Former White House spokesman Ari Fleischer sent out a series of tweets Thursday detailing what took place 13 years ago on the day of the September 11 attacks.
“It just somehow feels fitting to share what I know,
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
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
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
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
Terrorism against our nation will not stand.
And now, if you'd join me in a moment of silence.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014
We boarded the motorcade and drove [fast] to Air Force One, planning for a return to Washington, D.C.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014
9:37 American Airlines Flight 77 crashes into the Pentagon.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014
POTUS is told of attack on the Pentagon by either the Secret Service in the front of the limo, or by Condi on the phone. I don't remember.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014
9:45 We boarded Air Force One. I was in my seat for the takeoff and then spent most of the rest of the day in the President's cabin.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014
FOne Capt. Mark Tillman told me 10 yrs later that we took off at unusually steep ascent bcause he had a report of a sniper at end of runway.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014
Colonel Tillman also told the media years later that the control tower told him that an unidentified plane was descending toward AFOne.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014
in the President's cabin, I was busy taking notes. He was mostly on the phone with the VP, SecDef Rumsfeld, Gov Pataki and Mayor Giuliani.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014
Maddeningly, the phone connecting the Pres. to the bunker under the WH (PEOC – Presidential Emergency Operations Center) kept cutting out.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014
9:59 The South Tower of the World Trade Center collapses.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014
The TVs aboard AFOne could only pick up signals as we flew over land areas with good signals. The transmissions kept coming in and out.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014
After 9/11, we recognized that the technology needed a major upgrade. In terms of communications, AFOne today is unlike how it was on 9/11.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014
(1/2) Bush to VP: "We're at war…We're going to take care of this. When we find out who did this, they're not going 2like me as President."
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014
(2/2) Bush to VP (cont): "Sombody's going to pay."
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014
Around 10:20: Bush authorized military to go to Def Con 3, the highest level of military alert since the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2014
Ari Fleischer will be updated his twitter account throughout the day. To view the latest tweets visit: twitter.com/AriFleischer
