The 16th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks is being remembered today, and among those offering a personal account is Ari Fleischer:
https://twitter.com/storm_paglia/status/907238708344225792
Sure, there's other news, but take the time to read his tweets today.
A special perspective.#NeverForget ?? https://t.co/ynp045Y2Xi— Sandy 〽️ (@RightGlockMom) September 11, 2017
I read this thread every year. This will likely be the extent of my social media interaction today: https://t.co/cWBcg0pZ4C
— Becky Kevoian (@BobsFunGirl) September 11, 2017
Riveting series of tweets by former WH Press Secretary on September 11. #MUSTREAD https://t.co/tz15xF2kK3
— Sourav Roy Barman (@Sourav_RB) September 11, 2017
Fascinating stuff. #NeverForget https://t.co/YSlTDxfQbw
— David Salley (@dsalley24) September 11, 2017
Fleischer, who was President George W. Bush’s press secretary on 9/11/01, is again tweeting a captivating firsthand account of the terrorist attacks that day:
Good morning. As I do every year on this day, I will do my best to recall what I saw on September 11, 2001.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
There was no Twitter then. But I will try to re-live history on twitter so others can know details of what happened behind the scenes.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
I woke up probably around or 6:00 (late for the WH, but we weren't scheduled to board the motorcade until after 8:00.)
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
It was a gorgeous day at the Colony Resort in Sarasota, FL. POTUS was scheduled to do an event at a local school to talk about education.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
It was a gorgeous, clear day up and down the east coast. It couldn't have been more beautiful, especially in NYC.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
President Bush started his day with a run. He spotted a reporter, Dick Keil of Bloomberg, who was also a runner, and asked him to join him.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
He then had his CIA briefing. The 2nd Intifata was underway so much of it was focused on the violence in the West Bank in Israel.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
American Airlines flight 11 with 92 people aboard departs Logan Airport for Los Angeles.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
8:14am United Airlines flight 175 with 65 people on board takes off from Boston, also heading for LA.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
Here is the cover of POTUS's schedule. It's called a "mini". It's a detailed, minute by minute logistical guide. It fits in your pocket. pic.twitter.com/tF2Vl0axBU
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
8:20 American Airlines flight 77 takes off from Dulles outside D.C. with 64 people aboard for LA.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
8:30 Motorcade departs our hotel for the Emma E. Booker Elementary School. Here are the vehicle assignments. My car was called "Support" pic.twitter.com/UF7uenBL8f
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
8:41 United Airlines flight 93 with 44 people on board takes off from Newark for San Francisco.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
8:46 Hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 is flown in2 the World Trade Center, killing everyone on board. Hundreds were killed in the tower
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
We pulled into the school and I got a page telling me a plane hit the WTC. Pagers were the fastest forms of instant messaging back then.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
The page was sent to me by Brian Bravo, a young aide in the WH press office. He heard about it bcause a friend in NYC called him.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
There was no more info than that. We didn't know if it was an accident or something else.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
After POTUS shook hands with school officials, Karl Rove told him what happened. POTUS immediately went into a "holding room" to get info.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
Everywhere POTUS goes, the military sets up a secure room w classified phones. I had never seen it used until that morning.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
Pres Bush spoke with Condi Rice. No one knew yet if it was terrorism.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
9:03 United Airlines Flight 175 is flown into the South Tower, killing all on board and hundreds more in the tower.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
Here is a picture of me getting a second page about the second plane. That's how I learned about it. Advance man Mike Heath is next to me. pic.twitter.com/4JR1aHzPJo
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
Chief of Staff Andy Card entered the room, interrupted POTUS, and whispered "A second plane hit the second tower. America is under attack."
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
Chief of Staff Andy Card entered the room, interrupted POTUS, and whispered "A second plane hit the second tower. America is under attack."
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
Michael Moore later made a move sharply critical of Pres. Bush for remaining in the room.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
The President went back into the hold to work the phones, speaking with VP, FBI Director, Condi and others. pic.twitter.com/F9Yi36L131
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
A TV was brought into the room and POTUS watched replays of the planes hitting the towers. pic.twitter.com/2fmA2wB9to
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
Here is more of the scene in the hold. pic.twitter.com/5PAsogArwo
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
9:31 Bush spoke briefly to a gathering of teachers &kids in the gym. The Secret Service wanted to leave. Bush wanted to address the nation.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
Bush called it "an apparent terrorist attack." The press later faulted his remarks, saying he appeared unsteady. https://t.co/t0JdHRst7A
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
9:33 Reagan airport tower calls Secret Service (USSS) 2say "an aircraft is coming at you and not talking to us." That was 1st threat to WH.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
Seconds later, tower told USSS the aircraft was turning south, away from the WH.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
9:35 Bush departs Emma Booker school for Air Force One. USSS asked for triple blockades at intersections. Not just motorcycle units.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
There are always 2 identical limos in the motorcade. USSS played a shell game moving them around so it would be hard 2know which held POTUS.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
9:36 Over DC, American flight 77 turned west and began to circle back. USSS evacuates VP Cheney to the bunker under the WH.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
9:37 American flight 77 crashes into the Pentagon, killing 59 aboard the plane and 125 inside the Pentagon.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
The President was told about the attack on the Pentagon in his limo enroute to Air Force One. I heard about it when I boarded the plane.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
Even though the press had already been cleared by USSS, they and staff had all belongings searched before being let onto AFOne. pic.twitter.com/ajOYxYv3VR
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
Sonya Ross of Associated Press later told Politico that bomb sniffing dogs "were drooling all [over] the luggage." No one objected.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
9:42 The Federal Aviation Administration for the first time in history grounded all flights into, out of, and over the U.S.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
9:45 The Capitol and the WH were evacuated. WH aides were told by USSS to run, not walk. Women were told to take off their heels and run.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
9:45 I boarded AFOne with POTUS and spent much of the day in his cabin. I took verbatim notes of what he did and what he said. pic.twitter.com/XkYMm6PiQA
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
POTUS told his lead USSS agent, Eddie Marinzel, to be sure to get his wife and daughters protected. He didn't have time to call them yet.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
He called VP: "Sounds like we have a minor war going on here. I heard about the Pentagon."
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
Cheney told Bush there were still 3 aircraft missing. We knew 3 hit targets and thought there were still more attacks coming.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
9:59 The South Tower collapses.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
1/2 Bush turns to the staff with him and says, "We're at war. That's what we're paid for boys. We're going to take care of this."
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
2/2 "When we find out who did this, they're not going to like me as President. Somebody's going to pay."
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
We took off at an unusually sharp incline and way faster than normal. AFOne Pilot Mark Tillman later told me there was a report of a sniper.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
It turns out the "sniper" was one of ours. Part of the USSS counter-sniper team. It was one of many false alarms that day.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2017
Fleischer’s tweets are continuing. Follow him here for the whole story.
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