The British Airways Flap

In the other faux scandal of the week, it turns out that the fine Air Force Officers who pilot Air Force One did actually hear someone question whether or not they had seen Air Force One.

“NATS has now concluded its investigations and can confirm that a conversation between the crew of an aircraft belonging to a non-U.K. operator and its control center took place around 9:30 GMT, on Thursday, the 27th of November, 2003.

“The pilot of the aircraft asked whether the aircraft behind it was Air Force One. After consulting the flight plan of those aircraft in the sector at that time, the center responded that the aircraft was a Gulfstream V. NATS notes reports that U.S. officials have said that for security reasons, Air Force One had filed a flight plan which stated that the service would operated by a Gulfstream V.”

Now will the left please stop calling Colonel Tillman and the other Air Force Officers who pilot Air Force One liars? I really think the left flank of the political sphere has lost their damned minds.

At any rate, the whole transcript from today’s press briefing is below. Watch how many times reporters try to get the White House to admit they were liars because they didn’t tell the pre4ss where the President was going. The sad state of the media and journalism…

Relevant portions of the Press Briefing:

Q Scott, you promised us more information about the Air Force One sighting. Was it a British Airways plane?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, I’m actually — I’m going to give you a copy of a release that was put out by the National Air Traffic Services, which is the London-area control center. Let me just read that to you first, and then I’ll be glad to get into any follow-up you have.

“NATS has now concluded its investigations and can confirm that a conversation between the crew of an aircraft belonging to a non-U.K. operator and its control center took place around 9:30 GMT, on Thursday, the 27th of November, 2003.

“The pilot of the aircraft asked whether the aircraft behind it was Air Force One. After consulting the flight plan of those aircraft in the sector at that time, the center responded that the aircraft was a Gulfstream V. NATS notes reports that U.S. officials have said that for security reasons, Air Force One had filed a flight plan which stated that the service would operated by a Gulfstream V.”

So as they pointed out, it was a non-U.K. operator. What Colonel Tillman and the pilots on board Air Force One believed at the time when they heard the conversation was that it was a British Airways plane, because there had been a British Airways plane that had been in the vicinity of Air Force One on the way across. And Colonel Tillman — and, in fact, they knew it was there because they had been using the call sign that British Airways uses when they communicate with the control center. Colonel Tillman and the pilots then heard the conversation, and to them the conversation sounded like it was coming from a pilot with a British accent. And so that’s why they had concluded that it was a British Airways plane.

Q Scott, the conversation itself was as it was relayed?

MR. McCLELLAN: That’s correct. I think that that was in here. Go ahead, Norah.

Q Why then did the White House, repeatedly, in two different versions, tell reporters that it was British Airways? How could the White House be so wrong?

MR. McCLELLAN: For the reasons I told you. Colonel Tillman and the pilots in the cockpit believed that it was British Airways for the reasons I just stated. And what we always try to do for you all in the press corps is to provide you a little color of important events, because we believe that’s helpful to you for your stories, and to do your reporting to the American people. And so we reported it based on what we knew, and the conversation did take place. It was heard by the pilots on Air Force One. That was relayed to White House staff, and it was shared with you all in the media to help you keep the American people informed about what was a very important event.

Q And just finally, do you think, though, that this third revision of this story now, takes some of the shine off the President’s surprise visit to the troops?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, first of all, no, absolutely not. The President was pleased to go and visit our men and women in the military who are serving and sacrificing and defending freedom and making the world a safer and better place. And he was honored to be there and spend Thanksgiving with those men and women who are in Baghdad.

The second point I was going to make is that, again, this conversation was relayed to you all to help you all have a little more color for your stories and to keep the American people informed about an important event that occurred over the Thanksgiving weekend.

Q Scott, so — let me just ask you a question. The other day you were saying that Tillman said — or at least Dan Bartlett said that Tillman said he heard the call sign, Speed Bird.

MR. McCLELLAN: That’s correct.

Q Which is the designator for British Airways. You’re now saying he didn’t hear that? He just heard a British accent?

MR. McCLELLAN: No, that’s what I — in fact, that’s what I — if you listened to what I said at the beginning, there was a British Airways flight that was in the vicinity of Air Force One as it was crossing over for a good portion of that flight. And they were using the call sign, Speed Bird.

Q Oh, but he just heard another plane and thought that it was the same plane, is that what —

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, again, Colonel Tillman and the pilots in the cockpit of Air Force One heard the communications because they were off the western coast of England at the time, and heard the conversation between a pilot of the plane and the control center. And the pilot of the plane, to them, it sounded like he had — that the pilot had a British accent. And so they — from all the other things I told you — believed that it was a British Airways flight.

Q Just one more follow-up here. So you said that the announcement from the National Air Traffic Services says that Air Force One had filed a flight plan that identified it —

MR. McCLELLAN: I’ll be sure — I’ll be sure and give you a copy of this.

Q What is the legality of filing —

MR. McCLELLAN: Give you a copy of this.

Q What are the legalities of —

MR. McCLELLAN: Give you a copy of this release.

Q What are the legalities of filing a fraudulent flight plan?

MR. McCLELLAN: John, I think that the American people understand the security arrangements that are made in a circumstance like this. The American people understand the importance of not compromising security, not only for the President of the United States, but for those on board the plane, and those on the ground, as well. These are unusual circumstances. The President was pleased to go into Baghdad and pay tribute to our troops for their service and sacrifice, and show them that the American people stand fully behind them and support them in their efforts.

Q Scott?

MR. McCLELLAN: Go ahead, Dana.

Q Scott, totally different subject, but it is about the air —

MR. McCLELLAN: Are we off this subject?

Q Can I ask one quick follow-up?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, go ahead.

Q So the White House has no compunctions about having misled the American people on this trip?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, first of all, one, I was not there, but I’ve gone and gathered the facts. And I’m not sure that — again, Colonel Tillman and the pilots on board the Air Force One —

Q Any facts surrounding —

MR. McCLELLAN: — are people that relayed this information to White House staff. And for very good reason, they believed it was a British Airways flight, for the reason I stated.

Q No, I’m not talking about the —

MR. McCLELLAN: But now that we know more information, we made an attempt to get you all that information as quickly as possible. And that’s what we always do.

Q I’m talking about having misled the public in thinking the President was at the ranch. In other words, that there’s a level of trust that has been eroded.

MR. McCLELLAN: Look, I understand, and I appreciate the question you’re asking. But I think that the American people fully understand the security arrangements that were made so that the President of the United States could go and thank our troops in person, on Thanksgiving, during a very special moment for them, while they were celebrating Thanksgiving Day.

Q Scott, is the White House planning —

MR. McCLELLAN: You have one more on this?

Q Yes, actually.

MR. McCLELLAN: No, go ahead. I’ll come back to you, Dana.

Q So did the President then — I mean, he made a decision that it was worth telling a white lie to accomplish this policy goal — or a political goal.

MR. McCLELLAN: I don’t know exactly what you’re referring — I don’t think we viewed it that way. We kept the trip a secret because of the security demands. And I think the American people fully understand that.

Q He has decided that —

MR. McCLELLAN: I appreciate you asking the question, but I take exception with the premise of the question that you’re asking. I strongly do, that the President of the United States — that those security arrangements, and that the steps we went to, to make sure he could go there and that nobody’s security would be compromised.

Q No, he decided all of that was worth it, all of the security arrangements and the cover story and everything, was worth it for this particular goal, which was —

MR. McCLELLAN: Absolutely, his trip to go visit the troops in Baghdad on Thanksgiving was worth it. Absolutely.

Q Were there political considerations, too, that it would be a good — it would help build support for the mission?

MR. McCLELLAN: He is the Commander-in-Chief. He has to make difficult decisions on behalf of the country and making the country and the world a better and safer place. And, as Commander-in-Chief, he took this responsibility very seriously, and he was pleased to go there and spend Thanksgiving dinner with some of our troops in Baghdad, and to express the gratitude of the nation for all that they’re doing to make America more secure.