Transparency Promised and Lacking from Team Obama

Barack Obama promised to run the most transparent White House in history—disclosing donations, shunning lobbyists, and broadcasting important meetings on C-SPAN. Transition captain John Podesta reiterated the point Tuesday when he said Obama's would be "the most open and transparent transition in history." -Slate, Nov. 12, 2008

Fast forward to May 5th (yesterday) :

The $328,835 snapshots of an Air Force One backup plane buzzing lower Manhattan last week will not be shown to the public, the White House said yesterday. "We have no plans to release them," an aide to President Obama told The Post, refusing to comment further.

A photo op, involving the President's plane, flying by the Stutue of Liberty gets classified and the President won't release the very pictures the taxpayer paid for! What's he afraid of? The panic already ensued by buzzing New York City with a large jet chased by fighters. What could possibly happen?

Michelle Malkin (and perhaps others) went so far as to file a Freedom of Information Act to get the photos and any pertinent emails or correspondence concerning this ill advised flight released to the public. Today, the Obama administration reversed itself, and offered one (1) photo to be released. One??? Out of how many taken? The White House is being less than transparent here.
Ms. Malkin (among others) is not satisfied and is not withdrawing her FOIA request. Good for her! This administration is all about lip service to transparency except for anything to do with this administration!

Were the circumstances surrounding the photo op embarrassing? Yes! As well they should be! It was a bone headed thing to do, scaring the crap out of people like that. But, just because something is embarrassing to government doesn't give the government a right to cover it up. Something Barry Milhous Obama should have learned by now!