On September 11, 2001, President George W. Bush was in Sarasota, Florida, where he was scheduled to visit a local elementary school to promote a new education program. However, just minutes before his arrival, the first plane, American Airlines Flight 11, crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 a.m. As the news spread, the president was informed of the incident, and he was forced to leave the school early.
Meanwhile, another plane, United Airlines Flight 175, crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center at 9:03 a.m. As the attacks continued, President Bush was whisked away to Air Force One, which took off from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport at 9:54 a.m. en route to Washington, D.C.
However, due to concerns about the safety of the White House, the Secret Service diverted the plane to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, where the president addressed the nation. Later, the plane took off again, this time heading to Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, which has a secure underground bunker.
During the flight, Vice President Dick Cheney, who was in the White House bunker, gave the order to shoot down any commercial plane that posed a threat, despite not having the authority to do so. The order was later confirmed by President Bush.
Air Force One finally landed at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, and the president flew to the White House on Marine One, where he addressed the nation from the Oval Office. The day's events marked a significant test of Air Force One's safety capabilities, and although many protocols worked, weaknesses and false reports caused confusion and delays.
In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the media landscape changed dramatically, and the way news is reported and consumed has become increasingly polarized. To navigate this, it's essential to use tools like Ground News, which helps to spot biases and provides a more comprehensive view of the news.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. President Bush left his room at the Colony Beach Resort in Florida at 8:32 a.m. on a sunny morning in 2001.
2. He got into his presidential limousine and headed to a local elementary school.
3. The reason for the visit was to promote a new education program.
4. At 8:46 a.m., Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
5. The news of the event spread rapidly, and by 8:49 a.m., CNN had paused its programming to cover the crash.
6. Other networks, including CNBC, ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX News, also began covering the crash.
7. Within 10 minutes, the eyes of the world were focused on New York City.
8. At the time, there was speculation that the crash might have been an accident.
9. President Bush was informed of the crash while he was at the school.
10. The White House Chief of Staff, Karl Rove, informed the President of the crash just before he went into the school for the event.
11. At 9:03 a.m., United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center.
12. The passengers on Flight 93 heard about the attacks on New York and initiated a revolt against the hijackers.
13. At 10:03 a.m., Flight 93 crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.
14. The revolt on Flight 93 was unsuccessful in saving the passengers, but it did save lives by preventing the hijackers from reaching their destination.
15. President Bush was on Air Force One, heading towards Washington, D.C.
16. The plane was escorted by two fighter jets that had taken off from Joint Reserve Base Ellington.
17. The President ordered the plane to return to Washington, but the Secret Service disagreed due to security concerns.
18. The plane was redirected to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.
19. At 1:48 p.m., Air Force One took off from Barksdale base, heading towards Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska.
20. The base has a US stratcom bunker, an underground compound with advanced communication capabilities.
21. The President and his team gathered in the bunker, where they were briefed on the situation.
22. At 4:36 p.m., the active attacks on the nation seemed to have come to an end, and the security situation allowed the President to take his third flight of the day.
23. Air Force One departed from Offutt Air Force Base, heading towards Joint Base Andrews.
24. The President flew on Marine One to the White House, where he addressed the nation from the Oval Office.
25. The events of September 11, 2001, resulted in the loss of thousands of lives and had a significant impact on the world.