President George Bush: ‘People
who knocked these buildings
down will hear all of us soon’
Friday, September 14, 2001
President George W. Bush visits firefighters and police crews at Ground Zero, Manhattan, New York City, and speaks with bullhorn, accompanied by retired firefighter Bob Beckwith of Baldwin, N.Y., who came to the site to help search for survivors, three days after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, on September 14, 2001 (transcript):
"Thank you all ... I uh, I want you all to know ... (to nearby firefighter) can't go any louder ... (addressing crowd) I want you all to know ... that America today ... America today ... is on bended knee ... in prayer for the people whose lives were lost here ... for the workers who work here ... for the families who mourn ... this nation stands with the good people of New York City, and New Jersey and Connecticut, as we mourn the loss of thousands of our citizens ... I can hear you (cheering) ... I can hear you, the rest of the world hears you, and the people (cheering) ... and the people who knocked these buildings down, will hear all of us soon. (Cheering, chants of "USA, USA") ... The nation ... the nation sends its love, and compassion, to everybody who's here ... thank you for your hard work, thank you for making the nation proud, and may God bless America (applause, chants of "USA, USA")."