An elderly pilot accidentally overflew the restricted airspace of a Bush ralley:
Pilot Robert Hargrave, 73, was heading south from Georgia to Boca Raton, Fla., in an Aeronca Champ when he violated the 30-mile-wide ring of restricted airspace over the Melbourne rally, Brevard County sheriff's Lt. John Coppola said. Hargrave was flying at about 1,200 feet.
F-15's quickly responded to the "threat":
Fighter jets dropped flares and made several passes while trying to contact the pilot by radio as he passed the stadium heading south. When the pilot realized he was flying in restricted airspace, he turned around -- sending him north, directly over the stadium, Coppola said.
For once, President Bush was not distracted, as the large warbirds flew overhead.
Reporters covering Bush's campaign event at Space Coast Stadium in Melbourne said the military jets drowned out Bush's words at one point. The activity in the sky repeatedly distracted the crowd from Bush's speech, but Duffy said the president continued speaking through the incident.
Brave brave military. Protecting Bush from an elderly pilot in a small private airplane.
I was at a thinktank in Washington and was lectured by a naval professor from Anapolis. She said that if a 747 was headed towards the whitehouse with the president inside (doesnt matter who) that the military would rather shoot it down and have it crash into a row of apartment buildings than hit the president.
I said that be damned, the president is an elected offical of the people who's first priority is to protect and SERVE as a public servant. And, if it extends to many of those he SERVES living versus himself, than thats the greatest service of all.
Besides, I argued, we have a line of succession: VP, Sec. of State, etc... so whats the big deal?
Any thoughts/comments?