Anita McBride was working in the West Wing of the White House when the tragic events of September 11, 2001 unfolded. Not yet as First Lady Laura Bush’s Chief of Staff, but as Special Assistant to the President for White House Management. McBride, chair of the White House Historical Association’s 2026 Presidential Sites Summit, sat down with East Wing Magazine this week during the Washington, D.C., conference recounting some of the terrifying moments from that day 25 years ago and how her instincts kicked in. Take a listen.
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On September 11, 2001, Anita McBride’s Instincts Kicked In
Working in the White House West Wing that morning, McBride recounts the terrifying moments, but how she kept calm and helped keep the White House running.
East Wing Magazine Podcast
They're poised. They're polished. And, unmistakably powerful.
Discover America's first ladies, their legacies and other curiosities in this first-of-its-kind publication.
They're poised. They're polished. And, unmistakably powerful.
Discover America's first ladies, their legacies and other curiosities in this first-of-its-kind publication.
