Voter Political Blog

There’s certainly enough coverage about the inaguration all over the mainstream media, so I won’t bother writing even more about it here.  I did however, find this story warming.  Obama personally invited the pilot and his family to the inaguration who safely landed the plane last week in the Hudson saving all aboard from what could have been a spectacular tragedy.

I’m sure some cynics will simply jump on this as a PR stunt, but I would argue that Obama hardly needs PR at this time, his numbers are extremely high, and because of this and like gestures he’s made throughout his run for presidency and the days going into it is exactly why.

—

President-elect Barack Obama has personally invited the Bay Area pilot who safely landed an airplane in the Hudson River in New York after it hit a flock of birds Thursday to his inauguration in Washington, D.C., this week, the mayor of Danville said today.

Capt. Chesley Sullenberger III will be joined by his family in the nation’s capital as guests at the inauguration Tuesday. The pilot’s wife, Lori Sullenberger, is flying to the East Coast with her daughters today to meet with the pilot of US Airways Flight 1549, Danville Mayor Newell Arnerich said.

“They are just overwhelmed beyond belief. It’s extraordinary for them,” Arnerich said. “Lori and their daughters want to see their dad. It is a pretty important thing for them to physically hug and hold him.”

Since the events of last Thursday have settled in everyone has been talking about what a hero Sullenberger is, but it could have gone the other way and the family realizes that, Arnerich said.

“Just the emotional impact of seeing the plane hit the water draws out a lot of emotion,” he said.

more story