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Bush Press Secretary Ari Fleischer Tweets Fascinating 9/11 Timeline

By Patricia Didelot
Published on: 10:55 PST, Sep 11, 2014

Former President Bush’s Press Secretary, Ari Fleischer took to Twitter to recount a riveting timeline of the 9/11 events. As one of the few people who almost never left the President’s side on that fateful day, Fleischer has very intimate details on what was happening as the world was glued to their televisions watching the tragedy unfold in New York City, Washington, D.C. and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

On September 11, 2001, President Bush was visiting the Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida, when news of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center broke. We have all seen the moment when White House Chief of Staff “Andy” Card whispers the terrible news to the President.

Now thanks to Ari Fleischer, who served as Bush’s Press Secretary from January 20, 2001 to July 15, 2003, we have an inside look at what it was like for the President of the United States the day the country was attacked by terrorists.

Here is how Fleischer recounts some of the events of 9/11/2001. We pick up the tweets when Card informed the President of the second plane crashing into the Towers.

Fleischer recounts President Bush’s impromptu speech at the school, acknowledging the attacks and promising that those responsible would be brought to justice.

Fleischer tweets that Air Force One landed in Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana to refuel and decide which steps to follow. When the entourage landed, there was no motorcade and very few Secret Service agents. The base commander hosted Bush in his office, while the White House staff worked on converting a room so the President could address the nation.

Before leaving Barksdale, Bush addressed the nation. Fleischer observes that he appeared nervous, which resulted in the press criticizing him for it. Before departing the base, Card decided that the staff and only three reporters (there’s usually more about 15) should continue on Air Force One.

Bush, Ari Fleischer and the rest of the staff eventually made it back to Washington, D.C. that tragic night, and the President addressed the nation from the Oval Office in the White House. With the rubble in New York City and the Pentagon still smoldering, the Commander in Chief reassured the American people that justice would be done. View the complete account at Ari Fleischer’s Twitter account.

[Image via Reuters]

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