Mere hours after the, uh, pretty contentious first debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump on Tuesday night, the two candidates met again—this time, to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the September 11 attacks in New York City, alongside President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. Miraculously (or perhaps not, for two seasoned politicians), Harris and Trump showed no visible signs of discomfort at seeing one another post-debate, even exchanging yet another cordial handshake.
Photo: Getty Images
Granted, even someone as frequently unpredicable as Trump can be expected to comport himself on an occasion as somber as a gathering at Ground Zero, but the civility of the meeting still felt refreshing, with Harris, Trump, and the Bidens being joined by Trump’s running mate, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance; former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg; Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer; and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who, years after leading New York through the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, became a close Trump ally.
Picking up on one of her central talking points during the debate, Vice President Harris sounded a call for unity in a statement released early on Wednesday, outlining her plans for the anniversary. “Today, I will travel to the hallowed ground of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania to honor the victims and their families. As I do so, I will also reflect on the incredible selflessness and courage of the American people. And as we commemorate this day, we should all reflect on what binds us together as one: the greatest privilege on Earth, the pride and privilege of being an American.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre added that Biden and Harris were attending today’s commemoration because “they want to honor the 2,977 lives that were lost on that tragic day and support the families and also their loved ones who are still, still feeling a horrible pain.” While confronting Trump in person again couldn’t have been something either one was looking forward to, it’s also hard to think of a more important reason to do so.
