Former White House Secretary Is Live-Tweeting What Went Down On The Day Of 9/11

Here’s an interesting read from the Twitter account of former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer, who was with George Bush on the morning of 9/11.

A lot of people criticised George Bush for hanging around in that classroom after hearing of the terror attacks, but if you think about it, it’s not exactly an everyday scenario you’d be prepared for, President or not. That’s not to excuse all the fuck ups Bush did make during his administration, of course.

Leave any inside job conspiracy theory drivel in the comments if you like.

It’s a long read, but worth checking out on a day like today:

8:40am, 9-11, 2001: I was in the motorcade 4 the drive from the Colony Beach & Tennis Resort in Sarasota, FL 2the Emma Booker Elem. School.

– Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014

8:46 Flight 11 crashes into the North Tower. The motorcade was a few minutes away from arriving at the school. – Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014

Approx 8:50: I got a page on my pager (we didn’t have blackberries then and the iPhone hadn’t been invented) telling me a plane hit the WTC.

– Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014

As soon as I got the page, I hussled out of my car 2tell the Pres. He was shaking hands with school officials – none of whom knew the news. – Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014

After the President finished shaking hands, Karl Rove informed him of what we thought had to be an “accident.”

– Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014

9:00 POTUS goes into a holding room and calls Condi. He instructs her 2make resources avail to help NY, still thinking it was an accident. – Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014

After the call, POTUS goes into the classroom and starts reading a book to the kids. The press is in the back of the room.

– Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014

I suspect by now most people are watching TV, watching events unfold. I was in the classroom with the President watching the reading event. – Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014

9:03 United Flight 175 crashes into the South Tower.

– Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014

9:05 WH Chief of Staff Andy Card interrupts the Pres to whisper in his hear – the second tower has been hit. “America is under attack.” – Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014

Just before Andy walked in, I got a 2nd page saying the 2nd tower had been hit. I knew instantly it had to be terrorism.

– Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014

The Pres. was going to address the press re the “accident”. Given the news re the 2nd tower, I didn’t think he should address the press yet. – Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014

I wrote on back of a legal pad “DON’T SAY ANYTHING YET”. I wanted him 2b briefed b4 talking. I put my back to the press & held up the sign.

– Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014

The President continued the reading event for several more minutes. Years later, Michael Moore criticized Bush for not leaving immediately. – Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014

Bush said later he stayed 2collect his thoughts and send a signal of calm. He said he didn’t want 2bolt from his chair and alarm the nation.

– Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014

POTUS left the event and went into the holding room 2get briefed/ work the phones. Here is a picture of the scene. pic.twitter.com/ZztLy2plSl – Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014

I started 2take notes of what Bush was saying and doing. I have some 6 pages of notes on a legal pad. The originals are in a bank vault now.

– Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014

Someone wheeled a TV into the holding room. Here’s the scene: pic.twitter.com/x9A3RTQykd – Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014

I found this picture on the web. It looks like a student who was in the room with Bush, many years later. pic.twitter.com/qxNuvkZf7o

– Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014

9:30 Bush addressed a group in the gym that expected 2hear remarks on education. Few people there knew of the attack. No twitter back then. – Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014

Here’s what Bush said: Today, we’ve had a national tragedy.

– Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014

Two airplanes have crashed into the World Trade Center in an apparent terrorist attack on our country. I have spoken to the vice president, – Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014

to the governor of New York, to the director of the FBI, and I’ve ordered that the full resources of the federal government go to help…

– Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014

…the victims and their families and to conduct a full-scale investigation to hunt down and to find those folks who committed this act. – Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014