Safire: Inside The Bunker (Mole in the White House?)

The New York Times ^ | 09/13/2001 | William Safire

[Pokey78]

WASHINGTON -- At 9:03 a.m. Tuesday, as Vice President Dick Cheney was staring at the TV screen, the second hijacked airliner exploded against the Twin Towers. At that moment his Secret Service detail grabbed him and hurried him down to "PEOC."

The President's Emergency Operations Center is an underground facility hardened to withstand blast overpressure from a nuclear detonation. On the way to the tubular structure, Cheney was told that another plane, or a helicopter loaded with explosives, was headed for the White House.

Cheney promptly called the president in Florida, who had just boarded Air Force One, and urged him not to come back to Washington immediately.

In the PEOC, the vice president was joined by Condoleezza Rice, the national security adviser, and Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, among others. They were told that six commercial aircraft were unaccounted for, all of which were potential missiles. One had supposedly crashed in Kentucky (not true), and another in Pennsylvania (that report of a crash was valid; its passengers or crew, apparently struggling with the hijackers, may have saved the White House).

According to a high White House official speaking to me on background, the airliner that had taken off at Dulles — AA Flight 77 — "did a 360" (meaning it changed direction from the White House) and at 9:45 slammed into the Pentagon.

About that time, accounts began coming into PEOC that four international flights were headed toward Washington over the Atlantic and another from Korea. It could not be immediately determined that they were not hostile and part of the terrorist scheme. U.S. fighter aircraft and an Awacs control aircraft were scrambled aloft.

A threatening message received by the Secret Service was relayed to the agents with the president that "Air Force One is next." According to the high official, American code words were used showing a knowledge of procedures that made the threat credible.

(I have a second, on-the-record source about that: Karl Rove, the president's senior adviser, tells me: "When the president said 'I don't want some tinhorn terrorists keeping me out of Washington,' the Secret Service informed him that the threat contained language that was evidence that the terrorists had knowledge of his procedures and whereabouts. In light of the specific and credible threat, it was decided to get airborne with a fighter escort.")

After the president put down at an Air Force base in Louisiana and made a tape for broadcast (presumably no satellite was available for a live feed), he was, in Rove's term, "pretty antsy" about not being at the center of command.

Bush made clear to Cheney, says my source who was in the bunker, his intense desire to return to Washington immediately. The Secret Service objected strongly. The vice president, a former secretary of defense, suggested Air Force One go to Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, headquarters of the Strategic Air Command, with a communications facility where the president could convene the National Security Council.

"It would have been irresponsible of him to come back, pounding his chest," says my source, "when hostile aircraft may have been headed our way. Any suggestion that he should have done so is ludicrous."

Confession: I made just that suggestion in yesterday's column, which stimulated two set-it-straight calls. Why didn't the V.P. make an appearance during that long afternoon in Bush's stead? The official reason is that Cheney was busy in the basement; the real reason, I think, is that he was unduly concerned it would appear presumptuous.

The most worrisome aspect of these revelations has to do with the credibility of the "Air Force One is next" message. It is described clearly as a threat, not a friendly warning — but if so, why would the terrorists send the message? More to the point, how did they get the code-word information and transponder know-how that established their mala fides?

That knowledge of code words, presidential whereabouts and possession of secret procedures indicates that the terrorists may have a mole in the White House — that, or informants in the Secret Service, F.B.I., F.A.A. or C.I.A. If so, the first thing our war on terror needs is an Angleton-type counterspy.

[eeman]

Maybe the news Clymers read Clancy last book, "The Bear and the Dragon." They believed the part where the President sneaks away from his evacuation helicopter to stay at the presumed epicenter of an in-bound nuclear missile

[Kermit]

I just had a brilliant idea. The CIA has always been pretty bad at human intelligence. Let's ask Putin to loan us a thousand of their former KGB officers, who have always been pretty darn good at human intelligence. Bring some of these guys out of retirement.

[classygreeneyedblonde]

The vice president, a former secretary of defense, suggested Air Force One go to Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, headquarters of the Strategic Air Command, with a communications facility where the president could convene the National Security Council.

gggggggggg cheney why dont you just put it on a billboard

[Chemist_Geek]

Has there been any mention of the Bush twins? I would imagine they were jerked out of class and taken to a secure place immediately.

No, and let's keep it that way. Loose lips sink ships; pass it on.

[lara]

Yes. They did say the girls were taken to a secure location, yesterday.

[kcvl]

The mole in the White House is now a Senator from New York.

Absolutely! I wouldn't trust her with ANYTHING!

[ladyinred]

I am angry that the media used this as an excuse to undermine the President preferring that he be in harms way just to suit there agenda. No one should have listened to them. I agree with you that the American people were not the ones in a snit about this, we wanted him safe, it was the media who wanted the sound bites at least, to bash the President and make the people lose confidence in him was the real purpose.
Now they are suggesting this is a lie. They are despicable.

[A Citizen Reporter]

"Has there been any mention of the Bush twins? I would imagine they were jerked out of class and taken to a secure place immediately."

Yes, I did see a brief report this morn.....that stated that very thing.

[ConsistentLibertarian]

"According to the high official, American code words were used showing a knowledge of procedures that made the threat credible." That doesn't make any sense. There was no warning for any of the other attacks and by passing on a warning they'd only undermine their efforts to succeed. Not to mention, they'd be burning a valuable source for zero gain.

[rebdov]

Remember Rumsfield's comments yesterday. He kept speaking about people with access to classified material should stop leaking now, and when pressed about the reasons for the comment now, he wouldn't really say. I think there might very well be a mole in the executive branch.

[toupsie]

Thank you. I can see the love that prayer has brought to New York City. I have seen it in the rescuers eyes even though the survivors are just not there. Their hope against all odds is evident as one of the most common injuries at the hospitals are rescue workers with abrasions on their fingers from digging.

What scares me the most outside of the sirens blaring at all times, the false bomb threats and the drained rescue workers walking past my window is the sound of the F-15s streaking over head. The loud sound of a jet engine over your head right now just makes you want to hit the deck ASAFP in NYC.

[Rome2000]

Guess this proves Cheneys ticker is doing better.

[ConsistentLibertarian]

If you suspect a mole, you don't hold a press conference and say "cut it out".

[ladyinred]

Frightening thoughts, however there was a concerted effort by the media to get the President back to DC where he clearly was in danger. For that reason, I would suspect a Clinton administration hold over too. The democrats have a knack for emailing the newsreaders with what they want them to say. The media's hatred for the President is beyond obvious.

[Califreeper]

Pray for you? YOU GOT IT!!!! A mile away from the "mush" may not be far enough if the wind shifts -- stay safe.

[follow your bliss]

Why don't you drag your lazy ass down to the scene and volunteer to help dig for survivors?

For any who would be tempted to feel sorry for 'toupsie' after his self-absorbed pity post--I submit the following link as testament to the character of this scumbuag: click here for toupsie

[Chemnitz]

Did you notice her weird grin as she was singing on the steps? Most politicians were genuinely sad, tearful, and shocked. Lady Macbeth looked smug in my opinion.

[cactmh]

This is well known...btw, as a former Secretary of Defense, and the Vice President, I think he probably knows what is okay to disclose, and what isn't.

[GretchenEE]

In lieu of being able to smack the jerk from CBS upside the head, I wanted to physically assault my TV set when a white-haired idiot posing as a CBS reporter said on TV this afternoon that many believed it possible the reason Bush darted around the countryside on Tuesday was because he was afraid to return to DC, and that the White House was floating the "rumors" today about the White House and Air Force One being targets so as to cover the presidential posterior.

[JusticeLives]

"Toupsie, you have our prayers. I can't imagine the horroe you are living through at this time. Just know that there are untold thousands of us thinking of you and all who are witness (first hand) to the insanity of the last days. I pray for you to have the strength you will need to get through the coming days, weeks and months. God bless all of you."

I'm praying for you, too. Jesus said he would never leave you, or forsake you. He's there and you're not alone. Lean on Him. He'll bring you through the darkness into the light.

We care, Toupsie.