The events of September 11, 2001, seemingly changed the way Americans viewed the world and their sense of vulnerability. What is not clear is the impact 9/11 had on different age groups shortly after the attacks. A quasi-experimental design was employed to study the effects of 9/11 on 298 older and younger adults. Drawing on the work of Leon Festinger, this article explores the role of cognitive dissonance in discussing the reactions of older and younger midwesterners to the events of September 11 as well as their perceptions of President George W. Bush.