National Defense? Never heard of it...

[Irish Cannon]

May 29, 2009
Categories: White House

In which the president discovers an American intelligence agency at Five Guys

On his trip to get a burger with Brian Williams at Five Guys this afternoon, the President appears to have learned of the existence of a Defense Department intelligence arm, the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, from an agency employee also at the burger restaurant.

"So explain to me exactly what this National Geospatial..." Obama said, after the worker mentioned his employer, according to a video of the event.

"We work with, uh, satellite imagery," the worker, Walter replied.

A POLITICO reader caught the exchange, which starts around 5:45 on this C-SPAN video.

The transcript:

Obama: What do you do Walter?
Walter: I work at, uh, NGA, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
Obama: Outstanding, how long you been doing that?
Walter: About six years
Obama: Yea?
Walter: Yes.
Obama: You like it?
Walter: I do, keeps me...
Obama: So explain to me exactly what this National Geospatial...uh...
Walter: Uh, we work with, uh, satellite imagery..
Obama: Right
Walter: [unintelligible] ...support systems, so...
Obama: Sounds like good work.
Walter: Enjoy the weekend.
Obama: Appreciate it.

According to the Defense Department:

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is a Department of Defense combat support agency and a member of the national Intelligence Community (IC). NGA develops imagery and map-based intelligence solutions for U.S. national defense, homeland security and safety of navigation.

NGA provides timely, relevant and accurate geospatial intelligence in support of national security objectives. The term "geospatial intelligence" means the exploitation and analysis of imagery and geospatial information to describe, assess and visually depict physical features and geographically referenced activities on the Earth. Geospatial intelligence consists of imagery, imagery intelligence and geospatial (e.g., mapping, charting and geodesy) information.

Guess they're not getting much airtime in the President's Daily Brief.

By Ben Smith 06:49 PM

[bpmartyr]

Lol. What a tool.

[Jayhawkk]

As funny as it is, this is the first i'm hearing of that agency too. Seems they go into detail to explain to readers on what that agency does which further makes me believe that him not knowing isn't anything critical. I'm sure there are a lot of abbreviated agencies that are not 'known' but their information ends up going through those agencies that are.

[Irish Cannon]

As funny as it is, this is the first i'm hearing of that agency too. Seems they go into detail to explain to readers on what that agency does which further makes me believe that him not knowing isn't anything critical. I'm sure there are a lot of abbreviated agencies that are not 'known' but their information ends up going through those agencies that are.

I remember hearing of it, but I don't know much about it. I'm also not the President of the United States.

[RoadBlocK]

Weren't these the bad guys in that Will Smith movie 'enemy of the state' they had cool satellite imaging? Oh wait, no that was the nsa, right? I bet Gene Hackman knows who these guys are regardless! LOL.

[Zero V]

They should run a CAT scan on obama and see if anything is actually on in there. I think he still hasnt provided a birth certificate?

[Nole1]

LOL - I've heard of them, of course I work for the Gov't, but not that agency.