Wed Sep 11 17:15:50 UTC 2024: ## Political Rivals Set Aside Differences to Remember 9/11
**NEW YORK -** On the 23rd anniversary of the September 11th attacks, political leaders from both sides of the aisle have come together to honor the memory of those lost in the tragedy.
President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Donald Trump, and Republican Senator JD Vance are all participating in commemorative events in New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The leaders will attend wreath-laying ceremonies at Ground Zero in Manhattan, the Flight 93 memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia.
The events come at a time of heightened political tension, but leaders appear to be setting aside their differences for the day. In a notable moment, Vice President Harris and former President Trump shook hands ahead of the ceremonies, their first in-person meeting since their heated debate the previous night.
While the focus remains on honoring the victims and their families, the upcoming election cycle casts a shadow over the events. This year marks the sixth consecutive election cycle in which presidential candidates have navigated the somber anniversary amidst a heated campaign season.
Past years have seen a mixed bag of unity and division. In 2016, then-candidate Trump and Hillary Clinton both attended the memorial at Ground Zero, while in 2008, then-candidates Barack Obama and John McCain set aside their campaign to lay a wreath together.
This year, it remains to be seen how the campaigns will handle the day and whether the solemnity of the occasion will remain paramount.
First Piper 