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Former White House Senior Advisor Karl Rove recounts 9/11/01 and President Bush’s initial response.
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When you got back to Washington.
What was say it must've been a completely but you said the procedure getting on the plane was totally different dating back to Washington.
What what changed what was different.
Well it changes came before we even got an abortion around Washington there's a thing called the national capital airspace and even before 9/11.
There were specific procedures for aircraft coming in and out of the -- national capitol airspace.
You -- sort of over West Virginia.
Now earlier in the day we had fighter cover that you very rarely saw you only sought if we were turning in you might catch it quick glimpse of a very high above -- a very low below us the very rarely -- you see it.
Well as we are making the transition into the national capitol airspace.
Happen to be looking out the left side of the craft and up forward an F sixteen fighter and took -- station.
At the wingtip and Air Force One.
And one of my colleagues came running up the hallway.
Rather excited say look at that look at that future camera take a picture of it and I went back into the president's cabin -- my briefcase was.
Give my camera out and there was a that's sixteen part to the wing tip of on the right side of the craft.
And we talked excitedly for a few moments about what -- you know how how cool this was and then it dawned on us that this was not some ceremonial escort.
This would these two pilots -- -- on the black -- in their job was to be the last line and transfer I have for Air Force One.
In if something got through the outer defenses missile craft whatever they're jobless put their flatter between that threaten Air Force One so we got so we're pretty quick.
We came a new Andrews Air Force Base not like the normal arrival you know you'd normally -- -- competitors which is in this suburbs of Maryland suburbs abortion.
Become in like a normal aircraft you're making a gentle descent into the runway.
That day we came in like this.
And I remember sitting across of the president I'm literally looking down at him.
And and try to remain give calm and cool and collected as we just sort of -- to the ground in the last minute colonel Tillman.
The pilot Air Force One pulls out the plane and pancakes and on at around one.
When they got on a Marine One.
Now they're actually three marine ones that -- -- -- the president flies there are multiple choppers that fly their Green helicopters will be quite tough sometimes they call white toppers.
And they they take off of the same time one of the one of the craft Marine One has the president on the others have staff for others are generally nobody else is on their except to cruise.
And if they they they fly about their 60812100.
Feet in a nice story aerial ballet and make their way gently into Washington.
And then at the last minute just before they approach the White House the other choppers break off in air and Marine One land saw him on on the South Lawn of the White House.
That day we did rise up to 60812100.
Feet we got about five feet off the runway at Andrews.
And began to make our way pick -- way off of the base by flying down the fairways and Anders golf course.
And we got to the fence line.
They just turn those choppers lose and they when it maximum speed of treetop level.
I remember looking out of the craft -- one point and looking up to see apartments.
On my right in on my left to see houses and I was looking -- -- -- because we are in a -- at one point it looked like we're gonna go under a bridge.
And at the last minute compiled pull it up and over but we were going to treetop level.
That the craft was eerily quiet nobody said a word.
We came over the last -- ridge line that separated.
Maryland -- the Potomac River and we came down over 295 if they're being cars on the freeway we would have been -- their windows.
It we made our way through Bolling air force base by we've been through the buildings on the base.
And it looks like the pilot was gonna -- -- into the Potomac River we Rada.
Of course it was strictly east to west.
But at the last minute.
He made a hard right to take a straight north into the White House and when He did the Pentagon came into view in this is about.
I -- 6 o'clock in the evening or thereabouts and -- still smoke pouring out of the Pentagon.
And we cross through it it was there was porn at the Pentagon in a column.
-- was -- from west to east and as we've broken to the north we went through the column of smoke.
And the president broke the silence by pointing out the window and -- take a look.
You're looking at the face a war on the 21 century.
And with that we came in over the mall.
It run off the ground and output over the trees cells of the White House and on the White House grounds it's a bit fishy if you look back -- Ten years ago.
Would you have done something different.
You know it's hard to say because.
You -- if there's a fog of war even at 3 o'clock in the afternoon when we are office.
3 o'clock eastern they were still convinced that there were aircraft inbound over the Atlantic without there.
You know not squawking their transmitters were not squawking and -- scrambling fighters to intercept these planes.
Early in the day the president received a phone call.
And I can only hear one side of the conversation.
He listened intently for a few moments and said yes.
And then list a few moments Warne said yes you have my authorization.
Was a few moments more cents thanks hung up.
Andy card -- -- there -- sit I've just given authorization for the military to shoot down any inbound aircraft on under the command of its crew.
And I remember being so shocked by the -- of his tone and the enormity of the order that He had just given.
But I can't remember exactly what He said next but He.
He He talked quietly about how we would hate to be the pilot who receive such an order having been -- young fighter pilot himself.
That's the kind of day it was so it's.
You know you can look back and say you should we've said this or that or should you've gotten up and down the rumors should we've demanded this sure that I should He -- -- today was the day that it was and you know I think He acted appropriately and correctly in the country began to see the steel and determination that it saw many times in the months that well you know if it did it change the country changed presidency.
Karl Rove thank you very much.
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