In the rear galley of the plane, one of the familiar Air Force stewards told me that the aircraft, which is usually so well stocked, had only one chicken sandwich on board for each passenger and enough fuel to get back to Washington. Midair refueling is considered too dangerous when the president is onboard. Air Force One needed a place to land. Press secretary Ari Fleischer informed us we would be allowed to
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file our first pool report on the ground but must turn off our own cellphones and not identify the location as Barksdale Air Force Base so the president’s precise location would remain secret. That would not go as planned. It’s hard to hide a jumbo jet as distinctive as Air Force One. Base officers on the ground told us all of Shreveport, Louisiana, saw the plane fly in, and local camera crews were already swarming the base gates. President Bush was driven from the aircraft over to a headquarters building in a very unpresidential-looking dark blue
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above and opposite
As she continues to document the day’s events in her traditional style “Reporter’s Note Book” (opposite), Ann Compton (above, standing at center) joins the reporters in the travel pool as President Bush delivers a statement from Barksdale Air Force Base. After several hours out of view, the president speaks to reassure the public, saying “Freedom itself was attacked this morning by a faceless coward. And freedom will be defended. . . . The resolve of our great nation is being tested, but make no mistake. We will show the world that we will pass this test.”
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11:55 A.M ET “FREEDOM WILL BE DEFENDED”