As the long national nightmare comes to an end...

[Elok]

Also, it seems unlikely that AQ could have known during the planning phases exactly where Bush would be on that day, even supposing they were willing to hijack a whole separate airliner and smash it into an elementary school to hit one man, however (theoretically) important.

[DaShi]

Bush was too important for their success for them to target him.

[Naked Gents Rut]

How the hell would you find a nondescript elementary school and hit it with an airliner, anyway? It's not massive, unmistakable target like the WTC or the Pentagon.

[BlackCat]

Because that is his ****ing job. (Or was his ****ing job, as of three days from now. EDIT: And thank Christ for that.)

Well, yes, if the message was that the russkies had launched a surprise ICBM attack, he should have done that, but on 9/11, it wouldn't make any difference if he waited ten minutes. Oh, and please don't come up with crap like "showing leadership" etc.

[Tuberski]

Sorry, Tubes, but... bull.

1) This entire thread is about Bush. That is who Patty was talking about.

2) The SS is ALWAYS ready to move the President. That is their job. They were ready. He peed his pants.

You're right, they are always ready to move the President, the fact that they didn't suggests they wanted him where he was. If they decide to move him, they will pick him up, literally, and hustle him away.

ACK!

[Darius871]

Well, yes, if the message was that the russkies had launched a surprise ICBM attack, he should have done that, but on 9/11, it wouldn't make any difference if he waited ten minutes. Oh, and please don't come up with crap like "showing leadership" etc.

But it was important in a time of crisis and potential panic to show leadership.

[Elok]

Bush was too important for their success for them to target him.

Yes, but I was trying to assume the SS POV, wherein Bush might be a worthwhile target by virtue of his office and yadda yadda. I fully realize that a trained pigeon could have done less damage to the country in fulfilling the duties of that office.

BlackCat, if you continue defending the conduct of GWB you risk having your Good European Card revoked.

[BlackCat]

BlackCat, if you continue defending the conduct of GWB you risk having your Good European Card revoked.

If I confess that, in general, bashing the bush is ok since he hasn't been the best president in history, but that he in this instance did the right thing by not going into a frenzy panic, do I still keep my card ?

[Elok]

No. Repeat after me: "There is no devil but Bush, and all he touches turns to feces."

Seriously, though, there are more options than 1. Sit there reading a children's story for ten minutes and 2. Jump up screaming "Oh, we are SO ****ed! Run, it's the Apocalypse!" He could have, for example, taken ten seconds to collect himself, then stood up and said, "I'm sorry, kids, but something very important has come up, and it's my job to go take care of it, etc."

[BlackCat]

Sure, except that there wasn't anything he could do - it was already being handled by experts such as police, firedepartments, military etc.

[Dauphin]

How the hell would you find a nondescript elementary school and hit it with an airliner, anyway? It's not massive, unmistakable target like the WTC or the Pentagon.

Use magnets.

[Elok]

I don't know; I haven't really looked into the timeline of events on that day too closely. But I find it very hard to believe that, during a massive terrorist attack on the country, the POTUS responded correctly by sitting there for ten minutes reading a children's story about an ill-behaved goat to himself. Hell, he could have organized a sing-along, or helped some kid with his juice box, and been more productive.

[Dr Strangelove]

My most distinct memories of Bush's presidency are his classic quip about Ob-Gyn doctors not being able to spread their love around the country and the "Mission Accomplished" celebration on the aircraft carrier even as the guerilla war in Iraq was beginning to heat up.

[fed1943]

I am not American. I'm European. And I'm conservative.

I like USA because I believe your country is the only one in our time with chances to be the leading engine for a better world: safety, freedom, prosperity for all.

I never trusted your current President. Most of his actions were plain wrong,
to not say more. To just speak about one thing, I remember when in a political meeting in my country he decided to lie to the world about the reasons to invade Iraque. No man who does this deserves any trust; and he was,and still is, the most important Officer of the world.

Most of his important actions seem from a stupid man. And I know a stupid
person never arrives where he did. So, the question is not about intelligence
but honesty.

Does someone remember when short time ago he spoke about sending missiles to Poland? He did nothing to implement it, just the talk, and not with
the Polish. So, the only consequence was a climb in the prices of crude.

If his job was crude seller marketeer, then I should recognize he was very
efficient. But as President of the States, no.

Best regards,

[Unimatrix11]

Bush die hards are like religious fundamentalists. Even in light of solid and factual arguments, they refuse to be reasonable and see the overall failure & decline in just about every area one can think of.

But before 2001, would you have thought that about 1/4 to 1/3 of americans are just that? Uhem, well, yeah... maybe...