I experienced a small bit of Nine Eleven when I watched the smoke from the Pentagon and when I ran out of the Capitol a few minutes later.  So yesterday, I froze when I saw pictures of an Air Force One type plane flying low over Manhattan.

If you weren't in New York or Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2001, you might have a hard time wondering why people self-evacuated and fled high rise buildings in New York and New Jersey as they saw a big plane flying low with an F-16 fighter jet behind it.

The plane was actually one of President Obama's official planes - in other words, if he was on it - it would be referred to as Air Force One.

What was it doing?  It was part of a military photo-op that was using the Statue of Liberty and the New York skyline as a backdrop for the Presidential air fleet.

And did I mention the F-16 fighter jet flying behind that big plane?

The Mayor of New York city said he was "furious" about the public not being informed before it happened.

I can certainly understand why. I get antsy anytime I see a plane that seems out of place in the skies above Washington to this day.

So who authorized this? The guy in charge of Air Force One and White House military operations, Louis Caldera, a former Secretary of the Army.

"Last week, I approved a mission over New York. I take responsibility for that decision," Caldera said in a written statement issued by the White House.

"While federal authorities took the proper steps to notify state and local authorities in New York and New Jersey, it's clear that the mission created confusion and disruption. I apologize and take responsibility for any distress that flight caused," Caldera added.

Well, he at least gets points for taking the fall in public.

Not long after that, an anonymous source told the Associated Press that when President Obama was informed of the incident, Mr. Obama was "furious."

I would love to be in that meeting.

But let's think of something else. During this time of huge government budget deficits, what exactly is the White House doing flying an Air Force One 747 up to Manhattan to get some good photographs?

How much do you think that cost?

"Who was the genius who thought that was a good idea?" asked a friend of mine who does radio in Manhattan.

One thing you can always count on is someone doing something odd in Washington, D.C. That's why being a reporter here never gets old.