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1. As Commander-in-Chief on the morning of 9/11, why didn’t you return immediately to Washington, D.C. or the National Military Command Center once you became aware that America was under attack? At specifically what time did you become aware that America was under attack? Who informed you of this fact?
Bush: I did not want to scare the children at the Booker School.
I saw the first plane hit the WTC at about 8..
Cheney: No, you first heard about it from Condoleeza, remember?
Bush: Oh. Yeah. Right.
2. On the morning of 9/11, who was in charge of our country while you were away from the National Military Command Center? Were you informed or consulted about all decisions made in your absence?
Bush: He (Cheney)was. No. I was. As far as I know, I was consulted on everything. Right, Dick?
3. What defensive action did you personally order to protect our nation during the crisis on September 11th? What time were these orders given, and to whom? What orders were carried out? What was the result of such orders? Were any such orders not carried out?
Bush: Well, I personally flew to Omaha. To protect my ass. As far as the WTC, I thought it was just a stupid pilot, so why do anything. Who thought they would ever use airplanes as weapons?
Cheney: Actually, I was running an attack simulation on the morning of 9/11 where terrorists would fly airplanes into buildings. But it was a secret exercise. He didn't know about it.
4. In your opinion, why was our nation so utterly unprepared for an attack on our own soil?
Bush: Well...
Cheney: It was Clinton's fault. He was just swatting flies.
5. U.S. Navy Captain Deborah Loewer, the Director of the White House Situation Room, informed you of the first airliner hitting Tower One of the World Trade Center before you entered the Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida. Please explain the reason why you decided to continue with the scheduled classroom visit, fifteen minutes after learning the first hijacked airliner had hit the World Trade Center.
Bush: As I said, I didn't want to scare the kids. Besides, it was such a great photo-op. All those black faces.
6. Is it normal procedure for the Director of the White House Situation Room to travel with you? If so, please cite any prior examples of when this occurred. If not normal procedure, please explain the circumstances that led to the Director of the White House Situation Room being asked to accompany you to Florida during the week of September 11th.
Bush: That was just a coincidence. She has family in Florida.
7. What plan of action caused you to remain seated after Andrew Card informed you that a second airliner had hit the second tower of the World Trade Center and America was clearly under attack? Approximately how long did you remain in the classroom after Card’s message?
Bush: No plan. Just rapid reaction on my part to take advantage of the situation. I don't get out to schools that often, you know.
I sat in the room for 2-3 minutes.
Cheney: No, it was 20, Mr. President. Time flies when you're having fun.
8. At what time were you made aware that other planes were hijacked in addition to Flight 11 and Flight 175? Who notified you? What was your course of action as Commander-in-Chief of the United States?
Bush:I think I heard it from Andrew Card. Or Condoleeza. Or was it Karen? Maybe Dick. I don't recall.
Cheney: He heard it from all of us.
9. Beginning with the transition period between the Clinton administration and your own, and ending on 9/11/01, specifically what information (either verbal or written) about terrorists, possible attacks and targets, did you receive from any source?
This would include briefings or communications from
• Out-going Clinton officials
• CIA, FBI, NSA, DoD and other intelligence agencies
• Foreign intelligence, governments, dignitaries or envoys
• National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice
• Richard Clarke, former counterterrorism czar
Bush: Well, we heard from Sandy Berger that we had to keep our eyes open. And we did. Tenet gave us PDB's. Clarke also warned us. So did Israel and maybe Egypt. We had many meetings on terrorism. At least two that I recall.
10. Specifically, what did you learn from the August 6, 2001, PDB about the terrorist threat that was facing our nation? Did you request any follow-up action to take place? Did you request any further report be developed and/or prepared?
Bush: Well, Tenet said we were in grave danger. So I went on vacation for a month.
11. As Commander-in-Chief, from May 1, 2001 until September 11, 2001, did you receive any information from any intelligence agency official or agent that UBL was planning to attack this nation on its own soil using airplanes as weapons, targeting New York City landmarks during the week of September 11, 2001 or on the actual day of September 11, 2001?
Bush: If I received any information that they would have attacked the WTC at 8:45am on 9/11, I would have acted to protect our country.
Cheney: We had no specific information.
12. What defensive measures did you take in response to pre-9/11 warnings from eleven nations about a terrorist attack, many of which cited an attack in the continental United States? Did you prepare any directives in response to these actions? If so, with what results?
Bush: Well, Jeb Bush declared martial law. Did you know that? And Ashcroft was told not to fly commercial. And, of course, several investors took defensive measures and purchased airline puts a few days before.
13. As Commander-in-Chief from May 1, 2001 until September 11, 2001, did you or any agent of the United States government carry out any negotiations or talks with UBL, an agent of UBL, or al-Qaeda? During that same period, did you or any agent of the United States government carry out any negotiations or talks with any foreign government, its agents, or officials regarding UBL? If so, what resulted?
Cheney: I'll answer that. We were negotiating with the Taliban and gave them $43 million in May 2001 to fight the drug traffickers.
14. Your schedule for September 11, 2001 was in the public domain since September 7, 2001. The Emma E. Booker School is only five miles from the Bradenton Airport, so you, and therefore the children in the classroom, might have been a target for the terrorists on 9/11. What was the intention of the Secret Service in allowing you to remain in the Emma E. Booker Elementary School, even though they were aware America was under attack?
Bush: They were told beforehand that nothing was so critical that the photo-op would be interrupted.
15. Please explain why you remained at the Sarasota, Florida, Elementary School for a press conference after you had finished listening to the children read, when as a terrorist target, your presence potentially jeopardized the lives of the children?
Bush: Because I wanted to calm Americans by letting them know I was on top of the situation.
16. What was the purpose of the several stops of Air Force One on September 11th? Was Air Force One at any time during the day of September 11th a target of the terrorists? Was Air Force One’s code ever breached on September 11th?
Bush: We had to check our defensive installations. And Air Force One was a target.
Cheney: Correction. It turned out otherwise. They never had the codes. But we did not know this at the time.
17. Was there a reason for Air Force One lifting off without a military escort, even after ample time had elapsed to allow military jets to arrive?
Bush: We told everyone to stand-down.
Cheney: No, no we didn't. Just the escort. Air Force One had to get out quickly. Breakfast in Louisiana was being served.
18. What prompted your refusal to release the information regarding foreign sponsorship of the terrorists, as illustrated in the inaccessible 28 redacted pages in the Joint Intelligence Committee Inquiry Report? What actions have you personally taken since 9/11 to thwart foreign sponsorship of terrorism?
Bush: You know, this is classified. It involves sensitive relationships with the Saudis. To thwart foreign sponsorship of terrorism, we went to war in Iraq. Saddam is gone.
19. Who approved the flight of the bin Laden family out of the United States when all commercial flights were grounded, when there was time for only minimal questioning by the FBI, and especially, when two of those same individuals had links to WAMY, a charity suspected of funding terrorism? Why were bin Laden family members granted that special privilege—a privilege not available to American families whose loved ones were killed on 9/11?
Bush: They were in grave danger. As to who gave the order to let them fly out...
Cheney: Check with Rumsfeld or Rice.
20. Please explain why no one in any level of our government has yet been held accountable for the countless failures leading up to and on 9/11?
Bush: Well, we have already stated that it was Clinton's fault.
21. Please comment on the fact that UBL’s profile on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives poster does not include the 9/11 attacks. To your knowledge, when was the last time any agent of our government had contact with UBL? If prior to 9/11, specifically what was the date of that contact and what was the context of said meeting.
Cheney: I have heard rumors that our people met with him in Dubai in July 2001. These are just rumors.
22. Do you continue to maintain that Saddam Hussein was linked to al Qaeda? What proof do you have of any connection between al-Qaeda and the Hussein regime?
Cheney: Well, we have no proof. But it seems logical that there was a tie.
23. Which individuals, governments, agencies, institutions, or groups may have benefited from the attacks of 9/11? Please state specifically how you think they have benefited.
Bush: Well, I hit the Trifecta that day. My ratings went through the roof. We got our war in Iraq. The Patriot Act was passed. The Democrats became wimps. Our agenda was jump-started.
Cheney: And don't forget those Cipro contracts. And my boys at Halliburton did just fine.
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