Hundreds of Americans gathered on Friday morning at the National September 11 Memorial at Ground Zero in New York to commemorate the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, including Republican Vice President Mike Pence, and Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden.
While the two represent opposing sides of the political aisle going into the final stretch of the 2020 election season, Biden tapped Pence on the should and the two traded a greeting of elbow bumps.
Bloomberg reporter Emma Kinery video of the exchange. “Joe Biden and Mike Pence are both at Ground Zero. Biden tapped Pence’s shoulder and said hi.”
Joe Biden and Mike Pence are both at Ground Zero. Biden tapped Pence’s shoulder and said hi pic.twitter.com/1vZScVHRks
— Emma Kinery (@EmmaKinery) September 11, 2020
Karen Pence and Jill Biden also joined in the exchange of elbow bump greetings as the two couples at the memorial.
Politico reporter Christopher Cadelago tweeted a photo of the moment Vice President Pence and former Vice President Biden met. “VPs.”
VPs pic.twitter.com/exhIc2ah4u
— Christopher Cadelago (@ccadelago) September 11, 2020
According to the New York Post, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYPD Police Commissioner Dermot Shea were also at the 9/11 memorial on Friday. George Pataki, who was governor of New York during 9/11, was also at the memorial, as were New York Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy.
Vice President Pence and the Second Lady attended the memorial at Ground Zero before heading to another event being held simultaneously by the Tunnels to Towers Foundation near New York City’s Zuccotti Park.
On Friday morning, Pence tweeted “Today, our Nation pauses to remember those who fell on 9/11/01 and we honor the unimaginable sacrifice they made for our Country. Their memory lives on in the heart of every American and we will never forget the courage and heroism shown on that fateful morning. #NeverForget.”
Today, our Nation pauses to remember those who fell on 9/11/01 and we honor the unimaginable sacrifice they made for our Country. Their memory lives on in the heart of every American and we will never forget the courage and heroism shown on that fateful morning. #NeverForget pic.twitter.com/rCUashyAJe
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) September 11, 2020
Biden campaign spokesperson Meghan Hays tweeted a photo later on in the morning of Biden offering his condolences to a mother who lost her son in the 9/11 attacks.
“.@JoeBiden offers his condolences to a grieving mother who lost her son on 9/11/01 @Sept11Memorial. #WeWillNeverForget,” Hays tweeted.
.@JoeBiden offers his condolences to a grieving mother who lost her son on 9/11/01 @Sept11Memorial. #WeWillNeverForget pic.twitter.com/vwcYTKRTKe
— Meghan Hays (@meghan_hays9) September 11, 2020
