Here’s the National Geographic interview with George W. Bush that aired this past Sunday night. It was terrific. He talks about what 9/11 was like for him personally.

(H/T The Right Scoop)

Fox News’s Shepard Smith got misty eyed today after Congress finally passed a bill to pay health care costs of 9/11 first responders who are now ill.

I do a lot of ranting on this site about spending and intrusive big government programs. But this is one bill I fully support. Some Republicans refused to support the bill unless we found a way to pay for the $7 billion price tag. I say damn the cost. We borrow money for phony causes like “global warming” so we should just suck it up and pay for this. At least it’s a worthwhile cause.

Many 9/11 first responders are now dead as a result of carcinogens and poisons they inhaled at Ground Zero. Men in their early 30s at the time died a gruesome death because their lungs simply stopped holding air. Dr. Michael Baden did autopsies on some of the men to determine if 9/11 was the cause of their illness. He found that it was. He showed lung x-rays from now deceased first responders that were shocking. Tiny pieces of fiber glass, concrete, and other substances were buried in the lining of the lungs like bomb shrapnel. It turned them into Swiss cheese.

Other first responders are dying from various types of cancer due to prolonged exposure to toxic chemicals and poisons.We have a responsibility to take care of these people and do whatever we can to help them. Taking care of them should be as important as taking care of wounded soldiers.

Fox News has new information suggesting that the DOD actively worked to cover-up its so-called “Able Danger” data mining program in the wake of 9/11. Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer who was familiar with the project and worked undercover in Afghanistan claims the program uncovered 9/11 hijacker Mohammad Atta as a deadly threat well before 9/11.

Shaffer has written a tell-all book that exposes just how badly we bungled the intelligence that led to 9/11 and how much we knew about Atta before the attacks.

The Department of Defense clearly believes Shaffer has something important to say because before his book hit stores they purchased and burned every single copy in existence.

Fox News has been investigating and interviewed several intelligence people who confirm Shaffer’s account.

Reason TV did some reporting from the 9/12 rally in DC over the weekend. The place looks pretty diverse to me.

SIOA and FDI held a rally today in NYC against the proposed mosque at Ground Zero. Pam Geller put the event together and a lot of people turned out. The keynote speaker was the great Geert Wilders. A man who literally risks his life back home in the Netherlands speaking out against Islam.

Here’s the speech:

Check out Pam Geller’s blog Atlas Shrugs to see extensive coverage of the rally and a ton of pictures.

Here’s footage of Palestinians dancing and cheering in the streets on Sept. 11, 2001.

Here’s President George W. Bush addressing the nation from the Oval Office on the evening of 9/11/2001. This is another moment I will never forget. Every American was watching that night to see what the president would say.

Here’s President George W. Bush throwing out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium in 2001.

(hat tip Breitbart TV)

Here’s President George W. Bush giving an impromptu speech via bullhorn to rescue workers at Ground Zero. This was on Sept. 14, 2001 — only 3 days after 9/11. This two-minute off-the-cuff speech has become an iconic symbol of 9/11. In my opinion, this is one of the most presidential moments in history.

Left-wing newsman Ted Koppel wrote an idiotic op-ed for Sunday’s Washington Post. In it he claims Bin Laden won the War on Terror by goading America into a series of overreactions.

Anyone who believes America overreacted on 9/11 doesn’t remember what 9/11 was like. It’s as fresh in my mind now as it was on that horrible day. If anything we underreacted on that day. Our response was quite measured and quite deliberate.

Koppel is a far left kook who hated Bush when he was in office and hates him now. He’s an Obama toadie and longtime apologist for America.

I encourage everyone to watch “Giuliani’s 9/11” that debuted on NGC this week. It will no doubt re-air more than once on 9/11. It’s a blow by blow account of the events that transpired as seen through the eyes of Rudy Giuliani. It’s chilling, it’s inspiring, and it will remind you what this War on Terror is all about.

I will never forget as long as I live the images of Americans jumping to their deaths from 100 stories up to prevent being burned alive. It’s probably the worst thing I’ve ever seen and no reaction by this country could ever be strong enough in my view. People like Fareed Zakaria and Ted Koppel who whine about our “overreaction” to that day are a disgrace to their profession and a disgrace to this nation.