September 12, 2011 in News

Congress reprises Sept. 11 chorus

The Associated Press

J. Scott Applewhite photo

Members of Congress sing God Bless America on the steps of the Capitol in remembrance of the terror attacks of 2001, in Washington, Monday, Sept. 12, 2011. On bottom row from left are Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
(Full-size photo)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Members of Congress gathered on the steps of the Capitol on Monday to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks and raise a chorus of unity as they did in the hours after the terrorist strikes.

Just like 10 years ago, House and Senate members from both parties lined the steps to honor those who had fallen and sing “God Bless America.”

This time hundreds of lawmakers, many waving small flags, joined a Marine Corps band in the song. A decade ago it was a smaller group that had been able to make it back to the Capitol, which had been evacuated throughout the day because of fears of further attacks.

In 2001 it was then-Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., and then-Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., who stood side by side to declare that Congress would be back in session the next day.

“We will stand with this president,” Hastert said. “And we will stand as Americans together throughout this time.”

Ten years later the ceremony was led by House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and the two minority leaders, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

“Even the fiercest of political adversaries found themselves standing shoulder-to-shoulder singing “God Bless America,” McConnell recalled of the 2001 event.

It was “the sweetest song we ever heard,” Reid said of their spontaneous rendition of the song.

Six comments on this story so far. Add yours!

liberal_in_right_wing_land on September 12 at 4:44 p.m.
How about they instead work together to get this country out of this depression. Everyone knows by the end of the week they will all hate each other and the same political games will be back.
polistra on September 12 at 5:10 p.m.
Awww, isn’t that cute? They can sing! Maybe they’ll learn fingerpainting next year, and start looking at the alphabet several years later.
They’re always telling us that America is Exceptional, and now I know what they mean.
lowtechmaster on September 12 at 5:24 p.m.
Obviously the ONLY thing about which Congress can agree!
norpass on September 12 at 7:33 p.m.
You had to know that Congress would spit in on the National Day of Mythos. Disgraceful. Curious that the freaks didn’t sing the ‘national Patriot Act’ chapter and verse.
Enough already. 9/11/01 was a horrible day for our entire world and probably we could ask all the children without parents in oh say, Afghanistan or Iraq or Yemen or Pakistan or Somalia or fill in the blank.
How about Congress does it’s job and finds out the real truth and 9/11/01.
The_Seer on September 12 at 8:45 p.m.
I’d still like someone, anyone, to be brought to trial for committing the crimes of 9/11 on U.S. soil They were crimes, not acts of war. Our criminal justice system failed us and abrogated their duties unlawfully to the military.
greenlibertarian on September 13 at 1:28 a.m.
Theatre of the absurd.