CHAPTER ONE UNDER ATTACK September 11 2001 began as a normal day for President George W Bush He was visiting Sarasota Florida to discuss education programs Bush woke early and took a four-mile 6 4-km run with members of his security staff Then he met with his chief of staff Andrew Card to discuss the day’s schedule The main event would be a visit to Emma E Booker Elementary School Bush planned to read with P r e s i d e n t G e o r g e W B u s h c o o l s d o w n a f t e r a p r e d a w n r u n i n Sarasota Florida on September 11 2001 5
students and then give a speech about education By 8 45 a m the president’s motorcade was on its way to the school Rumors of a Crash Once he arrived Bush received alarming news A plane had crashed into one of the towers of the World Trade Center in New York City The North and South Towers of the World Trade Center were important financial buildings The two towers were each approximately 1,360 feet 415 m high Nearly 35,000 people worked in the buildings Bush knew few details about the crash He thought a tragic accident had occurred Perhaps a pilot had made a mistake The president asked members of his staff to find more information about what happened Bush said they would discuss the crash after the school visit At 9 00 a m Bush entered a classroom at the elementary school He greeted the students and the teacher The children began to read a book to 6
U n i t e d A i r l i n e s F l i g h t 1 7 5 a p p r o a c h e s t h e S o u t h To w e r o f t h e Wo r l d Tr a d e C e n t e r T h e S o u t h To w e r w a s t h e second building hit during the attack the president Meanwhile some members of Bush’s administration rushed to find a television so they could watch what was happening in New York Attack on America The president’s advisers hooked up a television in an empty classroom News reporters were discussing the airplane crash The television showed smoke spewing from the North Tower of the World Trade Center As the president’s staff watched a second plane 7
