Keating Reflects on Sept. 11, Oklahoma City Bombings

Watching images of mangled steel, lifeless bodies and smoking wreckage seemed all too familiar for Frank Keating (CAS ’66) on Sept. 11. Only six years earlier on April 19, 1995, a truck parked outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City exploded, leaving death and destruction in its wake. Keating had been governor for just over three months when the Oklahoma City bombing took place.

Nearly seven years later and three years into his second term as governor, Keating addressed Georgetown students and faculty on “State Responses to Terrorism and Careers in the Public Service” Wednesday in the ICC Auditorium. During his 30-minute speech, Keating reflected on the close parallels between the Oklahoma City and World Trade Center bombings and his personal responses to the events.

“In 1995, 168 of my neighbors and friends were murdered for no reason — 19 of them children,” Keating said. “The events of 9-11, however, were much larger, by 5,000 times. But the questions remain: How could this be? How could we let this happen? What can we do to prevent this?”

Keating’s proposed solution is to “fortress America.”

“Mohammed Atta, one of the hijackers, and his bunch entered the country legally,” he said. “By Sept. 11, they were in the country illegally. We need to have background checks. The immigration service must be secure. We must create ‘Fortress America’.”

The lack of cooperation between federal and local governments also remains an impediment to security, according to Keating. He said that the CIA and FBI should openly share information with state-level government organizations to maintain maximum security.

“In Oklahoma City in 1995 and New York City in 2001, the first, second and third responses were by state and local, not federal, Watching images of mangled steel, lifeless bodies and smoking wreckage seemed all too familiar for Frank Keating (CAS ’66) on Sept. 11. Only six years earlier on April 19, 1995, a truck parked outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City exploded, leaving death and destruction in its wake. Keating had been governor for just over three months when the Oklahoma City bombing took place.

Nearly seven years later and three years into his second term as governor, Keating addressed Georgetown students and faculty on “State Responses to Terrorism and Careers in the Public Service” Wednesday in the ICC Auditorium. During his 30-minute speech, Keating reflected on the close parallels between the Oklahoma City and World Trade Center bombings and his personal responses to the events.

“In 1995, 168 of my neighbors and friends were murdered for no reason — 19 of them children,” Keating said. “The events of 9-11, however, were much larger, by 5,000 times. But the questions remain: How could this be? How could we let this happen? What can we do to prevent this?”

Keating’s proposed solution is to “fortress America.”

“Mohammed Atta, one of the hijackers, and his bunch entered the country legally,” he said. “By Sept. 11, they were in the country illegally. We need to have background checks. The immigration service must be secure. We must create ‘Fortress America’.”

The lack of cooperation between federal and local governments also remains an impediment to security, according to Keating. He said that the CIA and FBI should openly share information with state-level government organizations to maintain maximum security.

“In Oklahoma City in 1995 and New York City in 2001, the first, second and third responses were by state and local, not federal, organizations. We need the information too.”

Keating similarly showed disdain for recent measures to heighten airport security.

“Doing things on a random basis is not security; it’s the appearance of it. Screening every 12th person by stopping to screen ‘grandmother’ while ‘threatening man’ walks onto the plane is ridiculous,” he said.

“We need more real security, not the appearance of it. People don’t like us, people don’t like our ways. We are a great, pluralistic society, but we’re proud of this fact,” Keating said. “That’s what makes America. We need to do everything we can to protect our country.”

A native Oklahoman and Georgetown graduate, Keating boasts a long history in the realm of public service. Prior to his governorship, he joined the FBI as a special agent, working on terrorist cases, followed by a stint as Assistant District Attorney in Oklahoma City. He served in both Congress and the Senate and served in the previous Bush administration. Though Keating remains a Catholic governor in a mostly Protestant state, he won a landslide victory in Oklahoma’s 1998 gubernatorial election.

“I’ve led a tremendous and fun life since I’ve graduated from Georgetown. There is an obligation as a citizen to serve. I just wanted to make an effort to do some good things for my people,” Keating said.

Noting the university’s habit of sending students into civil service, Keating offered stories and advice from his many years as a public servant, mostly hearkening back to his handling of the Oklahoma City bombing.

“Unlike New York, we didn’t have any money — money was given on need. To children who lost both of their parents, they can go to whatever college they want — for free. It’s the gift that keeps on giving,” Keating said. “Everyone — you and your staff — should personally brief the families, so that the people in agony know that others in the public and private sectors sincerely care.”

Keating’s speech was followed by a short question and answer session that covered topics including the death penalty, the Pope, military tribunals and career advice.

“This country became a great country because great people were leading it,” Keating said. “By becoming a great, good and moral citizen, is how you enter politics.”