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Biden (left) and Pence greeted each other in New York City
Rivals in the White House have shown a moment of unity as the United States commemorates the 19th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden greeted Vice President Mike Pence at the Ground Zero memorial in New York, where everyone attended the ceremonies.
Afterward, Biden traveled to Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the site of the Flight 93 memorial, to pay his respects.
President Donald Trump spoke there early Friday.
However, Biden and Trump did not intersect because their schedules did not overlap.
Almost 3,000 people were killed when four hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon and, after the passengers fought back, the field in Shanksville, in what is the worst terrorist attack in American history. .
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How is President Trump marking the anniversary?
Along with first lady Melania Trump, Trump attended a morning service at the Shanksville memorial, where Flight 93 crashed after 40 passengers and crew prevented al-Qaeda hijackers from reaching the US Capitol building.
“To the members of the Flight 93 family: Every heartbeat in America today is linked to yours,” Trump said. “Your pain and anguish is the shared pain of our entire nation.”
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“The memory of your most precious loved ones will inspire America forever. The heroes of Flight 93 are an everlasting reminder that no matter the danger, no matter the threat, no matter the odds, America will always rise, stand. stand up and fight “.
Although both Trump and Biden will refrain from campaigning openly, their separate visits to Pennsylvania are being closely watched, as the state is seen as a key battleground in the Nov.3 election.
Before his visit to Shanksville, Trump made a brief stop in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to greet members of the state Army National Guard. The city of iron and steel is located in Cambria County, the heart of what is known as ‘Trump country’, in the southwest of the state.
Trump spoke to three officers about the local military and thanked them for their service, local media reported.
Trump narrowly beat Hillary Clinton in state in 2016 and with elections less than eight weeks away, the president is fighting hard to keep cities like Johnstown on his side, says the BBC’s Tara McKelvey.
Where is Biden?
Biden and his wife, Jill, attended a memorial service and commemoration ceremony at the September 11 museum in New York City.
They traveled to Shanksville in the afternoon to visit the same monument as Trump. Biden was seen greeting relatives of those killed in the attack.
He and his wife also placed a wreath at the monument.
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Mr Biden at the Flight 93 Memorial
Biden told reporters on Friday that he would be talking about nothing but 9/11 and that his campaign had removed political ads from television.
“We removed all our publicity, it is a solemn day and that is how we will keep it,” he said.
Biden greeted Pence at the World Trade Center site in New York earlier in the day, and the couple touched elbows instead of handshakes to observe protocols meant to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Biden referenced the pandemic in a series of tweets later that day, saying, “This year, we mark the anniversary of September 11 in the midst of another crisis that forces us to rally the best of the American people in the face of inconceivable loss and inconceivable. “
What is the reaction?
Mr. Pence made brief statements in New York City and read passages from the Bible, saying, “I pray that these ancient words will comfort your hearts and ours.”
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, also joined Pence and Biden at the memorial service.
On Twitter in the US, hashtags related to September 11 are trending, with people remembering the day and sharing stories of loved ones lost in the attacks.
Some on social media have also drawn attention to the anti-Muslim sentiment that swept across the country in the aftermath of 9/11, pointing out how they were intimidated, stereotyped or watched.
- Islamophobia: new name, old fear
- Will the ‘war on terror’ ever end?
Hate crimes increased against Muslims after the 2001 attacks, according to FBI data.
What happened on September 11?
The 9/11 attacks were a series of four coordinated attacks against the United States by the Islamist terror group al-Qaeda.
- American airline pilots trained to shoot hijackers
- 9/11 Timeline: The Day’s Story
In addition to the 3,000 people who died on September 11, 2001, some 400,000 people were injured or exposed to other contaminants as a result of the attacks, according to the US Centers for Disease Control.
Hundreds of first responders and survivors have died in subsequent years from related illnesses, such as cancer.
Weeks after the attack, the United States sent troops to Afghanistan to fight al-Qaeda. The so-called ‘War on Terror’ has raged for decades, and American intervention in the Middle East remains a quagmire in American foreign policy.
