The Obama administration prides itself on its technological savvy, but it’s clear that the folks in the White House public relations office are in urgent need of a tutorial in basic computer skills. Forget photo op. This crowd needs to learn Photoshop.
The same administration that has demonized what it sees as private-sector excesses dispatched the presidential airplane, with accompanying fighter jets, to New York on Monday for the sole purpose of photographing Air Force One as it passed over the Statue of Liberty. It’s hard to know what this operation cost taxpayers, but rest assured if Citibank or General Motors attempted any similar gimmick, the White House and its acolytes would bring out pitchforks and demand the heads of CEOs. When the auto companies sent their leaders to Washington on private planes several months ago, at least the planes were actually carrying passengers. That’s more than can be said of Air Force One’s journey to New York on Monday.
Perhaps there has been a demand for stock photos of Air Force One flying over New York Harbor’s best-known landmark. If so, there was a much cheaper and far more sensitive solution. Yes, it’s called Photoshop. If the White House wants to learn more about it, we humbly offer the services of our talented art department. It’s astonishing what you can do with a computer these days!
Aside from the cost, which clearly nobody cared about, did it occur to anybody in the White House that New Yorkers might not react very well to the sight of a passenger plane flying low over the city? If not, this administration needs a sensitivity check. If so, and the photo op took place anyway, somebody should be held accountable.
