A good group of people to review this topic, given its focus on executive decision-making, military coordination, and crisis protocol during a national emergency, would be: National Security Strategists, Presidential Historians, and Crisis Management Specialists.
Abstract
This analysis details the operational and security movements of President George W. Bush and Air Force One (AF1) on September 11, 2001, focusing on the critical decision-making processes under direct attack. The timeline tracks the President's movement from Sarasota, Florida, through emergency relocation points (Barksdale AFB, Offutt AFB) before his return to Washington D.C. Key events include the delayed notification of the second tower strike, the controversial authorization for military interdiction (the "shootdown order") debated between Vice President Cheney and the President, and the implementation of extreme security protocols, such as steep-angle takeoffs and high-altitude, unescorted flight (45,000 ft). The report emphasizes the breakdown of standard communication networks and the significant security concerns faced by the Secret Service, including the threat message against AF1 ("Angel is next"), ultimately revealing both the efficacy and the significant weaknesses in existing presidential contingency protocols.
Presidential Movement and Crisis Protocol (September 11, 2001)
0:00:08 Initial Presidential Location: President Bush departed the Colony Beach Resort in Florida at 8:32 a.m. for a scheduled education event in Sarasota.
0:00:46 First Attack and Notification: Flight 11 impacted the North Tower at 8:46 a.m. White House Chief of Staff Karl Rove informed the President of the first impact just prior to entering the school.
0:02:34 Second Attack and Confirmation: United Flight 175 hit the South Tower at 9:03 a.m. The President, while attending the reading event, was informed of the second strike by Chief of Staff Andy Card, confirming the attack nature of the events.
0:03:32 Crisis Briefing and Initial Statement: Following the truncated school event, senior staff gathered for a briefing and prepared an initial statement acknowledging a "national tragedy."
0:04:27 Pentagon Strike: While the President was en route to the airport in his limousine, he was informed of the strike on the Pentagon at 9:43 a.m.
0:04:40 AF1 Takeoff Under Threat: Air Force One took off from Sarasota approximately 10 minutes after the Pentagon strike. Due to security reports of a suspicious person near the runway (later confirmed to be a camera user), the aircraft rotated and took off from the opposite direction and executed an extremely steep ascent for protection against ground attack.
0:05:59 Flight 93 Crash: United Flight 93, whose passengers had initiated a revolt, crashed in Pennsylvania at 10:03 a.m.
0:08:48 Shootdown Order Controversy: Between 10:12 a.m. and 10:18 a.m., Vice President Cheney, sheltered in the White House bunker, gave the military the go-ahead to shoot down any commercial plane posing a danger. This order was unauthorized by the military chain of command (President or Secretary of Defense).
0:10:20 Presidential Confirmation of Interdiction: Cheney contacted AF1 at 10:18 a.m. White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer's notes at 10:20 a.m. confirmed the President had authorized the "shutdown if necessary."
0:06:16 Emergency Relocation to Barksdale: Amidst heated debate, the Secret Service discouraged return to Washington D.C. The President’s plane was diverted to Barksdale Air Force Base (Louisiana) for refueling and security assessment.
0:07:42 Evasion Tactics and Escort: AF1 climbed to an unusually high altitude (45,000 ft) to outrun potential threats. The plane flew a random route and lacked a fighter escort for most of the flight, finally being joined by two fighter jets near Louisiana.
0:11:45 Secret Service Disagreement: Upon landing at Barksdale, the President insisted on returning to the White House ("I want to go back home ASAP"), but the Secret Service lead agent maintained the situation was "too unsteady."
0:12:09 Second Relocation to Offutt AFB: At 1:48 p.m., AF1 departed Barksdale for Offutt Air Force Base (Nebraska), which housed the US Stratcom bunker, a highly protected facility with advanced communication capabilities.
0:14:22 "Angel is Next" Threat: During the final flight segment, a highly concerning message ("Angel is next," Angel being the internal code word for Air Force One, not publicly known) was relayed, suggesting a potential insider threat. This resulted in Secret Service agents being permanently stationed in the aisle and near the cockpit door.
0:15:24 Return to Joint Base Andrews: At 6:44 p.m., AF1 landed at Andrews Air Force Base, concluding an operational security period of over nine hours.
0:16:03 Post-Event Review: The day exposed weaknesses in security protocols, including significant delays in fighter escort deployment, confusion due to false reports, and unreliable communication networks, all of which were subsequently improved.