White House Evacuation Procedures

[Arcadiac]

  RUN AWAY!!   RUN AWAY!! 
Brought to you by the Monty Python's Homeland Security Service.

ARCADIAC!

 

[Crazy Cooter]

I thought it was funny that the "top officials were sent to the bunkers..."

What about the little guys?  Nobody likes the little guys.

[nostrebor]

RUN AWAY!!   RUN AWAY!! 
Brought to you by the Monty Python's Homeland Security Service.

ARCADIAC!

 

 

[Dartful Dodger]

I expected this kind of nonsense when Clinton was president.  I would have hoped Bush's people would have just shot that plane down.

[Stingray]

I expected this kind of nonsense when Clinton was president.  I would have hoped Bush's people would have just shot that plane down.

I certainly hope this is a joke. In any case I'll bet that Cesna pilot made a poopie in his pants when he saw those blackhawks.

-S

[mr.Curmudgeon]

I expected this kind of nonsense when Clinton was president.  I would have hoped Bush's people would have just shot that plane down.

Naw. What's even more amazing is why didn't Bush shoot it down himself, with his super-magic laser eye rays? Your hero worship of this administration is seriously disturbing.

[JB]

I expected this kind of nonsense when Clinton was president.  I would have hoped Bush's people would have just shot that plane down.

Naw. What's even more amazing is why didn't Bush shoot it down himself, with his super-magic laser eye rays?

That would've been AWESOME!

[danny_galaga]

tell ya what. when i was learning to fly i used to stray into restricted areas all the time. im sure glad i wasnt living in washington!

[Dartful Dodger]

tell ya what. when i was learning to fly i used to stray into restricted areas all the time. im sure glad i wasnt living in washington!

Try buzzing the royal castle, or whatever your king lives in.  I'm curious as to how forgiving your government will be. 

Since most of you seem to have forgotten, a plane was flown into the white house, two planes were flown into the Wolrd Trade Center and another into the Pentagon.

If one idiot needs to be shot down to save 3000 people, so be it.

[danny_galaga]

thats actually happened before. a guy buzzed buckingham palace. they just waited for him to land (he had a paraglider and coincidentally was from my home town) and then arrested him.

[DrewKaree]

I certainly hope this is a joke. In any case I'll bet that Cesna pilot made a poopie in his pants when he saw those blackhawks.

I've heard there are two "restricted zones".  One gets you an audience with Flight Control when you wander into it.  The other one, after no radio contact or, like in this situation, you turn around and then seconds/minutes later, turned around again and went heading back in the same direction that was getting you in trouble.....that one gets fighter planes scrambled, and failure to respond gets a few shots fired in your general direction.

Danny, before 9-11, this wouldn't have been treated like this.  Hopefully you aren't flying around near the White House.  I'd hate to see you on the news and they don't even highlight the fact that "he was an evil genius....he even went so far as to build his own sit-down arcade machine....also known as a "cocktail" by collectors/fanatics of the hobby"

[Arcadiac]

I expected this kind of nonsense when Clinton was president.

[Dexter]

Once he stays off his Segway, y'know, the thing with the gyroscope that is almost impossible to lose your balance on.....

 

[mr.Curmudgeon]

Thank God though we can always count on FOX to be "Fair and Balanced" when it comes to this sort of news:



"During Fox News' coverage of the Capitol and White House evacuations on May 11, the channel's "Fox News Alert" banner twice read "RNC headquarters evacuated," referring to the Republican National Committee. Other messages that appeared on the banner included: "White House and Capitol evacuated," "U.S fighter jets over White House," "Capitol Building evacuation ordered," and "Fighter jets tracking small plane 3 miles from Capitol." Fox's alert banner did not note that the Democratic National Committee headquarters was also evacuated."

LOL. Losers.

mrC

[mr.Curmudgeon]

Bush was too busy riding his bicycle, you know, the one with the playing cards in the spokes.    VROOM!! VROOM!!  HaHa, what a maroon!

ARCADIAC!

OMG. I thought you were kidding...but you're *NOT*!!   

"Q Scott, yesterday the White House was on red alert, was evacuated. The First Lady and Nancy Reagan were taken to a secure location. The Vice President was evacuated from the grounds. The Capitol building was evacuated. The continuity of government plan was initiated. And yet, the President wasn't told of yesterday's events until after he finished his bike ride, about 36 minutes after the all-clear had been sent. Is he satisfied with the fact that he wasn't notified about this?

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?"



So apparently, after 9-11...it's not part of PROTOCOL to immediately warn the commander-in-chief that the capitol has just been evacuated?

Do they ever tell Bush ANYTHING? Or do they just let he "clear brush" and ride bikes all day?


mrC

[ChadTower]

Didn't a guy land a small plane on the White House lawn a few years back?

I don't see how they could really have shot that plane down unless they HAD to, seeing as how it's over an urban area when it approaches the White House.

Fox News is anything but fair and balanced, but at least it presents a viewpoint different than other outlets.  I can't read Fox myself, it's too far Right for me.

[mr.Curmudgeon]

Fox News is anything but fair and balanced, but at least it presents a viewpoint different than other outlets.

Biggest myth EVER. But I guess if they say something often enough and loud enough, people will believe it -- no matter how untrue it is.

The other news outlets are just slightly less biased than FOX. The sad truth is that, for as much as Republicans whine about the "liberal media", the entire industry is already in their pocket. There is no "liberal media", only "Corporate Media" and it is in their best interest to placate the party in power.

If you cared enough to actually research this claim you made, you'd see what I'm saying.

I can't read Fox myself, it's too far Right for me.

I know what you mean. I've got a copy of the "Communist Manifesto" that I still haven't made it through. Seems a little too "leftist" for my liking. 


mrC

[ChadTower]

If you cared enough to actually research this claim you made, you'd see what I'm saying.

I have done.  The outlets I frequent, that is the outlets that are specific to my location, are pretty damn left.  Not much I could do about it given that they are the only local outlets to me.

[mr.Curmudgeon]

I have done.  The outlets I frequent, that is the outlets that are specific to my location, are pretty damn left.  Not much I could do about it given that they are the only local outlets to me.

Oh. We're talking about two different animals then. I'm speaking of national news outlets, and 24-hour cable news channels. Which, with their corporate kow-towing and right-wing bias, are a much more serious threat in damaging this country.

As for your local dilemma, you live in a Blue State, get over it or move to Texas! 

Honestly though, I don't care for bias in any form. I'd LOVE for the media to actually do it's job and report real objective facts. I can always find my own partisan op-ed's when I need them. That said, I prefer to do all of my research/reading online. Much easier to get several sides to the story.

mrC

[mr.Curmudgeon]

Back to the topic at hand.

Here's the transcript from the latest press conference regarding this Plane incident:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/05/20050512-2.html

Sounds like, "The Pet Goat : Part 2" since, on one hand you have the WH saying the President wasn't informed of the incident because it wasn't deemed threatening enough, but on the other hand they actually ran *screaming* into the Capitol building and evacuated 35,000 people from the surrounding area.

So which is it, a threat or not a threat? Was Bush deliberately kept out of the loop? Did he REQUEST to be left out of the loop?

The fact no one informed him that HIS WIFE had been whisked to a bunker, the vice president was moved to a safe location and the government's emergency plan launched, is completely unacceptable.

How successful can the War on Terror be if we can't even keep Georgy Boy in the loop here at home?

mrC

[DrewKaree]

"Q Scott, yesterday the White House was on red alert, was evacuated. The First Lady and Nancy Reagan were taken to a secure location. The Vice President was evacuated from the grounds. The Capitol building was evacuated. The continuity of government plan was initiated. And yet, the President wasn't told of yesterday's events until after he finished his bike ride, about 36 minutes after the all-clear had been sent. Is he satisfied with the fact that he wasn't notified about this?

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?"

So a plan previously set up for exactly this instance was put in motion.  Hmmm, evidently stuff like this has been thought about.  I wonder if they have different plans based on various scenarios too.

So apparently, after 9-11...it's not part of PROTOCOL to immediately warn the commander-in-chief that the capitol has just been evacuated?

Thankfully you aren't required to be in the know as to what exactly the decision making process is.  They have people far more qualified to do these things, even if you think all hell should break loose and Bush should be informed immediately.  Hey, they alerted him when the second plane hit.  Guess those decision makers have a better handle on it than you. 

Do they ever tell Bush ANYTHING? Or do they just let he "clear brush" and ride bikes all day?

No, they let him read books to classrooms.  AND they tell him stuff like this.  Please, let us all know what you wanted Bush to do about this single plane that was being dealt with by people he put in place to do just these types of things.

You've GOT to have some piece of sage opinion about what you feel Bush should have done and why he should have been told the second this happened, yes?

Should he have "unleashed hell" on this student pilot?  Armed the nukes?

[ChadTower]

It's also entirely possible that different people, responsible for different parts of the plan, had different opinions on what needed to be done in what order.  He's posting as if they are all of the same mind same thought at the same time all the time.

[mr.Curmudgeon]

You've GOT to have some piece of sage opinion about what you feel Bush should have done and why he should have been told the second this happened, yes?

ROFL. 'Cuz, as DD is sure to remind us once again...he's the mutha' <<lovin' - edited by saint>>' War Presnit, dive-bombin' cheerleader in chief!!

35,000 people evacuated (including his wife and Vice President) and he never knew. Explain to me  why we even need George W. Bush if you're comfortable with everyone else making decisions for him?


mrC

[mr.Curmudgeon]

It's also entirely possible that different people, responsible for different parts of the plan, had different opinions on what needed to be done in what order.  He's posting as if they are all of the same mind same thought at the same time all the time.

Uh, we *are* talking about protocol now. Join us! Opinions should not be part of protocol.

My problem is, after 9-11 (which "changed everything"!!!!!!) why is it part of the protocol to keep the President out of the loop when the Capitol is evacuated? For any reason...

mrC

[DrewKaree]

If he wasn't there to put those people in place, you wouldn't have those people making those decisions.  There isn't a leader in the world that is worth his salt that doesn't delegate jobs and decisions to people, and then trusts them to do the job he thought them capable of doing in the first place.  Micromanaging from the Oval Office may seem like a good idea to you, but I'm confident that he's got the right people in the right places, regardless of your view that "they're running the country for him". 


You missed a few answers.  Perhaps you didn't want to read further down.  Lemme help:

Please, let us all know what you wanted Bush to do about this single plane that was being dealt with by people he put in place to do just these types of things.

You've GOT to have some piece of sage opinion about what you feel Bush should have done and why he should have been told the second this happened, yes?

Should he have "unleashed hell" on this student pilot?  Armed the nukes?

[ChadTower]

Uh, we *are* talking about protocol now. Join us! Opinions should not be part of protocol.

My problem is, after 9-11 (which "changed everything"!!!!!!) why is it part of the protocol to keep the President out of the loop when the Capitol is evacuated? For any reason...

The protocol could easily call for decisions to be made based on the proximity of the threat to key personnel.

[DrewKaree]

The abridged version for you:

Please, let us all know what you wanted Bush to do about this single plane that was being dealt with by people he put in place to do just these types of things.

You've GOT to have some piece of sage opinion about what you feel Bush should have done and why he should have been told the second this happened, yes?

Should he have "unleashed hell" on this student pilot?  Armed the nukes?






Give us your solution.  Since you feel criticism is warranted yet again, tell us what YOU want done differently, and why.

[mr.Curmudgeon]

You missed a few answers.  Perhaps you didn't want to read further down.  Lemme help:

Didn't miss them, they just beg the question. The people he appointed to take care of this situation handled it by evacuating 35,000 people but not inform him. You don't find that disturbing?

Anyhow, you are completely missing my point (as usual). It's this:

This latest episode, which you remarkably use to somehow exemplify how much leadership Bush employs, to me, is just another example of how completely inept, disinterested, disconnected and utterly useless "W" is.

[DrewKaree]

So you have no solution....no "plan" you'd like to see in place.  No answers for what you think should have been done.

Those people you speak of disparigingly for not alerting him to this - is that all you want done?  Them to make a phone call or have the Secret Service give him their earpiece to let him know what was happening?

Is that your solution?  I'm asking because that's all you've offered.

[DrewKaree]

Anyhow, you are completely missing my point (as usual). It's this:

This latest episode, which you remarkably use to somehow exemplify how much leadership Bush employs, to me, is just another example of how completely inept

He can ride a bicycle.  Clearly something you never thought he could do.  He's more "ept" than you wish to give him credit for

disinterested

Haven't seen a President other than Reagan who thought the FAA wasn't doing their job and they personally had to monitor the radars

disconnected

If he's on his bike, you're right, how will he ever monitor the radars? 

utterly useless "W" is

Well, hiring people who can handle the minute details always seemed to be something Presidents throughout time have done so they won't have to worry about whether or not someone in Lowell thinks they should be doing more than was expected of any other President.

[SOAPboy]

White House Evacuation

Was a Joke

[DrewKaree]

There must be a doozy of a reply coming from MrC.

I can imagine it now....hunched over the keyboard, feverishly pecking away, a sinister cackle escaping now and again, perspiration dotting his forehead, wheeling around and yelling at the someday-wife for interrupting his thought process.


I'll just assume you don't have an answer, and I'll personally write a letter to the White House telling them to make sure to call George whenever ANYTHING happens.  That seems to be the criteria.  ANYTHING.  Doesn't matter if he's out jogging and has stopped at a McDonald's, he's GOT to start appearing as if every waking moment he is only concentrating on being President.....no jogging shorts, no T-shirt, suit and tie, the whole nine yards, EVERY minute, since there's a guy in Lowell who is holding him to some standards.

Cripes, you'd think the guy went wakeboarding while we were at war or something

[mr.Curmudgeon]

He can ride a bicycle.

[mr.Curmudgeon]

There must be a doozy of a reply coming from MrC.

I can imagine it now....hunched over the keyboard, feverishly pecking away, a sinister cackle escaping now and again, perspiration dotting his forehead, wheeling around and yelling at the someday-wife for interrupting his thought process.

Not quite as exciting (even though I do get a sinister cackle when Bush is exposed for the ineffectual, completely distant figure-head that he is)...I was leaving work earlier, and I just got home to respond.

Trust me, though, when I say...I would have posted from the road if I coulda'.

mrC

[rohan]

.

[DrewKaree]

As we speak I'm loading up the RNC website and I'm going to donate my cell phone so they can make that phone call you so desparately wish they'd have made. 

I've solved your problem with this.  Crisis averted.

Good solution.  Call him no matter what happens.  Keep giving us more nuggets like this to print out and show the kids.  Be sure to drop the next nugget on us when it comes to you.  I'll hold my breath until then.....wait, no I won't.  If I pass out, I might miss the next "solution" you give us that will help avert another crisis like this one.

And you say only conservatives scream "the sky is falling"...you're just a big fat kidder, aren't you? 

[mr.Curmudgeon]

I'll just assume you don't have an answer, and I'll personally write a letter to the White House telling them to make sure to call George whenever ANYTHING happens.

[DrewKaree]

You know, at one point, Clinton was on the phone with a Senator, trying to get bills passed while he was getting a hummer....THAT'S a real leader!!!

1)  Call Bush
2)  Get Bush a hummer

Check.  Gotcha.  Keep 'em comin'.  Nuggets.  Pure Gold, I tells ya!  Next thing ya know, you'll have a list of 10 things that you think are solutions to this problem. 

Hey, did you at least send in your resume to the administration?  With tips like this, you'd be a shoo-in for a top security position.

[mr.Curmudgeon]

1)

[ChadTower]

For the sake of America, give a president 15 minutes of privacy for his hummers.  Clinton didn't take his hummer seriously enough.

[fredster]

MrC,

If Clinton were in he'd have shot it down.  Remember Waco?  Those guys weren't even within 3 miles of Washington.

Bush fell off his bike 2 times?  Wow.  How many times have you fallen off your bike?  Do you have a mountain bike?  Maybe you should get one.  I bet you are putting on some pounds setting behind the keyboard.  Being into computer programming kinda puts the pounds on doesn't it?

even though I do get a sinister cackle when Bush is exposed for the ineffectual, completely distant figure-head that he is

Sure.  This is why your side keeps losing. They totally underestimate the President.  It makes them feel better somehow that this "ineffectual" person has beaten them in two elections and continues to extend his influence with every passing day.  I don't understand how such an "ineffectual" person could be besting all the left's brain children.

How does that happen?

Probably because he delegates.  Like he delegates security to the people in charge of security. You know, he doesn't worry about the security of the capitol because he actually has made sure the right people are in place to take care of these things.

Nor have I seen one who ignored 52 different warnings about possible terrorist attacks from the very same agency (FAA).

You don't know that. You don't know what Clinton or the former president Bush or even Ronald Reagan ignored do you? 

What you know is that you don't like Bush. And from the weak responses you are dishing out, that's about all you really know.

You know that you can slam your keyboard and make you feel better about being on the losing side.

 It's okay. MrC. It's okay. The sky is not falling.

[JCL]

The president wasn't informed about a serious threat to the White House that basically shut down that branch of government? And his wife was one of those threatened? If my wife was in that situation, I'd like to know even if I were bicycling.

Seems wacky to me, but you Bush apologists live in an alternate reality where Iraq was a real threat to the US, while Osama Bin Laden is no big deal. You guys live in a world where a totally busted federal budget isn't a big deal, while a potential problem with social security 20 years from now is critical You live in a place where outing CIA agents is no big deal unless the other side does it. You think it fine that a gay pornographer can get into the White House for press conferences as long as he feeds the president softball questions. And on and on.


When are you guys going to join the real world?

[ChadTower]

When are you guys going to join the real world?

When the real world stops trying to force us to subsidize it.

[Dexter]

This is why your side keeps losing. They totally underestimate the President.

[mr.Curmudgeon]

Sure.

[fredster]

MrC, you are a Bush fanatic.

I don't care if Bush knew the second it happened or not.  My guess is that they didn't think it was a threat. Maybe he found out when he needed to find out?  Did that ever occur to you?  So freaking what?  Was there any use in him knowing the very second something pops up on the radar?  I didn't know about it until I turned on the news in the evening.

I get tired of seeing a whole line of cheap shots against the President. I really do. It is so meaningless.   Like "bush presided over the greatest attack on america" (or whatever).  If I want to make it correct you could say that "Bush's administration presided over the worst attack on american soil second only to Clinton's Oklahoma City Bombing, etc..

I don't like some things the Bush administration is doing.  I disagree totally with the border situation.  I don't think there has been enough done with the enron folks.  I think there should be more of a conservation policy for energy. 

Are you on a "side" or what?  Do you like protesting for the sake of it? 

What do you know what's best for the country? I like the direction most of this is taking.  I don't think the president has a whole hell of a lot to do with the economy except with Tax policy. 

I like the government to keep the hell out of my personal business and deal with the borders, the military, and the roads. I think they get paid too much and I think it's too big to manage right now. 

I have no idea what you think.  I can't make it out between the Bush ranting.  Bush isn't the only person in the government is he?
The sky didn't fall when he was re-elected.  The world didn't end.

It's not about winning.  It's the fact that the conservatives are getting stronger and the liberals are getting weaker.  It should be telling you something.  It should be telling you that you should listen and understand the basis of the argument.  That this "side" is large and represents most of the people.  To make an effect, you have to address things up front and not just insult, minimize, and otherwise ignore their point of view.

I told you before, if you want Bush's weak side, then attack illegal immigration.  It's his weakest point in his base.

That's an important issue. The fact that Bush wasn't informed by a flashing amber alert sign when he was biking about a small plane that strayed into the area is trivial.

When Bush needs to act, he acts. 

What a person thinks is best for the country depends on who you are.  Apparently, you don't think so.  Me, I like most of it.

[AceTKK]

Yes, I find it completely and totally dumbfounding that Bush was not informed.  If my WIFE and closest colleagues were in fear for their lives and nobody bothered to tell me I would be furious. 

There are only two explanations: either Bush has made it clear that he doesn't want to be apprised of threats to the nation's (and his family's) security, or the people actually making the tough decisions don't feel that Bush's input is necessary and valuable.  Either situation is unacceptable for the leader of our nation.

-Ace-

[mr.Curmudgeon]

When Bush needs to act, he acts.

[ChadTower]

MrC, you are a Bush fanatic.

Correction. ANTI-Bush fanatic.

Same thing!  You spend more than a reasonable amount of energy thinking about Bush... same coin, different side.

[mr.Curmudgeon]

You spend more than a reasonable amount of energy thinking about Bush...

That I do. Both kinds.

[ChadTower]

Or you'll spend all your time ranting about the Mormon in the White House... 

[fredster]

There are only two explanations:

Right. ONLY TWO. Yep, you must know all about the interal federal security system.  Tell us more about how you arrived at ONLY TWO explaniations there Plato.

Lets see if I can totally speculate (without any clue whatsoever) about ONLY TWO possible outcomes:

1) Bush Knew - He would have finished his bike ride because he knew the situation was being taken care of under the security protocols.
2) Bush didn't know - He would have finished his bike ride.

The final effect - Bush didn't have to shoot down the plane.

And Mr. C, W will be out of the White house after his term is over.  If they couldn't get Clinton out, they can't get anybody out.