The darkest day
EVERYONE remembers how they felt when they saw the 9/11 terrorist atrocities on the news. But imagine being with the President when it happened, or even being the President himself.
This extraordinary documentary features interviews with key players including George Bush, Condoleezza Rice, Dick Cheney and senior security officials as they relive every hour of that fateful day, 20 years ago.
Offering an incredible insider’s perspective, Bush recalls a relaxed, sunny morning spent running, followed by a pleasant visit to a school in Florida to promote his education policies. Then we see the famous moment when an advisor gives him the news that will define his Presidency.
His security and press teams remember the shock, the confusion, and the split-second decisions that followed.
When and how would Bush address the nation? Was he the terrorists’ next target and where would he be safest?
Speeding away from the school, Bush and his entourage board their plane, Air Force One, but struggle to receive up to date information. They have no idea if more attacks are to follow.
Fascinating details emerge, including the President’s argument with Cheney and his security team, who would not allow him to return to Washington, and the spiralling fear that Bush could be attacked in the air.
The former President talks openly about his emotions on that day – the anger, the worry for his parents, the pressure on his shoulders – and goes on to discuss the political decisions he made in the days that followed, and how he feels about them today.