Footage of this historical moment shows Bush maintaining his composure despite the gravity of the news. Apart from a few nervous glances and tightening his grip on the children’s book, he remained poised.
“During a crisis, it’s really important to set a tone and not to panic,” Bush explained.
“So I waited for the appropriate moment to leave the classroom – I didn’t want to do anything dramatic. I didn’t want to lurch out of the chair and scare the classroom full of children, so I waited.”
After leaving the classroom, Bush’s team converted it into a makeshift command center in another classroom, where he addressed the nation before boarding Air Force One.
