Excerpt from Hastert's book

[Cocoa]

Denny tells the guy to calm down, then hangs up on him. Does that compassion come from teaching or coaching?


http://www.dailyherald.com/cook/main_story.asp?intID=38203334

<snip>

There was no time to contemplate what was happening. Vice President Cheney would soon be calling the secure phone in my office, I was told. Anyone who has used a secure phone can tell you they do not work very well — and this time was no different. So when I saw a light blinking on my regular phone, I picked up the receiver.

“I can’t get a hold of Jeb Bush, I can’t get a hold of the president, I can’t get a hold of Colin Powell. All this stuff is happening. What are you guys doing?” the caller asked.

“Who is this?” I asked the man who clearly was not the vice president.

“I’m just a citizen. Who is this?” the caller demanded.

“This is the Speaker of the House,” I said. “Just calm down.”

I hung up the phone. It was then that I looked out my office window and saw a dark cloud of smoke rising over the National Mall.

more...

[Bluebear]

1. Riveting! I laughed! I cried! I zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[KharmaTrain]

2. It's Done? I Heard He Hadn't Finished Coloring It Yet...

Is it subtitled: Gym Teacher to Bull Shitter?

[LisaM]

3. There are so many things wrong with that excerpt...

1) They thought that just a small plane or helicopter had hit the WTC, yet they all gathered around to watch on television

2) Someone called and said, "I'm just a citizen". Would you say that if you inexplicably got transferred to the Speaker of the House on the hotline. And why would "just a citizen" be trying to reach Jeb Bush?

3) After he realized the Pentagon had been hit, he called the chaplain and tried to force the entire Congress to meet to say a prayer? (This CANNOT be true.)

4) His musings were on the War of 1812?

I'm sorry, but I don't buy any of it, none, and this is just an excerpt?

[Cocoa]

5. it's a strange combination

boring, and at the same time, nonsensical.

[Canuckistanian]

4. How did 'just a citizen' manage to call the Speaker of the House

on a secure phone in his office?