gizmos..The jet involved with the STUPID photo op was the decoy jet...Air Force One and Marine One have decoys

[WTF1956]

But must be accounted for at all times. Your argument means that Air Force was not available because it's decoy was being used for the photo op therefore could not safely fly.

[JerseyBob]

Two flying White Houses does not define adequate redundancy.

More likely than not there are "dark" aircraft, minus the external trappings, that can be used if things get nasty. Remember, 1st Lts. on up are advised to take their rank insignia off, or hide it, during combat missions.

[Roguewolf]

The planes are identical, the President can fly on either one.

[LittleSanityLeft]

Sorry but why does the president need to know where his plane is at all times? That's why he's hired other people to take care of those things. The president has other things to take care of. What should happen is that those who are hired to do a certain job should have enough sense to know that a low flying jet liner buzzing over the spot where the Twin Towers once stood is a very bad Idea.

If you give you son the car and you trust him enough to behave with it is it your fault if he's speeding and reckless? No.

[LWilkinson315]

LOL Some folks act as if President Obama reached in his jacket pocket and gave his buddy the keys to the jet and told him to take it for a spin! The Air Force 1 decoy was used in a stupid photo op for the stupid purpose of post cards and other soveiners(sp?) last I heard The President of The United States is not in charge of The White House Gift Shop

[WTF1956]

Even though I probably agree with him less than you, you are 100% right on. See this is what's called being honest. Both parties need to be called out when stuff like this happens.

[huffposeur]

oh, man, how pathetic are the ethos on this board that you have to apologize in advance for suggesting maybe, possibly the emperor has no clothes?

there were so many ways the president could have displayed responsibility on this foolish matter and it didn't have to include kicking caldera under the bus.

responsibility on his part would not have had robert gibbs playing dumb about it. responsibility wouldn't have been to stonewall when a FOIA request for the photos was made.

responsibility would've been a prime time presidential news conference -without a teleprompter- admitting that this was the use of government resources to put together a 2012 campaign commercial.

responsibility would've been release of ALL the photos.

responsibility would've been the release of the names of the campaign contributors who bought a seat on that plane and how much they paid for the thrill.

there were so many ways the president could've been responsible but kicking caldera under the bus was just a show of cowardice.

[dontvote4him]

BO is in everybody's business so far as in control freak, so he knew.

[wkgreen]

$35,000 in fuel!!! That's about what my tax bill was. I can't believe it but I paid to fill up that plane! I think now I'll just trade in my Prius and go buy a Hummer.

[nichtviel]

Would you mind filling up my plane to?

[LWilkinson315]

How much did this photo op of Air Force 1 cost us when Bush was President?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Air_Force_One_over_Mt._Rushmore.jpg

[jdfast]

I guess once again I have been disappointed in the Obama administration. The man should have been fired the day after but instead they allowed him to resign. No one has the balls to fire anyone anymore. If it would have been you or me in the private sector, we wouldn't have been back to the office before our desk would have been cleaned out.