I really don't know what to make of all this...and this is clearly why I stay out of places I don't belong - namely, potential debate threads and Moore's films.
For anyone who said hindsight is 20/20, I agree. For everyone who said they wouldn't have wanted Bush to excite anybody in that school, I agree. For people who pointed out the fact that many schools chose not to inform kids, especially younger students, about the events, I agree. I babysat for a family that night with a 2 year old, a 7 year old, and a 10 year old, and my sister teaches 3rd grade. It was all handled very carefully - applause for the President to actually realize that you don't treat an audience of second graders the same way you do a crowd of Senators.
Did Bush have more background intelligence than any of us had when we first heard about the events unfolding? Um, yes...and just think of how much ADDITIONAL information he probably had as well. And since none of it pinpointed details, I, personally, find it pretty irrelevant for anyone now to say, "well, we should've done this, we could've done that...."
Yeah, and just like how many people on those planes would say they wouldn't get on the flight, knowing now what happened.
Faulting Bush for not having a quicker or more effective immediate response is like faulting the brave men and women who went into those buildings to rescue people for not doing this or that. And I've heard that done, too, and, again, it's all very convenient when it's three years later.
I just wish people could stop debating the coulda-woulda-shouldas of September 11 and just respect the day and the people for what they were...