Media outlets recall country's unity after Sept. 11 attacks

NEW YORK – Many of the media outlets that research the country's differences, pausing Saturday to people the 20th day of the Sept. 11 violent attacks, recalled astir wistfully the consciousness of communal intent that agreed Americans successful the aftermath of that day.

Television quality networks offered wall-to-wall sum of remembrances successful New York, Washington and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, that were attended by 4 presidents.

“One should savor these moments of unity this greeting — consciousness however bully that feels,” said Fox News Channel anchor Dana Perino, soon aft Bruce Springsteen sang “I'll See You successful My Dreams” astatine New York's World Trade Center memorial.

Normally Fox, CNN and MSNBC walk hours connected governmental warfare, astir notably this week Fox's heated effect to President Joe Biden's latest COVID-fighting plan.

Perino was 1 of 2 ex-press aides to erstwhile President George W. Bush to anchor quality sum Saturday; MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace was the other. The networks carried unrecorded their erstwhile boss' code successful Shanksville. Bush and Vice President Kamala Harris some called for that long-dissipated sprit of unity to return.

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“On Sept. 11 we each gave up our labels. We each became Americans,” erstwhile Bush Chief of Staff Andrew Card said successful an MSNBC interview.

Shortly after, onetime archetypal responder John Feal told MSNBC's Ali Velshi that “we statement each different excessively much. It was large to beryllium a quality being” aft the attacks.

Selfless acts of sacrifice are what CBS News anchor Norah O'Donnell said she was reasoning astir connected Saturday. “We telephone them heroes, but they are mundane Americans ... that's what's large astir this country, (that) terrorists tried to instrumentality and did not instrumentality distant that day.”

Differences didn't melt wholly away. Former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik tweeted helium was “disgusted” that President Joe Biden was astatine the city's ceremony.

Wallace and her co-anchor, Brian Williams, doubly talked astir erstwhile President Donald Trump's lack from Sept. 11 remembrances Saturday — some times without saying his name.

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Trump made appearances astatine a New York constabulary presumption and firehouse, and the constabulary sojourn was covered unrecorded by Fox. However, the web broke away, and anchor Arthel Neville said that “he did not miss immoderate opportunities to aerial grievances, including claiming that the predetermination was rigged, which it was not.”

Bush's speech, wherever helium discussed the dangers of home-grown extremism, was seized upon by journalists. “I deliberation a batch of radical are going to beryllium talking astir that for days to come,” said CNN's Paula Reid.

The quality networks carried the archetypal speechmaking of World Trade Center victims' names by household members, opening astatine 8:49 a.m. Eastern.

“They're inactive speechmaking the names,” CNN's Laura Jarrett said soon aft noon, “almost a temporal reminder, if you will, of the nonaccomplishment of astir 3,000 people.”

But aft Springsteen sang, astir of the networks drifted away. ABC, CBS and NBC affiliates successful New York City, arsenic is their tradition, didn't budge. They listened arsenic each sanction was read, accompanying them with the names and pictures of victims onscreen, on with the often heartbreaking idiosyncratic messages of lives that continued with voids successful countless hearts.

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It took 4 hours, until the ceremonial ended with taps being played connected trumpets.

“Twenty years is simply a bully circular number,” said Jim Giaccone, who memorialized his mislaid brother, Joseph. “But for maine and different household members, it's different day, it's different month, it's different year.”

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