Bush's inaction and deception about 9/11

[PhillyKev 0]

Long article on front page of the WSJ today (no link). The commission investigating the gov't response immediately following the 9/11 attacks has released some info. Final findings due out in 7/04. A few points from the article:

Bush has stated on two separate occasions that he saw the first plane hit the first tower when he was waiting to go into the classroom to speak to the children and that because of his prior piloting experience thought, "Wow, what a bad pilot."

IN FACT - Images of the first plane hitting the towers were not broadcast until that evening. And the principal of the school said the TV outside the classroom was not even hooked up.

Bush has stated that he gave the command to scramble fighters immediately after leaving the classroom.

IN FACT: The order to scramble fighters came from the commander of the Joint Chiefs, who gave that order himself with no direction from the president. After the plane hit the pentagon, he went to the pentagon and gave the order from there about 20 minutes later.

Bush has stated that he activated an emergency response plan in reaction to the attacks from Air Force 1 on his way to Nebraska.

IN FACT: The president gave no such order. The FBI activated the plan, and lower level agencies had already begun following it prior to the order based on the Responst to Terrorist Attack Contingency Plan which was created in the 90's due to an executive order issued by Bill Clinton.

IN FACT: A white house aid at the time has testified that Bush gave no orders or directives regarding emergency response to the attacks until 3 days later.

Considering the cornerstone of his re-election campaign is him touting his strong and decisive leadership immediately following the attacks, I don't think he has much of a leg to stand on.

[lawrocket 3]

Heck. I remember Peter Jennings going on and on about Bush's lack of presence anywhere and about how odd it is that the President has not spoken or done anything and won't even tell people where he is.

Bush's recollection is no different from Clinton's memory of church burnings as a child. I held it against Clinton, and I'll hold it against Bush.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[diver123 0]

Why is it odd that the president would not want public record of his exact whereabouts during an emergency situation like this where the country was being attacked by terrorists? Isn't there a contingency during emergency situations to secure and shelter high ranking government officials, which certainly includes the president of the united states, to ensure the continued operation of the government??? I'll have to look it up, but I'm about 99% certain. Regardless, I doubt very seriously in the fact that Peter Jennings was present with the President during that period of time, so for him to state in a "matter of fact" type perspective that the President has not done anything would be inaccurate at best and heresay at worst.

"pull high! It's lower than you think..."

[PhillyKev 0]

Read the article. He was jetting around on Air Force One because they thought there were threats to the white house and to Air Force One itself based on rumor, inuendo and speculation. Basically, he was running around like a chicken with its head cut off, doing nothing productive except trying to protect himself from non-specific rumors. And it's not like he can't hold conferences and issue commands from Air Force One...that's what it's designed for.

[billvon 2,396]

>Why is it odd that the president would not want public record of his
> exact whereabouts during an emergency situation like this where the
> country was being attacked by terrorists?

There is such a record, at least of the first five minutes after he was told the nation was under attack, here.

[kallend 1,623]

This is interesting

www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=express&s=lizza032304

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.