On Sept. 11, 2001, President George W. Bush was visiting Sarasota, Fla. At 8 a.m. sharp, the CIA’s Michael Morell delivered the daily intelligence briefing — something he did six mornings a week — regardless of whether the president was at the White House or on the road.
“Contrary to press reporting and myth, there was absolutely nothing in my briefing that had to do with terrorism that day,” Morell recalled. “Most of it had to do with the Israeli-Palestinian issue.”
As Morell concluded, Bush stepped into his waiting motorcade and headed to an elementary school. Moments later, news broke of the terror attacks in New York. Shortly after that, Bush and Morell were on Air Force One — and the president wanted answers.
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