The official review of the infamous Air Force One buzzing of New York City reveals just how much of a snafu this was. If I'm reading this right, Louis Caldera essentially abdicated control over the decisionmaking process that led to the flyover.
In the report, the White House said Caldera, who had been traveling with President Obama when the flyover plans were initially discussed, did not remember a conversation in which his deputy, George Mulligan, informed him of the flyover.
Caldera did not open an e-mail about final plans for the flyover until after it had happened, the report said, noting Caldera had been suffering from severe muscle spasms and had left the office early on several days.
Although recommendations by several parties involved in the flyover had been made that White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs and Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina be informed of the plans, the report said, that job was left to Caldera, who did not pass the information along.
Staggering, staggering incompetence. Caldera's behavior sounds like something you'd expect from the Bush administration.
The full report,available from WCBS-TV in New York, says that planning for the flyover began in March 2009--plenty of time to advise local officials in enough time that the public could be informed. But as we know now, the FAA ordered the flight kept secret under penalty of sanctions.
According to the report, Caldera was not aware of an April 3 meeting to discuss logistical issues related to the flyover. It also reveals that when Scott Turner, commander of the Presidential Airlift Group, never directly emailed Caldera with details of the flight despite the unusual nature of the flight and the high coordination it entailed. Seems to me that given these factors and the possibility of unpleasant reminders of 9/11, Caldera would have insisted on being kept more abreast.
All being told, this definitely sounds like something that could come back to haunt Caldera if he ever wants another job--in the public or private sector.