Families of 9/11 victims speak to Obama

It was Barack Obama's first trip to ground zero as president. It was historic, short and very personal.
Posted 5/5/2011, 10:02:00 PM Updated 8/23/2021, 12:07:05 AM

there is another major story on this thursday because for

the past few days the death of Osama Bin laden

has filled the news today

President Obama traveled to New york city where the headlines

belonged to the victims of Bin laden's attack on America

The president started his trip shaking hands of the men

at a firehouse in New York City

15 men from this unit died on 911 in his

only comments of the day the president offered these words

of reassurance when we say we will never forget

We mean what we say and our commitment to making

sure that justice was done is something that transcended politics

From there the president moved to ground zero

Yeah thank you

It was a moment filled with silence as he laid

a wreath at the site of the ground zero memorial

and pause to reflect on the terrorism of the victims

About 3000 people died when the twin towers fell

President Obama met with families of about 60 of them

before leaving the city this afternoon

Gerald Owens was at ground zero for today's ceremony

Gerald joins us now with the story of that moving

moment

9.5 years ago President Bush came to new york and

said America will punish those responsible for the 9 11

attacks

President Obama's visit today turns the page in the most

painful chapter of american history

It was Barack Obama's first trip to Ground zero as

President

It was historic

It was short and very personal

He said he never forgot about us and He's very

honored to be here and he's uh he's grateful that

work that we were here

The president laid a wreath at the site of the

deadliest terrorist attack on American soil

He made no public remarks

This was about the nearly 3000 victims the workers bystanders

400 firefighters and police officers who died on that crystal

clear day 9.5 years ago

My husband would have been so proud

I know he's looking down and he's very proud

Jackie Cannizzaro husband a new york city firefighter was one

of the victims

She believes he would have approved of the ceremony in

his honor

The fact that his son was here and met the

president and fist pump the president I think it was

just I think he would be just so amazed and

so happy and so proud

It surpassed my hopes to be honest

I felt like the moment was very appropriate and very

um it spoke volumes about the events that have a

card and I just thought the president handled the whole

situation beautifully

The event attracted media attention from around the world security

was tight

Nothing was going to deprive the men and women for

whom this monument is being built daylight today reminds the

rest of the nation to never forget

I mean like I don't think anybody in new york

city has forgotten

Well I think when you're not affected an immediate area

Kind of people's idea is just will never happen again

New Yorkers are keenly aware of how vulnerable they now

are with Osama bin laden gone

The city that never sleeps can rest a little easier

but they do so with one eye open in lower

Manhattan Gerald Owens WRL

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