When our nation was under attack on 9-11, which was obvious to everyone except maybe you, then it is anticipated that our President and our Vice President are targets. (It's a bit archaic, but surely you are familiar with the old adage of 'cut off the head of the snake'...) The purpose of 'cutting off the head' is to promote chaos as to who is in charge, who will command, and will everyone follow this down-the-line person's commands.
Perhaps you have forgotten that the fourth plane, the one that went down in a cornfield with 'let's roll', was suspected to have been heading for the White House. I don't recall what was going on in the White House that day or which top government officials were there, but it is a sure thing that the terrorists hoped that both the President and the Vice President would be incinerated. It is not cowardice that keeps our President and Vice President safe, but the common sense of mandates laid out years ago for the possibility of such events.