Nation's highest officials ordered to scurry for cover

Washington Times ^ | 9/12/01 | Joseph Curl

[kattracks]

Minutes after a hijacked plane smashed into one of the World Trade Center towers yesterday morning, President Bush ordered a state of emergency, the military went into its highest state of alert and top congressional leaders were gathered on Capitol Hill for transport to a secret bunker in West Virginia.

[Political Junkie Too]

Top congressional leaders, including House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, Minority Leader Richard A. Gephardt, Republican Whip Tom DeLay, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle and Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott, returned to Washington after being taken to a secure government facility in northern West Virginia.

Why didn't Peter Jennings call for a joint appearance of the President, the Speaker, and the Majority leaders of both houses to appear to reassure the public that the government was still functioning?

-PJ

[Califreeper]

Amazing tale -- yet it's REAL! In my lifetime no President has EVER had to spend time in a secured bunker! I can only imagine the Bush twins, wherever they were, were terrified, as was Laura Bush. Kudos to the fine work of the military today in carrying out the necessary flight and other attendant operations.