President George W. Bush Opens Up About September 11th

This September 11th marks 10 years since the day America changed forever. Now, for the first time, former President George W. Bush is speaking about the horrific moment he learned our country was under attack by terrorists. INSIDE EDITION reports.

It's an image seared in our memories: the moment President George W. Bush learned that America was under attack.

Now, in a National Geographic Channel special, George W. Bush: The 9/11 Interview, airing August 28 at 10 p.m., he's speaking out about that fateful morning for the first time.

The President was visiting Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida, to read to a second grade class.

That's when White House Chief of Staff Andy Card whispered in his ear that a plane had slammed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center.  

"I felt a presence behind me and Andy Card's Massachusetts accent was whispering in my ear, 'A second plane has hit the second tower. America is under attack,' " former President Bush said.

President Bush said, "My first reaction was anger—who the hell would do that to America? I made the decision not to jump up immediately and leave the classroom. I didn't want to rattle the kids; I wanted to project a sense of calm."

"He talks about the frustrations he had during that day, he talks about the fact that for certainly during the early hours of September 11, even he as president didn't really know what was going on," says Peter Schnall, the executive producer and director of the National Geographic special.