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Schoolchildren Spent 9/11 With the President
AP on AOL News ^ | September 10, 2006 | Phil Davis

Posted on 09/10/2006 7:52:05 PM PDT by rightwingintelligentsia

SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) - Tyler Radkey and other second-graders at Emma E. Booker Elementary School didn't know what to think when an aide leaned in and whispered something to President Bush on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.

"His face just started to turn red," said Tyler, now 13 and in seventh grade. "I thought, personally, he had to go to the bathroom."

For a puzzling seven minutes, the youngsters read aloud from the story "The Pet Goat" while the shaken president followed along in front of the class, trying to come to grips with what he had been told - that a second plane had just hit the World Trade Center and the nation was under terrorist attack.

"He looked like he was going to cry," said Natalia Jones-Pinkney, now 12.

Millions of Americans have a story of where they were on 9/11. But the kids of Booker Elementary are unique. Five years ago, they were part of history, sitting alongside a president in the midst of a monumental crisis.

--Snip--

The president's decision to continue sitting there has been bitterly criticized. Filmmaker Michael Moore used the classroom video to embarrass Bush in the scathing documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11."

"You can't judge a man on seven minutes," said 15-year-old Stevenson Tose'-Rigell, who was then a fifth-grader and was with Bush in the school library later that day. "What he did is what he could do."

(Excerpt) Read more at articles.news.aol.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 911; fifthanniversary; presidentbush
Some of these kids are a lot smarter than the Dems, but of course we knew that.
1 posted on 09/10/2006 7:52:07 PM PDT by rightwingintelligentsia
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

They're being interviewed on FNC right now.


2 posted on 09/10/2006 7:53:15 PM PDT by alnick
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To: rightwingintelligentsia
The president's decision to continue sitting there has been bitterly criticized.

Only by abject morons.

3 posted on 09/10/2006 7:53:27 PM PDT by facedown (Armed in the Heartland)
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

Does anybody know what the aide whispered? Exactly?

I'd like to find out and give it more exposure.


4 posted on 09/10/2006 8:02:15 PM PDT by DBrow
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To: DBrow

Mr. President we are under attack.


5 posted on 09/10/2006 8:03:59 PM PDT by I still care ("Remember... for it is the doom of men that they forget" - Merlin, from Excalibur)
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

Yep. The Dems are like kinder-gardeners. Maybe even worse. 2nd graders know better.


6 posted on 09/10/2006 8:05:13 PM PDT by varyouga (I no longer fear death. I only fear the day when the DUmmies take over.)
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To: DBrow
from wikipedia article on 9/11:

9:06: After brief introductions to the Booker elementary students, President Bush is about to begin reading with the students when Chief of Staff Andrew Card interrupts to whisper to the president, "A second plane hit the other tower, and America's under attack." The president stated later that he decided to continue the lesson rather than alarm the students.
7 posted on 09/10/2006 8:08:11 PM PDT by varyouga (I no longer fear death. I only fear the day when the DUmmies take over.)
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To: varyouga; I still care
Seems like more was said from watching the film clip.

The reason I bring it up is because Bush was and is criticized for not "doing something", and I suspect it was because he knew what was to happen next (be moved to a save location and then up in the air where he'd be safer and have good commo).
8 posted on 09/10/2006 8:18:44 PM PDT by DBrow
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

Out of the mouths of babes! Obviously very perceptive children. I guess old Michael Moore should have interviewed them for his "documentary".


9 posted on 09/10/2006 8:18:53 PM PDT by srmorton (Choose life!)
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

It's an interesting age those youngsters are entering into, but I'm not referring to the times, but the time in their lives. I remember another dreary lunchtime in middle school when everyone started whispering about the space shuttle blowing up. It's something about that time in your life when you become acquainted with this thing called "death". The difference with them is that they're remembering from five years ago, not something in the news 10 minutes ago.


10 posted on 09/10/2006 8:31:12 PM PDT by dr_who_2
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To: DBrow

I wish I could remember what I was watching but I saw a timeline on TV shortly after the attacks. The President was waiting for them to setup a secure line and private area for communications and had stayed in the classroom until that was done. I think it was someone from the school that said that. Anyone else have a better memory?


11 posted on 09/10/2006 8:46:08 PM PDT by donnalee
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To: dr_who_2

I remember the day the Columbia blew up. My grade school teacher was friends with the schoolteacher who died. We were all watching on TV. What a sad day.


12 posted on 09/10/2006 8:55:49 PM PDT by yevgenie (Q. What is the first sign of AIDS? A. A pounding sensation in the ass.)
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

Of the many dispicable cheap shots taken at President Bush, this is the most dispicable and cheapest. Michael Moore is beneath contempt.


13 posted on 09/10/2006 9:00:36 PM PDT by gridlock (The 'Pubbies will pick up at least TWO seats in the Senate and FOUR seats in the House in 2006)
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To: donnalee
I have always wondered about several things possibly involved in the delay. (Not an aviation expert.)

How far from Air Force One was the school? Is the plane left running and ready to take off all the time the President is on the ground? If not, what is the startup and "warm-up" time for a 747? (If any.)

If the President had jumped up and dashed out the classroom door as soon as he was told about the attack, how much sooner would he have been airborne? Is there any chance his aides said something like: "We can be ready to fly in 15, 30, 45 minutes?"

I know that the times I have flown on commercial jets, the plane was ready to fly and engines were running (usually) when I boarded. I have no idea when flight preparations were started.

I may be an old fuddy duddy, but I live on the edge of a small town, and when I depart, if I am heading out of town on the side of town close to the highway, I warm up my car's engine before I push it to highway speed.
14 posted on 09/10/2006 10:49:14 PM PDT by tdscpa
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To: yevgenie
That would be the Challenger.

I was home sick from school that day. I heard about it on the radio and went to tell my mother.

15 posted on 09/10/2006 10:51:07 PM PDT by Clemenza (Dave? Dave?)
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

I suppose the President should have bolted from the room, raced to his trusty F-102, and shot down Flight 93. Maybe he should have run around screaming: "The sky is falling!". No, he should have followed John Kerry's lead and sat, transfixed, for 45 minutes waiting for the next plane to hit.


16 posted on 09/11/2006 6:16:09 AM PDT by Dilbert56
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To: Clemenza

Ouch. Yes, you are absolutely correct. I'm not quite sure how I made that mistake. Thanks for correcting me.


17 posted on 09/11/2006 9:56:19 AM PDT by yevgenie (Q. What is the first sign of AIDS? A. A pounding sensation in the ass.)
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