But the other question that needs answering is: at a time of great financial crisis, combined with the largest federal budget in history, why is money being wasted on stupid, unnecessary extravagances like this?

The same question was brought up at the dinner table last night. Couldn’t we just photoshop the plane into the NYC background? Also why is the photo opportunity “classified.” Is this an incredibly expensive picture of Air Force One that we aren’t even allowed to see?