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Reflections on September 11, 2001

Daniel B. McLeod

In past years, I have written articles on the NHADA leadership trip to our nation's capital and the NADA Washington Conference, lobbying our New Hampshire Congressional Delegation to support dealer issues.

On Monday, September 10, Chair David Hammer, Vice Chair Jeff Platek, NADA Director Jack Tulley, Vice President Brendan Perry, and I made the trip to Washington to specifically elicit support from our two Senators and two Congressmen on the Voluntary Arbitration Bill.

On Tuesday, September 11, after a breakfast meeting and a speech by fourth ranking House Republican Member Congressman J. C. Watts (R-OK), the five of us set off to Capitol Hill for a 9:15 a.m. appointment with Senator Gregg in the Russell Senate Office Building. When we arrived in Senator Gregg's office, we all joined his staff around a television and watched the horrible events in New York unfold. Senator Gregg simply shook our hands and moved fast to an emergency meeting. We sat with his staff person and provided a brief summation of dealer issues.

At approximately 9:30 a.m., the five of us started our walk from the Russell Senate Office Building to the Cannon House Office Building, by way of a route that took us directly behind the U.S. Capitol. Increased security was noticeable, and there was apprehension on many faces. Suddenly, we noticed a distant large plume of black smoke directly in view over the Capitol. At this point, we were in the location behind the Capitol where the media normally sets up for their standard interviews. We heard a reporter on a cell phone stating that a helicopter had crashed, missing its landing pad at the Pentagon. The media was somewhat frantic, realizing there was breaking news in close proximity. We all looked directly above the Capitol and, at a very low altitude, saw what appeared to be the white under belly of a 747. It had come in a direct line that took it right over the Capitol headed toward the Washington Monument at the end of the Mall. It made an immediate sharp turn to the right, away from the rising smoke of the Pentagon. Within the next minute or two, the Capitol Police came running out of the Capitol and shouted to all in the area to "run, run, run . . . run away from the Capitol!" The realization of what had happened in New York and the smoke rising from the Pentagon created signs of panic while the employees and tourists in the Capitol were running for their lives. I saw the fear and tears on people's faces and then realized this was all for real.

At that point, cell phone communication was shut off. David and Jeff became separated from Brendan, Jack, and myself. The three of us made our way directly to the NADA Legislative Offices, three blocks away from Capitol Hill, and joined the dealer delegations from Texas and Tennessee. We were all glued to television news reports and learned that it was not a helicopter that crashed but that it was American Airlines Flight 77. We saw the F-16's on TV and heard them right outside the window. We were all able to use the land phone; and, eventually, we got through to our spouses and NHADA Headquarters. My wife, Debbie, had watched the horrific events unfold on ABC, and she knew that I was scheduled to be on Capitol Hill with our dealers. When I finally got in touch with her, while she was composed, there was no mistaking the fear in her voice. At this point, the Police had shut off all ground access to and from Capitol Hill. The three of us hunkered down at the NADA office until mid-afternoon, where we took the Metro to within a few blocks of our hotel, the Capital Hilton, that is only a few blocks from the White House. When we came above ground from the Metro Station, it was apparent an expanded perimeter had been established around the White House. In a few minutes, we got back to the hotel and found out that David and Jeff were in the process of obtaining a rental car so we could get back to New Hampshire. As a matter of fact, they waited in line for more than two-and-a-half hours and were lucky enough to get the last car. Other vehicles were promised to those in line, but they were at Reagan National Airport, and the bridges were all closed. Dealers from throughout the country became extremely innovative in their transportation needs. Many purchased cars from Washington area dealers and began their journeys home. Motor coaches were rented, and limousines were hired. We determined our best course of action would be to stay off the congested highways filled with highly emotional drivers exiting the DC area and leave early Wednesday morning.

Jeff, David, Brendan, and I headed back to New Hampshire at 5:00 a.m. and pretty much had clear sailing. Jack joined the Massachusetts dealers on a motor coach at 7:30 a.m. When we stopped to have lunch at a deli just outside Hartford, Connecticut, on my way in to the deli, a young lady approached me. She asked me if I was from New Hampshire. When I removed my sunglasses, she identified herself as Nancy Lynch, a former employee of NHADA, whose father, Jack Lynch, had played football for the New York Giants. Through tears, Nancy told me she and her husband were on their way to New York because her brother was missing. The television images immediately became more personal and real!

While we are all dealing with these horrific, calculated terrorist acts, through the smoke and ashes, it is abundantly clear that patriotism in America is not only alive and well, but it has risen to levels that, I, in my 54 years, have never seen. The fanatics that plotted and caused the unthinkable loss of human life have lit the torch of freedom and raised American spirit to new heights. As a nation, we will move on and we will be stronger!

As dealers, it is our job to direct our combined business efforts toward normalcy. We all have to step up and work harder than ever before to make certain those fanatical bastards do not win. In closing, never forget that good always wins over evil . . . always.

God Bless America.

Comments? dmcleod@nhada.com.