<those who feel he was "running scared" because he reluctantly took security advice and did not return to Washington are missing the point.>
Amen. Some of these talking heads on TV are so DENSE! They cover the White House day after day and yet know nothing of the basic procedures to ensure Presidential succession. The Vice-President explained the situation extremely well on "Meet the Press" on Sunday. It had nothing to do with George W. and EVERYTHING to do with making sure our government is not decapitated by some sneak attack or terrorist plot.
My class was listening on my portable radio to West Virginia Public Radio during much of last Tuesday. When they turned to West Virginia news, they said people up in Elkins (near our Canaan Valley meet site!) were worried about an unidentified, unmarked plane circling the town. The local airport was obviously too small for this large Boeing 707-720 type plane (the latest thing in modern air travel!) and so everyone ASSUMED it was another hijacked plane. The governor ordered the evacuation of the Capitol Complex in Charleston and the WV Air National Guard was notified. The kids were all a-twitter about it, so I had to put in my two cents. "Kids," I said," I may be wrong but I think I know what that is. My guess is that the plane is called "Looking Glass" (explained on a cable channel a couple years back) and it is a airborne command post." I walked to the map on the wall showing WV and the neighboring states."In time of a national emergency this plane gets in the air and has the capability to provide the President with communication and control of all our strategic forces. Now here is Washington..." (point to map) and here is West Virginia straight to the west...see all this green area? National Forest land....the Dolly Sods Wilderness area....many miles away from any high population areas. And what little town lies right in the middle of all that? Elkins! If your old teacher were a betting man, that is what I would guess."
The story appeared in the paper the next day. When state officials first inquired of the FAA about the plane that day, they were told not to worry about it, "it was on official business". Later in the day the folks in Charleston were given a bit more detail..."it was a flying command post".
Now my point is this. If a country school teacher that watches the History/Discovery/Learning Channel knows what it is....what is wrong with this picture?
Ditto the President "running scared".....give me a break. This is one reason why a couple of those soon-to-be-dead terrorists boasted at a Florida bar that "American blood will flow tomorrow!" without a bit of fear of blowing a carefully planned multi-year plot. They probably judged us by some of our politicians and our newscasters....
