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Hispanic Link News Service
On May 8, President Barack Obama accepted Louis Caldera’s resignation as director of the White House Military Office. That translates into “he was fired.”
The circumstances stem from an expensive photo op authorized by Caldera for Air Force One over the Status of Liberty in New York City. The image of a big passenger plane appearing to be followed by military fighter jets scares the bejeezus out of people in Manhattan.
The incident gained momentum as calmer people around the country were scratching their heads and asking, what knucklehead would send the specter of 9/11 over New York City using Air Force One? The scene seemed like a cynical reenactment — a flashback, an induced post-traumatic-stress episode for many people.
You could conclude that a prudent person would think it unwise to authorize a flyover like that, even if the intended purpose was innocuous enough, to take some official souvenir photos.
A so-called “White House official” told ABC News correspondent Jake Tapper the President was “furious” about the incident.
Louis Caldera, assistant to the President and director of the White House Military Office, took the rap. He issued a statement saying, “Last week, I approved a mission over New York.” He became the face of the flyby authorization.
Case closed, it would seem. After all, no one was hurt. Nearly eight years after 9/11, the injury is about a bad memory. But the rolling stone of outrage gathered public momentum and inspired some politicians, too.
Caldera is the former president of the University of New Mexico who, during the Clinton administration, headed the Corporation for National and Community Service. Then, from 1998 to 2001, he was Secretary of the Army. He took a leave from the New Mexico law faculty to join the Obama team.
According to a White House investigation into the matter, Caldera was first informed about plans for the photo opportunity from his deputy, George Mulligan, on April 20, a week before the flyby, It was Caldera’s first day back after accompanying Obama on trips to Mexico City and Trinidad-Tobago. He was also suffering from back pains, taking a medication, and evidently not paying close attention.
Previously, the Federal Aviation Administration and local authorities had teleconferenced about the plan and “public affairs/outreach issues,” according to a summary
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