Getty NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 07: Ari Fleischer attends the 6th annual Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation Gala at Pier 60 at Chelsea Piers on November 7, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Brad Barket/Getty Images)
Former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer has continued his tradition of remembering 9/11 by posting a series of “live tweets,” retelling what he experienced back on September 11, 2001. At the time of the terrorist attack, Fleischer was in Florida with then-president George W. Bush.
“As I do every year, tomorrow I will live-tweet my memories of what happened seventeen years ago, on September 11, 2001. I hope everyone will remember and say a prayer for those who were killed and for their families. Time passes by, but what took place must never be forgotten,” Fleischer tweeted on Monday night.
On 9/11/01, Fleischer started his day at a resort called The Colony, located in Longboat Key in Sarasota, Florida, at 6:30 a.m. He was in the Sunshine State with President Bush, who was in town to visit with children and staff at the Emma E. Booker Elementary School.
Fleischer has been detailing his morning with the president on his Twitter account for the past four hours. You can read through his tweets below.
Fleischer posted the following photo of then-president Bush. This was taken after Bush was told that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. At this time, details were sparse and it was unclear that the country was under attack.
The President entered the room where he was scheduled to read to the 2nd grade children. The teacher was named Kaye Daniels. Here’s the scene (I was standing pretty close to the photographer who took this picture):
Fleischer served a very important role in the White House, but nothing could quite compare to his experience on September 11. He had been receiving messages about what was going on in New York City while President Bush was sitting with the children. It was the chilling message about the second plane flying into the second tower that convinced Fleischer that America was under attack.
Brian Bravo sent me another page, telling me the second tower was hit. I knew right away it had to be terrorism. Here’s a picture of me receiving that page. I didn’t know this picutre existed until a few years ago. That’s Mike Heath from WH advance next to me.
Shortly after receive this message, Bush was taken into a holding room. The team of people with the president turned on the television to watch what was going on. You can see some candid shots from the holding room below.
Fleischer quoted George W. Bush in a few of his tweets today.
“That’s what we’re paid for boys. We’re going to take care of this. When we find out who did this, they’re not going to like me as President. Somebody’s going to pay,” Bush told his staff, according to Fleischer.
Fleischer served as the White House Press Secretary for President George W. Bush, from January 2001 to July 2003. You can continue following along with Fleischer’s tweets by clicking here.