President Obama spends four whole hours tomorrow in New Orleans, site of what the UCBerkeley ILIT report calls "the greatest man-made engineering disaster since Chernobyl," the "man" in question being the federal government's Army Corps of Engineers. Four hours.
By contrast, when he departs NOLA, he goes to San Francisco. Here's his schedule there:
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of Media Affairs
For Immediate Release
October 13, 2009
President Obama to Visit San Francisco
WASHINGTON – On Thursday, October 15, 2009, President Barack Obama will arrive in San Francisco, CA. On Friday, October 16, President Obama will depart San Francisco.
Details of the President’s open press arrival and departure are below. The airport arrival and departure are closed to the public.
Media that wish to cover the arrival should RSVP online HERE
Media that wish to cover the departure should RSVP online HERE
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Air Force One Arrival in San Francisco
NOTE: The airport arrival is closed to the public.
San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco, CA
Arrival Time: 5:20 p.m. PDT
Media Access: 2:00 p.m. PDT
ALL media must arrive no later than 2:00 p.m. in order to be swept and escorted onto the tarmac.
Media Entrance: San Francisco City College
Airport Campus Parking Lot
San Francisco International Airport
North Access Road, Building 928
Live Truck Parking: Live trucks will meet at Bldg. 928 for security sweep and be escorted onto tarmac with all other press covering arrival. Live trucks will park behind press riser on the tarmac.
Throw: 150ft
Cable run: 200ft
Media Coverage: The event is open to the press. To RSVP please go to: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/MediaRSVPAF1ArriveSF10-15-09/ and enter your information prior to 9:00 a.m. PDT / 12:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, October 14.
Contact for logistical and planning purposes only: Tollef Biggs, tollef@mac.com or 415-939-1266.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Air Force One Departure from San Francisco
NOTE: The airport arrival is closed to the public.
San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco, CA
Departure Time: 9:30 a.m. PDT
Media Access: 7:00 a.m. PDT
ALL media must arrive no later than 7:00 a.m. in order to be swept and escorted onto the tarmac.
Media Entrance: San Francisco City College
Airport Campus Parking Lot
San Francisco International Airport
North Access Road, Building 928
Live Truck Parking: Live trucks will meet at Bldg. 928 for security sweep and be escorted onto tarmac with all other press covering departure. Live trucks will park behind press riser on the tarmac.
Throw: 150ft
Cable run: 200ft
Media Coverage: The event is open to the press. To RSVP please go to: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/MediaRSVPAF1DepartSF10-16-09/ and enter your information prior to 9:00 a.m. PDT / 12:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, October 14.
Contact for logistical and planning purposes only: Tollef Biggs, tollef@mac.com or 415-939-1266.
###
Total elapsed time in SF: sixteen hours. They must have experienced a hell of a federal disaster there. Four times worse, you figure?
UPDATE: Here, courtesy of the Times-Picayune, are some other New Orleanians' suggestions on what a longer itinerary might contain.