The press conference is almost amusing. The hands-on Commander-in-Chief was kept safely and blissfully unaware of an evacuation, one that included his wife, while he was allowed to finish his bike ride through the Maryland countryside.
More, and a transcript link, after the break...
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes. I think you just brought up a very good point -- the protocols that were in place after September 11th were followed. The President was never considered to be in danger because he was at an off-site location. The President has a tremendous amount of trust in his Secret Service detail.
The Secret Service detail that was traveling with the President was being kept apprised of the situation as it was developing. They were in close contact with officials back here at the White House. And the President appreciates the job that they do.
Q The fact that the President wasn't in danger is one aspect of this. But he's also the Commander-in-Chief. There was a military operation underway. Other people were in contact with the White House. Shouldn't the Commander-in-Chief have been notified of what was going on?
MR. McCLELLAN: John, the protocols that we put in place after September 11th were being followed. They did not require presidential authority for this situation. I think you have to look at each situation and the circumstances surrounding the situation. And that's what officials here at the White House were doing. That's what officials were doing that were with the President at the off-site location, and this was a matter of minutes when all this was happening, when the alert level was going from yellow to orange to red, and then it went back down to yellow when the plane turned away.
The Media, usually not too bothered by Administration policies, are not too happy as they begin to realize that they were not a big priority when it came to saving lives. They, too, were not a big priority in "The Protocol," as many question why they weren't part of the evacuation plan, unless they happened to be checking their email at the time.
MR. McCLELLAN: Let me stop you right there and correct you, because it's not just an email. I mean, it's notifying you through sound, as well as flashing.
Q Oh, really? When you open an email up, correct?
MR. McCLELLAN: No.
Q Okay, well --
MR. McCLELLAN: It will automatically be notified --
Q How many people sit -- how many people sit in front of their computers solely all day to see an email come up to say, evacuate or to leave?
MR. McCLELLAN: Let me correct you again. There were personnel at the White House, security personnel, the Secret Service Uniformed Division, the Secret Service personnel that is part of the President's detail here at the White House that were acting to notify people and to make sure people were going to the appropriate locations or staying where they were if at some point it was more appropriate and safer for them to remain where they were.
So there was a great effort, I think, by those who work here at the White House and protect us all, every day, to make sure that they were following protocols, as well, and that they were looking out for the interests of all those who work every day --
Q The Old Executive Office Building got emails. What did the people here in the press area, get nothing --
MR. McCLELLAN: I'll be glad to -- I'll be glad to come to your question, April, but I'd like to finish talking for a minute.
Q Okay, go ahead.
MR. McCLELLAN: Again, they work day-in and day-out with one priority in mind, and that's the safety and security of the people here in this building. And as I said, anytime there's a situation like this, you're going to review it, you're going to look at what occurred, you're going to look at all issues. And if there are improvements that need to be made, they will be made.
But I personally saw people here at the White House, security personnel, working to evacuate people or move people to more secure locations, or tell people to stay where they were, if that was the more appropriate action to take and safer action to take.
I appreciate your concerns. This was one of the first things I asked yesterday, and I'm sure that all these issues will be looked into.
Q I have one more question. When we walked out of this door yesterday, when those of us who heard that there was a situation, when we walked out of the door, we heard aircraft, jets overhead. There is a concern that that plane came closer to the White House than the White House said, more -- it came within the three-mile radius, it was closer than you --
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, I said that it came within three miles.
Q Okay, but you said three miles. How close --
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, it came within three miles.
Q How close was it?
MR. McCLELLAN: I don't have --
Q How close was it? Because someone has taken a picture of a plane being escorted on K street. How close was the plane?
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, I mean, if the Department of Homeland Security or FFA has any additional information, I'm sure --
Q Scott, how close was it?
MR. McCLELLAN: April, it was within --
Q You know how close it was. Please tell us.
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, within three miles. I don't know beyond that. Go ahead.
Q Could you be a little more specific --
MR. McCLELLAN: And I appreciate your concerns, April. I know you work here. And that's why I was asking questions about how things occurred here --
Q Not just us, but -- that door was shut, that door was closed, and we called back to find out who -- the people -- to tell people in the press office, the people who were left downstairs, that door was shut and locked.
and this...
MR. McCLELLAN: To answer your question, I was just getting ready to address exactly what you're bringing up. The protocols that were put in place after September 11th include protocols for that, as well. And there are protocols there. They're classified. But they do not require presidential authority. But you have to look at each individual situation and circumstance. But it was important that we put such protocols in place after September 11th. That was one of the many measures we have taken to better protect the American people.
Q They don't require presidential authority, but they don't obviate the need for presidential authority, do they? They don't say the President cannot be involved --
MR. McCLELLAN: Like I said, that depends on --
Q -- wouldn't he want to be involved --
MR. McCLELLAN: It depends on the circumstances and it depends on the situation.
Q And wasn't there a possibility that a plane headed for the White House, that this was the leading edge of some broader attack, isn't the President concerned that maybe he should have been alerted to the fact that this could have been the beginning of a general attack?
MR. McCLELLAN: That was not the case, and I think the Department of Defense yesterday indicated that they didn't sense any hostile intent on the part of the plane, so again --
Q How did they know -- how did they know this plane wasn't laden with WMD or some other type of weapons like that? Did they get reassurances from the pilot? Or how did they know that?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, again, if you want to give me a chance to respond, I'll be glad to. The protocols were followed. This situation, as you're well aware, turned out to be an accident. The Department of Defense pointed out yesterday that they didn't sense any hostile intent on the part of the plane. There were fighter jets scrambled. There was a Blackhawk helicopter scrambled, as well, to get in contact with the plane. Once the flare was fired and the warning was sent to the plane, the plane realized -- the pilot realized that they were in the wrong place and turned away. And the plane was escorted safely to the ground where the pilots were questioned. And it was determined that they were just in the wrong place and it shouldn't have been that way.
Q So if it was assessed that there was no hostile intent on the part of this aircraft, can you tell us why 30,000 people -- 35,000 people were told to run for their lives?
MR. McCLELLAN: Because of the protocols that are in place, John. We want to make sure that the people in the area of the threat are protected. After --
Q But what was the threat? You just said there was no threat.
Transcript here:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/05/20050512-2.html
Update [2005-5-13 20:24:41 by jaysea]: Just a comment on my title. While "My Pet Goat" seems more familiar, I believe the actual title of the book is "The Pet Goat" from Reading Mastery - Level 2 Storybook 1 by Siegfried Engelmann, Elaine C. Bruner
Click here for a website that has text and a few pictures:
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