When Mark arrived, the president had already seized on the idea of making an appearance at St. John’s Church. Mark, Tony, Bobby Engel, and I checked out the site that afternoon. The Secret Service cleared a path for us, as the scene was crowded, chaotic, and tense. Around six thirty that evening, riot police and police on horseback began clearing the park, using tear gas and pepper spray. The president planned to make brief remarks in the Rose Garden before walking to the church. Minutes before he was to speak, I heard him yell from the Oval Office, “Someone bring me a Bible. I need to hold a
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