[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2001, Book II)]
[September 12, 2001]
[Page 1101]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks While Touring Damage at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia
September 12, 2001

    The Secretary and I--first of all, I 
must tell you I am overwhelmed by the devastation.
    I am so grateful for the people who are working here. We're here to 
say thanks to not only the workers on this site but the workers who are 
doing the same work in New York City. I want to say thanks to the folks 
who have given blood to the Red Cross. I want to say thanks for the 
hundreds of thousands of Americans who pray for the victims and their 
families.
    Secretary Rumsfeld told me, when I 
talked to him, that he felt the blast shake the Pentagon; even though he 
was on the other side of the building, the building rocked. And now I 
know why.
    Coming here makes me sad, on the one hand; it also makes me angry. 
Our country will, however, not be cowed by terrorists, by people who 
don't share the same values we share, by people who are willing to 
destroy people's lives because we embrace freedom. The Nation mourns, 
but our Government will go on; the country will function. We are on high 
alert for possible activity.
    But coming here confirms what the Secretary and I both know, that this is a great nation. People here 
working hard prove it; people out here working their hearts out to 
answer families' questions, to remove the rubble and debris from this 
office. I want to thank everybody not only on this site but all across 
America for responding so generously, so kindly, in their prayers, in 
their contributions of love and their willingness to help in any way 
they can.

Note: The President spoke at 5:53 p.m. at the site of the attack. The 
Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language 
transcript of these remarks.