Why Did Marine One Abruptly Change Its Flight Plan Today?

A not so funny thing happened to President Barack Obama on his way to Camp David today. Normally, presidents take the Marine One helicopter to the Maryland mountain getaway. Obama's trip started on Marine One, then made a detour to Frederick, Maryland. The prez, his daughter, and others in the presidential entourage were met there by a motorcade, which completed the trip to Camp David.

The initial official reason for the abrupt change just didn't wash. The military cited poor weather conditions, a plainly false assertion on a sunny, relatively windless afternoon. Also, the Camp David protocol with the traveling press was entirely ignored. Clearly something was up. However, only CNN initially reported the story, and even that article took some digging to find.

Later versions of the story have cited the interception of a civilian aircraft that had penetrated the restricted Camp David airspace. It's certainly plausible that the Obama itinerary change and the aircraft incident are connected. In the days leading up to the 10th anniversary of the September 11th incidents, one is unsurprised that a sense of uptightness about high-profile security would be manifest in DC. The nearly buried Marine One episode brings that point home.

The photo shows President Obama approaching the Marine One helicopter.