Watch live: Vance, former presidents attend 9/11 ceremony at Ground Zero

A quarter-century after the attacks of September 11, 2001, the image of Vice President Vance standing alongside former Presidents Bush, Clinton, Obama, and Biden at Ground Zero carries a weight that transcends the simple logistics of a memorial service. It is a visual reminder that there was once a shared American identity that could, at least for a day, set aside partisan rivalry. In an era where political opponents rarely share a stage, the 9/11 commemoration remains one of the few sacred spaces where unity is not just expected but required. The choice to gather at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum is itself significant. The site, once defined by rubble and smoke, now stands as a permanent testament to loss and resilience. For many Americans who lived through that day, the memory is visceral—the images of falling towers, the heroism of first responders, and the long war that followed. Twenty-five years later, the ceremony is not merely about looking backward; it is about asking what that day still means to a generation that was born after the towers fell. The presence of leaders from both parties acknowledges that the grief is collective, even if the political lessons drawn from 9/11 have diverged sharply. Yet the same bipartisan tableau also invites a sobering reflection. In 2001, President Bush's approval rating soared, and members of Congress sang "God Bless America" on the Capitol steps. Today, the very institutions that once symbolized unity are often the centers of division. The fact that a memorial ceremony featuring Vance and Biden feels newsworthy—rather than routine—is a measure of how far the political culture has shifted. The 25th anniversary thus becomes a mirror: we honor what we lost, but we also confront what has changed in how we see each other. Ultimately, the ceremony at Ground Zero is not a policy debate or a campaign event. It is a pause—a moment to remember the specific names, the individual stories, and the collective shock. For those who attend, including the current Vice President and four former Presidents, the act of standing together is the message. It does not resolve the nation's disagreements, but it offers a glimpse of a common ground that still exists, however briefly, on a September morning in Lower Manhattan. Source: https://thehill.com/video-clips/6083822-watch-live-vance-bush-clinton-obama-biden-ground-zero-nyc-911-memorial-25th-anniversary/