rohit khare kharealumnicaltechedu 60 minutes ii bush interview cbsno president since abraham lincoln seen horrific loss life war american soil president since james madison nearly 200 years ago seen nations capital city successfully attacked one year ago president george w bush thrown first great crisis 21st century presidents story september 11th week america went war 60 minutes ii spent two hours mr bush one air force one another oval office last week even year president still moved sometimes point tears remembers sept 11 knew farther get away sept11 likely around world forget mission mr bush says air force one interview made pledge people im going forget happened sept 11 long im president pursue killers bring justice owe lost lives memories come back sharp clear air force one pelley joined president recent trip across country 60 minutes ii wanted talk spent first hours attack since lyndon johnson sworn air force one airplane central america crisis president bush sept 11 2001 started usual routine dawn president fourmile run 6 moment another man move mohammad atta two hours later mr bush drove elementary school hijackers four planes murdering flight crews turning airliners east motorcade neared school 845 jet engines echoed manhattan atta plunged 767 jumbo jet world trade center tower one thought accident says mr bush thought pilot error thought foolish soul gotten lost made terrible mistake mr bush told first plane sitting class second graders watching reading drill nine united flight 175 exploded second tower sudden realization seemed like terrible mistake coordinated attack back florida classroom press secretary ari fleischer got news pager presidents chiefofstaff andy card stepped second plane hit second tower america attack card told president said words see presidents face saw coming recognition said card recalls think understood going take command commanderinchief president going bushs mind heard news war somebody dared attack us going something mr bush recalls realized unique setting receive message somebody attacked us looking little children sudden war remember noticing press pool press corps beginning get calls seeing look face became evident know world changed mr bush walked classroom set secure phone called vice president pulling phone cord tight spun see attack tv grabbed legal pad quickly wrote first words nation ladies gentlemen difficult moment america said speech today weve national tragedy 930 spoke mr bush didnt know two hijacked jets streaking toward washington vice pesident dick cheney office white house secret service agent ran said sir leave immediately grabbed put hand belt another hand shoulder propelled door office cheney recalls im sure sort levitate hallway move fast wasnt lot time chitchat know vice president says secret service director brian stafford command center ordering roundup top officials first family felt minutes work knew unidentified planes tracking direction says cheney rushed deep white house bunker called presidential emergency operations center built war way national security advisor condoleezza rice called mr bush brief pushed get phone get west wing says rice hurrying phone president said said im coming back said mr president may wise remember stopping briefly call family aunt uncle alabama say im fine tell everybody im fine settling trying deal enormity moment first hours think thing everybodys mind many planes coming capitol evacuated first time ever secret service executed emergency plan ensure presidential line succession agents swept 15 officials stood become president others killed wanted move vice president cheney fearing danger even bunker cheney says heard officials safe decided stay white house matter important emphasize personal dont think personal terms youve got professional job says cheney cheney joined transportation secretary norm mineta remembers hearing faa counting hijacked jets closing capital says mineta someone came said mr vice president theres plane 50 miles came said 10 miles dont know exactly coming low fast american flight 77 938 exploded pentagon first successful attack washington since war 1812 pentagon burned mr bushs limousine sped toward air force one florida moment united flight 93 last hijacked plane taking dead aim washington white house staff west wing cafeteria watching tv press secretary jennifer millerwise crowd order came evacuate sooner walked outside someone secret service yelled women drop heels run drop heels run suddenly gates never open except authorized vehicles opened whole white house flooded recalls florida mr bush boarded air force one overheard telling secret service agent sure get first lady daughters protected 957 air force one thundered runway blasting smoke dust full hrust take communications director dan bartlett board like rocket remembers good ten minutes plane going almost straight moment 56 minutes hit world trade center tower two began falter cascade incomprehensible avalanche steel concrete human lives someone said look remember look looked saw remember cloud dust smoke horror moment recalls rice tv newscast also felt something gut weve lost lot americans eventually would get people felt anger course felt anger bunker cheney trying figure many hijacked planes officials feared could many 11 planes track toward washington discussion begins whether shoot discussed president cheney recalls prepared order aircraft shoot airliners hijacked said yes advice decision says cheney thats sobering moment order combat aircraft shoot civilian aircraft says bush easy decision make given given fact learned commercial aircraft used weapon say easy decision didnt hesitate let put way knew done passengers united flight 93 also knew done fought control sacrificed pennsylvania meadow flight 15 minutes washington clearly terrorists trying take many symbols government could pentagon perhaps capitol perhaps white house people saved us physically saved us psychologically symbolically important way says rice meanwhile tower one weakening stood hour 43 minutes 1029 buckled mirror image collapse twin image went round world reached first lady secure location somewhere washington horrified says thought dear god protect many citizens nightmare 1030 americas largest city devastated military headquarters burning air force one turned west along gulf coast remember sitting right office thinking consequences taken place realizing defining moment history united states says president bush didnt need legal briefs didnt need consultations knew war mr bush says first hours frustrating watched horrifying pictures tv signal breaking calls cheney cutting mr bush says pounded desk shouting inexcusable get vice president trying clear fog war fog war says president information flying directions chief staff card brought reports word camp david hit jet thought targeting mr bushs ranch remember hearing state department might hit white house fire hearing lots different information says card also feared air force one target cheney told president credible threat plane using code name air force one mr bush told aide angel next threat passed presidential pilot colonel mark tillman serious longer time get president home tillman says actually consider everything say everything could intercepted make sure one knows position tillman asked armed guard cockpit door secret service agents doublechecked identity everyone board crew reviewed emergency evacuation plan came warning air traffic control suspect airliner dead ahead coming sarasota one call said airliner nose contact tillman remembers tillman took evasive action pulling plane high normal traffic course washington one thought good idea except president wanted come back washington circumstances impossible secret service national security team clear way air force one come back says bush air force one set course underground command center nebraska back washington presidents closest advisor karen hughes heard threat plane placed call mr bush military operator came back voice sounded shaken said maam im sorry cant reach air force one hughes recalls hughes white house attacks came back place didnt recognize either military maybe secret service dressed black holding machine guns drove never expected see something like nations capital says hughes walked white house one inside knew day didnt want surprise anybody yelled hello two kind swat team members came running running hall guns drawn took location met vice president air force one col tillman problem needed hide visible plane world 747 longer white house didnt want use radio hijackers could listening air traffic control called air traffic control telephone actually didnt tell destination directions heading says tillman basically talked em said ok fine clearance time going fly across united states controllers passed air force one one sector another warning keep route secret ok wheres going one tower radioed another watch second tower responded dont question wheres hes going work watch theres flight plan going put anything ok sir air force one ordered fighter escort air traffic control radioed back air force one got two f16s 10 oclock position staff president us filed along outside hallway presidential cabin looking windows says bartlett president gives signal salute pilot kind tips wing fades backs formation men f16s shane brotherton randy roberts texas air national guard mission secret commander wouldnt tell going said youll know see first clue didnt idea going point says brotherton knew saw trying keep 80mile bubble bubble around air force one wed investigate anything within 80 miles says roberts bush says worried safety people aircraft safety looked airplane saw two f16s wing going pretty good pilot get us know threat air force one part fog war false alarm powerful effect time wondered president sight still running government hadnt appeared attack washington mr bush clearly worried one point overheard saying american people want know dang president staff considered address nation phone instead mr bush ordered air force one land somewhere within 30 minutes could appear tv 1145 landed barksdale air force base louisiana resolve great nation tested make mistake show world pass test god bless bush said nation barksdale barksdale secret service believed situation washington still unsafe plane continued nebraska command center mr bush would secure communications gear needed run government aboard air force one mr bush job press secretary fleischer president asked make sure took everything said think wanted make certain record existed says fleischer fleischers notes capture mr bushs language plain unguarded vice president said war dick going find kick ass another time mr bush said going slaponthewrist crap time president adds remember telling secretary defense said going find mr secretary dick myers named chairman joint chiefs going go get 3 pm air force one touched offutt air force base nebraska mr bush team herded small brick hut gave hint would find bottom stairs us strategic command underground command center built transmit presidents order go nuclear war mr bush walked battle staff watching skies united states many airplanes still landed short briefing mr bush card taken teleconference center connected white house pentagon fbi cia mr bush question cia director george tenent according rice bush asked tenent done rice recalls tenent answered sir believe al qaeda assessment looks like feels like smells like al qaeda evidence would build fbi director robert mueller says essential clue came one hijacked planes crashed flight attendant american flight 11 amy sweeney presence mind call office plane hijacked give seat numbers hijackers first piece hard evidence could go manifest find sitting seats immediately conduct investigation individuals opposed taking passengers plane going process elimination says mueller nebraska white house staff preparing address nation air force bunker president enough decided come back one point said didnt want tinhorn terrorist keeping washington fleischer says verbatim board already thinking issuing ultimatum world time think couple thoughts emerged one youre guilty harbor terrorist knew terrorists like alqaeda liked prey weak government weak people thought came opportunity fashion vast coalition countries would either us terrorists air force one sped east last casualty attack america collapsed one nations worst days wore evening world trade center 2801 killed pentagon 184 pennsylvania 40 altogether 3025 dead anybody would attack america way anybody would take innocent life way anybody whos devious evil bush said recently mr bush would soon see evil face face arriving washington boarded helicopter flew past pentagon way white house time afraid might white house return dont remember thinking whether white house would obliterated recalls think might thought took best shot time us take best shot mr bush arrived back white house nine hours attacks next step address nation karen hughes staff already working speech decided primary tone wanted strike night reassurance remembers hughes show resolve reassure people let know would ok oval office mr bush added words would become known bush doctrine distinction terrorists harbor staff wanted add declaration war mr bush didnt think american people wanted hear night emphatic prepared say desk franklin roosevelt first heard news pearl harbor bush commander chief eighty million americans watching today fellow citizens way life freedom came attack series deliberate deadly terrorist acts said oval office night oval office speech came end bloodiest day american history since civil war walked white house residence night mr bush dictated words white house daily log pearl harbor 21st century took place today think osama bin laden cbswhen sept 12 dawned president bush demanding war plan one white house pentagon could sure president would office eight months hed never tested commanderinchief never asked thought president bush said pentagon brass didnt really knew gon na knew exactly done scott set strategy seek justice find hunt bring justice cabinet room president made clear next deliberate deadly attacks carried yesterday country acts terror acts war said war cabinet al qaeda surprise national security advisor condoleezza rice says administration work plan strike bin ladens organization well sept 11 president said know im tired swatting flies need strategy eliminate guys rice recalls one worst intelligence failures ever cia fbi didnt pick clues attack united states imminent without sense urgency white house strategy president asked came late chief staff andrew card recalls plan mr bush asked literally headed presidents desk think eleventh tenth eleventh september sept 12 war cabinet debating full range options hit hit pentagon worried early hours mr bush would order immediate cruise missile strike kind deterred bin laden past well theres lot nervous nellies pentagon anyway mr bush tells pelley lot people like chatter know appreciate much secretary defense donald rumsfeld early discussed idea making sure called boots ground youre gon na go war youve got ta go war assets president says wanted fight win guerilla war conventional means innovative risky idea proposed cia director george tenent tenent wanted combine american technology intelligence brute force afghan fighters hostile taliban government secretary state colin powell noting cia already developed long relationship afghan resistance called unconventional solution unconventional problem like describe friends powell says ground fourth world army riding horses living tents cia special forces first world air force best world connect president gave 48 hours figure meanwhile mr bush went battlefield day called pentagon mightiest building world onefifth ruins wreckage american flight 77 examined navy investigators mr bush left made point speaking personally team recovering remains first casualties war watch next day sept 13 another warning attack public never heard threats coming constantly one sounded credible large truck bomb headed white house secret service wanted president back bunker wasnt real receptive recommendation remembers brian stafford director secret service ordered hamburger said going stay white house evening thats next day would one longest difficult president friday sept 14 mr bush started day cabinet meeting wept walked surprised applause sat slightly overcome moment recaptured says powell remembers worried president might trouble getting speech national memorial service later morning scribbled little note powell recalls said mr president ive learned years going give emotional speech watch certain words cause start tear looked smiled next break conversation said secretary state told break memorial service broke tension everybody started laughing felt embarrassed first lady laura bush involved planning memorial service says wanted dignified comforting wanted psalms everything read comforting think country needed everyone us needed comforting also stirred mourners resolve rice remember stood sing battle hymn republic says could feel entire congregation could certainly feel stiffen kind spine deep sadness replaced resolve felt still mourning countrymen lost also new purpose avenging happened making certain world eventually going safe kind attack ever next came visit ground zero president prepared encountered couldnt brief couldnt brief anybody ground zero saw mr bush says like ghostly like youre bad dream youre walking dream president found scene powerful particularly men women ground zero began chant usa usa lot bloodlust president recalls people know pointing big old hands saying dont ever forget mr president dont let us scene powerful powerful mr bush tried speak crowd kept shouting cant hear president responded hear hear rest world hears people knocked buildings hear us soon mr bush new york weeks hed posed firemen always stood whenever presidents helicopter landed five men stood president picture dead lost ground zero president arrived sept 14 manhattan papered faces lost families unable believe many vanished instant held onto hope loved ones missing place child comforted grieving mother meeting public never saw president spoke several hundred families convention hall people said hell come dont worry mr president well see soon know loved one hell find place survive underneath rubble well get hand briefed realities job hug cry remember whole time thinking incredibly sad loved ones wont come one little boy handed president picture father firefighter uniform signed mr bush remembers told boy daddy wont believe show autograph effort provide little hope president recalls still get emotional thinking dealing people loved dads loved mom loved theirwives loved husbands tough time know tough time us emotional emotional times felt felt sad still feel sad grieve families tears see opportunity president supposed families 30 minutes stayed two half hours met arlene howard body son george among first found ground zero called police department howard remembers said hadnt called roll call call back hour said dont need call back hadnt called knew george howard rescued children trapped elevator back 1993 world trade center bombed duty day duty sept 11 couldnt stay away police department gave badge mother gave president president leaned talk howard recalls extends sympathy thats asked id like present georges shield honor men women killed end day mr bush flew camp david visibly drained physically exhausted mentally exhausted emotionally exhausted spiritually exhausted recalls card next day saturday sept 15 mr bush met members war cabinet presidential retreat last decisive meeting message everybody wears uniform get ready united states takes mr bush told powell remembers encouraging us think boldly listening ideas constrained one idea wanted hear advisors talk argue debate president bush pleased progress made hand says wanted clarify plans went around room asked everybody thought ought happen left meeting saturday night still told cabinet planning wanted think mr bush remembers time commit troops harms way president must make sure fully understands consequences ramifications wanted spend time alone reservations mr bush says could win didnt want putting troops unless certain could win certain could win nine days attacks america joint session congress president committed nation war terror us remember happened day happened mr bush told congress nation well remember moment news came remember image fire story rescue carry memories face voice gone forever carry police shield man named george howard died world trade center trying save others given mom arlene proud memorial son reminder lives ended task end year passed since president says job still remind americans happened war still waged war reminds every day oval office literally keeping score one terrorist time desk president says classified document might pictures keep reminding whos might terrorists captures killed might make little check yeah mr bush admits check name must top list osama bin laden cbsa lot happened year since sept 11 one year ago president new job little experience foreign policy wanted pull military back foreign entanglements orders us forces engaged around globe war expect world completely changed oval office last week cbs news correspondent scott pelley asked president iraq whether americans safe home osama bin laden scott pelley must frustrated maybe angry year still dont osama bin laden president bush know dont know whether osama bin laden dead alive dont know hes leading lot parades hes nearly hero lot people thought much bigger one person anyway slowly surely dismantling disrupting al qaeda network hates america stay task complete task always knew different kind war scott see old days measure size strength enemy counting tanks airplanes ships international manhunt people one time theyre killers period pelley war find osama bin laden dead alive mr bush dead theres somebody else replace would find person slowly surely dismantle al qaeda network sponsor harbor time hopefully lay seeds conditions necessary people dont feel like theyve got conduct terror achieve objectives pelley look back afghan campaign doubts certainly weve overthrown taliban government certainly al qaeda scattered taliban leaders appear gotten away many civilian casualties well mr bush uh huh well know sad civilians lost life understand war everything everything could protect people civilians die mistake certainly intention liberated country im extremely proud dont second guess things things never go perfect time war pelley committed ending rule saddam hussein mr bush im committed regime change pelley vocal advice war iraq allies gulf war saudi arabia turkey example even fathers former national security advisor mr scowcroft written paper estimation dont understand iraq question appreciate mr bush policy government regime change scott hasnt changed get kinds advice im listening advice appreciate consultations well consult lot people policy hasnt changed pelley air force one described terrorists evil mr bush yeah pelley dont think anyone would disagree time many arab world angry united states political reasons policy israel troops oil region middle east change foreign policy youre considering might reduce arab anger united states mr bush hmm well im working peace middle east im first president ever went united nations publicly declared need palestinian state living sidebyside israel peace ive made clear order peace palestinians got ta get leadership renounces terror believes peaces quits using palestinian people pawns ive also made clear arab nations region theyve got responsibilities want peace got ta work toward willing work work well business isnt going happen long willing blow hopes many got ta work fight terror pelley arafat go mr bush either hes hes complete failure far concerned utter disappointment pelley concern year civil liberties mr bush yeah pelley fact appeals court recently harsh administrations decision close certain deportation hearings said quote government operating secrecy stands opposition constitution draw line sir mr bush draw line constitution protect america within guidelines constitution confines constitution spirit constitution pelley anything justice department brought idea youve thought thats far dont wan na go mr bush nah remember pleased justice department think attorney generals fine job wayand extent courts willing make sure review decisions make think thats fine mean thats good healthy part america pelley franklin roosevelt said america stand defense four freedoms freedom speech freedom religion freedom want freedom fear today mr president freedom fear mr bush think retrospect fact alert fact understand new circumstances makes us free fear fateful day september 11th weve got work pelley americans live lives fear mr bush dont think think americans oughta know governments everything possible help obviously get information relates directly particular attack well deal get noise deals general attack well alert people lot good folks working hard disrupt deny run leads american people need go lives seems like thu 12 sep 2002 011422 0700 cbs news interview wbush reconstruction peregrinations