Obamabow's Plane Buzzes New York: Why?

An Air Force One lookalike, the backup plane for the one regularly used by the Obamabow, buzzed New York and New Jersey this morning, accompanied by two F-16 fighters. The excuse, after the fact, and not fully informing residents, was that Air Force photographers could take pictures high above the New York harbor. If you do not get the impression that this regime is a joke I do not know what it takes. Is the point just to scare people? Get their private jollies? Laugh at people? I just do not get this regime at all.