Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Moment of Silence at Ground Zero; 9/11 Memorial Museum Moves Ahead; First Family Pauses to Remember; Financial Help for 9/11 First Responders; Florida A&M Blames Hazing Victim; No School Today for 350,000 Students; Pentagon Ceremony Honors 9/11 Victims

Aired September 11, 2012 - 09:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks to both of you.

Good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Right now we are remembering the day that changed our nation forever. For the next two hours, we'll remember the victims and honor the ultimate triumphs of the 9/11 terror attacks.

We're at New York's Ground Zero for the moment of silence about to get underway and then minutes from now remembering the lives lost at the Pentagon. President Obama will soon be on his way there. There, he'll be laying a wreath. They'll have a ceremony and he'll also deliver some remarks.

Not only the President but the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army General Martin Dempsey will deliver remarks as well.

We're also in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where the final hijacked airliner crashed into a field after hero passengers fought back. Vice President Joe Biden is there. And we're expecting him to speak at the top of the 10:00 hour, an hour from now.

But first at New York's Ground Zero, a sign of healing. An overnight breakthrough that now clears the way for a museum on the site. We'll have more on that in just a minute. But first a tribute is about to get underway.

CNN's Poppy Harlow is at Ground Zero.

Good morning, Poppy.

POPPY HARLOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. I have to tell you, it is a beautiful, crisp, clear Tuesday morning here. Really reminiscent for people about 9/11 itself, a day just like that day. And we've spent the morning here talking to family members. One father we spoke with, Bob Hughes, here with his wife, remembering their 30-year-old son, Chris Hughes, who was killed. He was a trader on the 89th floor of the South Tower.

His mother, for the first time today, Carolyn, in just a few minutes, is going to get to read some of those names in the ceremony. So a very big day for them, for all the families. They open this morning with everyone singing "The Star Spangled Banner." There was a bell that chimed and bagpipes and then they began reading the names, as they do every year.

Four and a half million visitors have come down to the memorial that opened this day last year. In the past year there have been 4.5 million visitors who've come to remember and honor and there are many more down here today, remembering the 2,977 victims that died. And what we are going to have -- we've had one moment of silence so far at 8:46 a.m., when that first plane struck the North Tower. We're about to have that second moment of silence.

COSTELLO: We are about to have it in just about 30 seconds. At Ground Zero, only the families of those killed will be reading the names of loved ones. Politicians, for the first time, will not be speaking. We're 15 seconds away from a moment of silence marking 9:03, 11 years to the minute since United Airlines flight 175, the second plane, slammed into the World Trade Center, the South Tower. Let's listen.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We miss you and think about you every day.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And my sister-in-law, Loretta Ann Vero.

COSTELLO: Those hijacked airliners reduced two of New York's most iconic buildings, as you know, to a smoldering crater. And that's why we want to share this remarkable time-lapsed video. This is the new One World Trade Center rising into the New York skyline. It's nearly 1400 feet tall. It's due to be completed next year.

Also inching closing to reality, the 9/11 Memorial Museum that's deadlocked in a budget fight. But we understand there's been a breakthrough overnight.

CNN's Poppy Harlow joins us again from Ground Zero.

So, Poppy, tell us about this breakthrough.

HARLOW: It's a very big deal. So this museum, the 9/11 Museum, has really been stalled. They've all but stopped construction on it since November. So months and months have gone by. Political in-fighting. Really, disputes overfunding and who's eventually going to operate and oversee this museum in conjunction with the memorial.

The Port Authority in New York and New Jersey who -- you know, building the site, operating it behind me, they struck a deal with the 9/11 Foundation overnight. Apparently they're going to meet this week and they're going to get that construction back up and running around the clock to try to get this museum done as quickly as possible.

I spoke this morning with Joe Daniels. He is the CEO of the 9/11 Foundation. Take a listen to what he told me.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: Do you think you're going to get the federal funds? And what do you do if you don't?

JOSEPH DANIELS, 9/11 FOUNDATION CEO: Ultimately I think we are going to get the federal funds. When we have a champion like Senator Daniel Inouye from Hawaii, a war hero himself, who has such a deep connection to Pearl Harbor, he is championing this cause. I believe between him, Senator Schumer and Gillibrand, the mayor, this will happen. It's too important for our country not to end and we expect it to happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: So what they're asking for is about 20 million over the year from the federal government. A third of the operating costs needed to keep the memorial and the museum going. It's going to cost them about $60 million a year. So they're asking the federal government to chip in.

This agreement means that no more taxpayer money from New York and New Jersey is going to go into this. They want federal money.

I had a chance also this morning to catch up with Mayor Michael Bloomberg to talk about just that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: Do you think that the federal government should supply this money?

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, (I) NEW YORK: Yes.

HARLOW: Do you think you're going to get it?

BLOOMBERG: I hope we'll get it. I think so. Because they provide that kind of funding for other memorials around the country. It's not an unreasonable amount of money. It's consistent with what they do elsewhere. And this was an attack on America. It took place in New York. But it was America and what America stands for that was threatened and, fortunately, everybody came together. And hopefully the federal government will come through and help us.

We're still going to have to charge for the museum. We're still going to have to fundraise.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: And, ultimately, Carol, I'm told by the Port Authority the price tag on the memorial and the museum, it's topping $1 billion at this point in time. So a very expensive, massive project, but if all goes as planned now, they hope to have that 9/11 museum opened by the end of next year or, at the latest, early 2014. Big deal for the families and the folks I've been talking to here. Sort of the last step what they've been waiting for.

COSTELLO: Absolutely. I mean no disrespect but $60 million a year in operating costs is an awful lot of money. For example, Arlington National Cemetery, that takes -- that costs $45 million a year to maintain. How did this project become so expensive?

HARLOW: It's a great question. I spoke in detail with Joe Daniels, the head of the 9/11 Foundation, about that. And he said, well, you know, Poppy, he pointed out to me, he said the Holocaust Museum costs over $90 million a year to operate. He said we've got -- majority, a lot of the costs going to security. He noted this is a place that has been attacked twice. They have to have the best security. So a lot of it goes to security and also simply operating here in lower Manhattan is very expensive.

But they have faced a lot of criticism, you're right, about that high, high cost, $60 million. They pointed out to me, Carol, that the memorial will always be free for people to go to. They did say, though, they're going to have to charge in some way or another, whether it's a ticket price or a suggested donation for people to get in to the 9/11 Museum when it opens.

COSTELLO: Poppy Harlow reporting live for us from Ground Zero. We'll go back to Poppy a little later on NEWSROOM.

Just a short time ago the President and the First Lady began a day of memorials, starting on the south lawn of the White House.

(MUSIC)

In just a few minutes, the First Family will head to the Pentagon. This is one of several events the first family will take part in today to remember those who were killed 11 years ago.

Joining me now is White House correspondent Brianna Keilar.

Fill us in on the rest of the day.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, that was really the first of three events that have become this somber traditional day here in Washington, D.C. President Obama, the First Lady, marking that moment of silence there on the South Lawn at 8:46 a.m. when the first plane hit the World Trade Center in New York.

The audience there mainly White House staff, maybe entirely White House staff as we understand it. And shortly the President and the First Lady will make their way over to the Pentagon for a moment of silence there as well. That will take place at 9:37 a.m., remembering the 184 people who were killed there. The President will lay a wreath.

We will be hearing remarks from the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Martin Dempsey, and from the Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta, and then from President Obama himself. And then this afternoon in what will be a private affair, he will go to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and he'll be visiting with wounded warriors there, Carol.

But again that's something that the cameras will not see. And this is -- you know, as you can probably see behind me, it's a beautiful, crisp, fall-like day here in Washington, D.C. on this day that has become sort of a somber ritual here at the White House and here in Washington, D.C., Carol.

COSTELLO: I know, Brianna. It reminds you of what the weather was like on that terrible day 11 years ago. Such a beautiful day.

I know the President addressed the legacy of 9/11 in his weekly address. What did he say?

KEILAR: Yes, he talked about something that I think a lot of people connect with, and certainly that they felt in the days following 9/11. He said the legacy of 9/11 is that no adversary or act of terrorism can change who we are as Americans and we will always come together to preserve ad protect the country that we love.

I think certainly something that resonates now 11 years later, and certainly in the days following 9/11 a lot of people felt as well -- Carol.

COSTELLO: I do. I remember that great spirit of patriotism that existed back then. And everyone reached out a hand. It was -- it was a great feeling in a time of great sadness.

Brianna Keilar, thanks so much.

About a month after the September 11th attacks U.S. troops entered Afghanistan to hunt down the man responsible, Osama bin Laden. And nearly 11 years later, they are still there today.

This morning troops marked the anniversary of 9/11 with a ceremony in Kabul, Afghanistan, remembering the day that sent them there.

There is a victory this morning for those 9/11 First Responders who were exposed to toxic dust and debris at Ground Zero. Federal officials have decided that 58 different types of cancer will now be covered under the Zadroga Act, a law designed to help those who gave so much that day. For those heroic volunteers and responders whose actions left them sick and bankrupt, this news could not come fast enough.

Our medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen joins me now.

So what prompted this change to include so many forms of cancer?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: It is a profound change, Carol. I mean just last year, authorities said we're not including cancer. Those cancer patients won't see money. So this is a big switch. And a lot of it has to do with a study that came out with firefighters.

So they looked at firefighters who were down there at Ground Zero and compared them with firefighters who were not. And they found that the Ground Zero firefighters had a 19 percent increased risk of cancer. That's a substantially increased risk. And nobody can say for sure that their cancers are because of their work done that day, but I think there's enough suggestion that perhaps that's the reason that they've decided to go ahead and include these cancers.

COSTELLO: So what was so toxic there?

COHEN: So much was so toxic and it was this mix of building materials, like asbestos and jet fuel. And so it was unprecedented. So it's really hard to actually study this because they haven't seen it before. This mixture had not been seen before. And you can see in these videos that a lot of these people were not wearing masks and even the masks that they were wearing, who knows that they really protected them very much. And people just rushed down to help. They weren't thinking about protective gear.

COSTELLO: No, they weren't at all. So a lot of these First Responders have been sick for a long time. So is the help coming kind of too late for them?

COHEN: I mean some of them have probably passed away from their cancers and it truly is too late for them. You know, for others, hopefully this financial help will help them get through their doctors bills, will help them, you know, in other situations. So I don't want to say it's too late because I'm hoping that it will still be helpful to them in some ways. But yes, to have had these cancers, you know, some of them for years and years without any kind of financial support, that that must have been extremely difficult.

I mean I've interviewed some of them and I know how hard it's been.

COSTELLO: I know. Me, too. Just so sad. Elizabeth Cohen, thank you so much.

COHEN: Thanks.

COSTELLO: President Obama and the First Lady will be at the Pentagon this morning. They'll participate in a wreath-laying ceremony to remember the attacks there. That's in a few minutes. And of course, we'll carry that live for you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: President Obama and the First Lady are on their way to the Pentagon right now, where they will participate in that wreath-laying ceremony.

Earlier this morning, we saw an American flag unfurled over the side building. Firefighters and soldiers lowered a flag like this on the side of the Pentagon during rescue and recovery efforts after 9/11.

And just a few minutes, at 9:37 Eastern Time, the moment, the plane struck the Pentagon on 9/11, the Obamas will take part in a moment of silence.

There is a lot of other news going on this morning, including another twist in the search for justice, following the hazing death of a Florida college student. CNN has learned Florida A&M University is blaming Robert Champion for his own death. Champion died in November after a band hazing incident on a bus trip. It comes as the school defends itself from a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Champion's parents.

George Howell has been following this case from the very beginning. And it just sounds unbelievable. GEORGE HOWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, good morning. This comes down to one question. First of all, did Robert Champion have a choice? Was he forced into this, as his family has insisted, or did he have a choice in the matter? Did he voluntarily go through this hazing, as you've heard many band members suggest in sworn statements.

When you look at this report that was filed by FAMU's attorneys, they say very blunt terms that the university is not responsible.

I want to read this to you. Quote, "Respectfully, as a 26-year-old adult and leader in FAMU's band, Mr. Champion should have refused to participate in the planned hazing event and reported it to law enforcement or university administrators. Under these circumstances, Florida taxpayers should not be held financially liable to Mr. Champion's estate for the ultimate result of his own imprudent, avoidable and tragic decision and death."

So again, very blunt language there, basically saying this university has no responsibility for what happened.

COSTELLO: But hazing is against the rules at school, right?

HOWELL: But again, they say he signed a waiver, he knew about this. This was a planned event. They say that they're not liable.

COSTELLO: So, what are Champion's parents saying about this?

HOWELL: Well, as you can imagine, they are surprised by this response. They've been in talks with the university looking for a possible settlement. This was a surprise to them.

Let me read this statement from Chris Chestnut, family's attorney. He says, quote, "The Champion family is shocked at the defense FAMU has chosen in the brutal hazing death of Robert Champion. We simply cannot ignore the audacity of an institution that blames students for their own death yet for decades ignored the hazing epidemic occurring within its own walls."

So, again, you see there, the Champion family saying that the university is blaming the victim. But we got a nuanced response I should say from FAMU's attorney, Richard Mitchell, who says Champion's voluntary participation in felony hazing bars his estate's claim for taxpayer dollars.

COSTELLO: Weren't there administrators fired for the hazing incident at the university?

HOWELL: There was a shuffle. The university president resigned, given what happened here. You saw some administrators lost their jobs, indeed, and there were several investigations around this case. But again, they say that if this was his choice, if he voluntarily went through with this, then they have no responsibility.

COSTELLO: Well, we'll see what happens. George Howell, thanks so much. No school again today for 350,000 public school students in Chicago, but maybe for not much longer. Their teachers should be back on the job pretty soon.

Nearly 30,000 teachers in the nation's third largest school district went on strike yesterday after contract negotiations broke down.

Casey Wian is in Chicago.

So, Casey, are they close to reaching a deal?

CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hard to tell, Carol. We thought they've been close a couple of times. Both sides say they are very close but there remain a couple of issues, issues over job security, mainly, that remain on the bargaining table.

As you can see here, many of these teachers are out on strike. They're not in school today. They are walking the picket lines outside their schools. In about five minutes, some of these schools, like the one I'm at today, are going to be open as safe drop-off points for parents who don't have alternative child care arrangements for their children.

Now, these started yesterday and the participation was very, very small. One of the reasons, as you can imagine, some parents very reluctant to bring their children across these picket lines, sometimes walking past their very own teachers.

So, parents are having to come up with alternative arrangements. Nine-thirty this morning, about an hour from now, negotiations are scheduled to begin and teachers here say they are hopeful, perhaps not optimistic, but hopeful that a resolution to this strike can be reached, hopefully, some time today, Carol.

COSTELLO: I know Chicago police have added extra patrol since kids are out of schools. Any problems to report?

WIAN: No problems to report as of now, but parents are very, very worried. It's well documented that Chicago has had a very violent year. Murders in the city up 32 percent, compared to last year, a lot of parents, a lot of police officials, a lot of school officials. Really, everyone in the city very worried about the prospect of children running around on the streets with no particular place to go with this violence that has been occurring in Chicago.

So, that's one of the reasons why police officers have been taken off desk duty and deployed out into the streets to make sure the streets are as safe as possible. And so far, they have, Carol.

COSTELLO: That's a good thing. Casey Wian, reporting live for us this morning.

Now, back to our special coverage of the 11th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. Just a half a mile from the World Trade Center site, traders at the New York Stock Exchange will observe a moment of silence to honor victims of September 11th as well as rescue, recovery and military personnel. That starts in just about one minute.

Alison Kosik is there now.

Alison, tell us what this ceremony will entail.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: OK. So this moment of silence to honor the victims of 9/11 begins with one hit of the gavel at the NYSE that's going to happen at 9:25. And then another hit of the gavel at 9:26, at the end of that moment of silence.

All the traders on the floor are going to stop getting for the day for full minute to honor the victims of the 9/11 attacks, ringing the opening bell include representatives of organizations that have devoted their time to promoting 9/11 as a day of charitable giving and volunteerism. You can see them there up on the podium now, getting ready for that moment of silence.

You have to realize the NYSE, New York Stock Exchange, where I'm sitting right now, we're just a few blocks away from the World Trade Center site. I mean, these traders will tell you that they felt the building shake when the first tower fell and how dark it was inside this building from all the debris in the air that just came inside here when they were finally allowed to go outside.

Let's pause for a moment to hear the moment of silence here.

(BELL TOLLS)

(MOMENT OF SILENCE)

KOSIK: You could even se some wiping their eyes. You know, Carol, a lot of people in this building, they most like knew somebody who was killed in the attacks. It's obviously a very personal and tough day today.

Up on the podium -- just want to go through who you see there. There's David Paine and Jay Winuk. They're the cofounders of the 9/11 day observant. Kenny Dichter. He's the cofounder of Action America. Eric Greitens, he's the CEO of The Mission Continues. And Marie Tillman, she's the founder of the Pat Tillman Foundation and the widow of Pat Tillman.

I'm also hearing that there's an NBA star, Olympic gold medalist on the podium, too. Not sure who they are, though.

COSTELLO: Well, I do understand that --

KOSIK: Tyson Chandler of the New York Knicks.

COSTELLO: Gotcha.

I understand that organizers, Alison, are trying, you know, not only to look back to 2001, but also to spark some positive action. So, you mentioned some of the guests. I can see how they'll play in today's ceremony but what else are they highlighting? To say America's moving again? KOSIK: Yes, exactly. You make a really good point there. This year, Carol, the NYSE is recognizing organizations involved in 9/11, as a national day of service. It was labeled a day of service in 2002, on the one-year anniversary.

Now, some people up on the podium were instrumental 10 years ago in making that happen. And they include Jay Winuk, who I mentioned, who's brother, Glenn, was killed on 9/11. Now, Action America, 911Day.org, MyGoodDeed.org, there are some of the many organizations that are out there right now devoted to making 9/11 a day of positive change, Carol.

COSTELLO: Alison Kosik, reporting live to us from the New York Stock Exchange.

Now, let's go to the Pentagon where President Obama and the First Lady are set to participate in a wreath-laying ceremony to honor those that died there on the 9/11 attacks. Of course, you're looking at live pictures now. The President will also address the crowd.

Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr is live there with more on today's memorial.

What will we see, Barbara?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, as we do every year here, there will be the moment of silence at 9:37, when the plane struck the building.

There will be some short speeches, we're told, by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, the Secretary of Defense and, of course, the President of the United States.

But, you know, you were talking with Alison before about the years that have passed and how things are changing. It was so interesting. Just yesterday, Secretary of Defense Panetta said he wanted to remind everyone not to forget the troops. You know, 11 years later there are still 77,000 U.S. troops fighting in Afghanistan out on the front line in danger every day.

Panetta making a plea one more time for people not to forget. Life moves on. It has been 11 years, but here at the Pentagon, pausing not jut to remember those who lost their lives here, but looking ahead, really, to what is happening with the troops still out on the front line, Carol.

COSTELLO: Tell us the changes inside the Pentagon after, you know, they rebuild. Didn't they put a special chapel in and a special room?

STARR: Yes. You know, the Pentagon has changed quite a bit. If you weren't here 11 years ago, it all looks very normal.

But there are a lot of changes. There is a memorial chapel inside the building, just on the other side of the wall where the memorial is that you're looking at, where the ceremony is taking place. It was really quite extraordinary for them to put that memorial even outside that you're seeing the live shot of, because this is a very secure facility. This is like the White House. You don't just wander in and out.

But this is a place where they decided they could have sufficient security, people could come to this memorial, this grove of trees and benches and waterfalls every day of the year and pay their respects to those who lost their lives here. It was very important. There is a sense of family about all of this.

The people who lost their lives inside the building, and people who lost their lives on American Flight 77. It's really a Pentagon's family of remembrance for all of them. They do come together every year. So, there is that.

And, of course, in the new post-9/11 world, Carol, security measures are extraordinary. A lot of them, we don't talk about, because it's like talking about security at the White House. You just don't do that.

COSTELLO: Let's pause, Barbara.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: By placing a wreath at the Pentagon memorial.

(TAPS PLAYING)

EMCEE: Please direct your attention to the Pentagon Memorial flag pole to your right. In honor of Patriot Day and in remembrance of the 184 lives lost at the Pentagon, the flag is flying at half-staff.

Ladies and gentlemen, the national anthem of the United States.

(STAR-SPANGLED BANNER PLAYING)

EMCEE: Ladies and gentlemen, the United States Army Chief of Chaplains, Major General Donald Rutherford.

(INVOCATION)

EMCEE: Eleven years ago at 9:37 am, the Pentagon was attacked. Please join us in observing a moment of silence to remember those who perished.

(MOMENT OF SILENCE)

EMCEE: The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey.

GEN. MARTIN DEMPSEY, JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN: Mr. President, Mrs. Obama, Mr. Secretary, distinguished guests, good morning and thank you all for being here.

My wife and I offer a special welcome to the families and friends of those we lost on these grounds 11 years ago today. One of them was Chief Officer William Ruth. His memorial bench of granite and steel sits in the last row in front of me, seventh in from the far right. Bill served as a marine in Vietnam, flying helicopters.

After the war, he became a social studies teacher and joined the Army National Guard, serving in the First Gulf War as a medivac pilot. He was loved by his students. They were proud of his service and moved by his deep commitment to them and to our nation.

One student said, "He opened up my eyes and my heart to the world." Many others inspired by his example became teachers, nurses, firefighters and several followed him into the life of the military. Bill retired from the classroom after nearly 30 years and returned to serve in the Pentagon.

There's no doubt among his colleagues that he lost his life that fateful morning because in the middle of the chaos, he stopped to help somebody. There were thousands like Bill that day that remind us that life takes on meaning only as the causes to which we attach ourselves have meaning. That in the end we become what we are through some cause we make our own.

September 11th will always stand apart from other days. Not because of what we say or hear about sacrifice, courage and character. Of course, it's all of those things. But also because of what those things say about all of us, all Americans.

So today, as we remember the 184 lives that ended here and all who perished in New York and in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, let us commit ourselves to the ideals for which they lived and in which they believe. Let us also honor the generation they inspired, to step forward to defend our nation, a generation who fought in Iraq and who still fight in Afghanistan.

Let us rededicate our own lives to the cause of giving back to our great nation. For as one of our nation's leaders said, "The strength of our democracy has always rested on the willingness of those who believe in its values and in their will to serve, to give something back to this country."

And now it's my privilege to introduce to you the man who spoke those words and who lives them every day, our Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta.

(APPLAUSE)

LEON PANETTA, U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Mr. President, Mrs. Obama, General Dempsey, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen and, in particular, the family members who lost a loved one here on 9/11.

Eleven years ago on a morning very much like this, terrorists attacked the symbols of American strength, our economy and our commerce, our military might and our democracy, and took the lives of citizens from more than 90 countries. It was the worst terrorist attack on America in our history.

Today, people gather across the United States, around the world to remember the tragic events of 9/11. Some take part in ceremonies like this. Others spend time in quiet reflection and prayer. All of us take a moment to remember again where we were at that fateful moment.

Here together, as one family, we pause to honor and to pray and to remember 184 lives lost at the Pentagon, more than 2,700 killed in Lower Manhattan, and the 40 who perished in that field in Pennsylvania on Flight 93. These victims' families remember those who were lost as mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters. The family members here today know that the entire nation, entire nation joins you in mourning the loss of your loved one. We are honored by your presence. And just as your loved ones are heroes forever, so are all of you.

Today, be we also recognize and remember other heroes, those first responders who rushed to the scene behind me, into the fire in chaos, to save lives and help in any way possible. We owe all of you a very special debt. We appreciate all you did, to provide aid and comfort to those who need it so badly.

Our thoughts also turn to the survivors. On that bright, sunny, Tuesday morning, you reported to work with no idea about the tragedy that lay ahead. Suddenly, this building was rocked by an explosion.

After the impact, many of you risked your life to help others. Many can remember the smell of the rubble and jet fuel. And some of you knew the victims as officemates and friends and knew their families.

Like 60 years before, a nation at peace suddenly found itself at war.

For all of you and for every American, be this memorial is a place for prayer and remembrance. And it is a fitting tribute to the lives of those so cruelly taken from us -- passengers and crew of Flight 77, military and civilian personnel working here at the Pentagon. It is a fitting tribute to all of those who were lost.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to visit another memorial, the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville. I was reminded of those horrible moments after the hijacking when the passengers and crew were able to make frantic calls, to speak to their loved ones for the last time.

They knew what was at stake. And yet they decided to fight back. Together, they took swift and decisive action, to stop yet another attack targeted at the nation's capital. That spirit of selflessness, that spirit of determination and courage is the enduring legacy of 9/11. It inspires our nation. It inspires our military to ensure that such an attack will never happen again.

It inspires us to never forget those who perished, to defend our homeland, to defend our ideals; to send a resounding message to our enemies that no one attacks the United States of America and gets away with it.

For today, we also recall that out of the shock and the sadness of 9/11 came a new sense of unity and resolve that this would not happen again. It inspired a fierce determination to fight back and protect our way of life.

In trying to attack our strengths, the terrorists unleashed our greatest strength, the spirit and the will of Americans to fight for their country. Millions of Americans responded. A whole new and great generation stepped forward to serve in uniform, to fight this war on terrorism. They bled on distant battlefields. They relentless -- relentlessly pursued those who would do us harm. They put their lives on the line to give all of us a safer and better future, and to bring those behind these attacks to justice.

Because of their sacrifices, because they were willing to fight and to die, because of their dedication, our nation is stronger and safer today than on 9/11.

We never gave up the search for bin Laden. We successfully brought him to justice. We decimated the leadership of Al Qaeda. We have them on the run and we have made it difficult for them to plan and conduct another 9/11 attack. And while that group is still a threat, we've dealt them a heavy blow. And we will continue to fight them, in Yemen, in Somalia, in North Africa, wherever they go to make sure they have no place to hide.

Our troops denied safe haven to Al Qaeda and its allies in Afghanistan and they're fighting so that Afghanistan can secure and govern itself. Make no mistake we will continue to pursue and fight our enemies wherever they go, wherever they hide, wherever they try to find refuge. We will never stop until we have made sure that America is safe.

On this day of solemn remembrance, let us renew a solemn pledge to those who died on 9/11 and their families. It is a pledge we also make to all of those who put their lives on the line and who've paid a heavy price for the last 11 years of war. Our pledge is to keep fighting for a safer and stronger future. Our pledge is to ensure that America always remains a government of, by, and for all people.

That pledge, that legacy makes clear that no one, no one who died on that terrible day 11 years ago died in vain. They died for a stronger America.

This morning, we are honored by the presence of our military and civilian leaders and we are particularly honored by the presence of the President and Mrs. Obama. This President has led our efforts in this fight. And I have honored -- been honored to serve with him.

It is now my great honor to introduce our commander-in-chief. Ladies and gentlemen, President Barack Obama.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Secretary Panetta, General Dempsey, members of our Armed Forces and, most importantly, to the families, survivors and loved ones of those we lost, Michelle and I are humbled to join you again on this solemn anniversary.

Today we remember a day that began like so many others, who arrive at school and commutes to work, early flights and familiar routines, quick hugs and quiet moments. It was a day like this one, a clear, blue sky, but a sky that would soon be filled with clouds of smoke, and prayers of a nation shaken to its core. Even now, all these years later, it is easy for those of us who lived through that day to close our eyes and to find ourselves back there. And back here. And back when grief crashed over us like an awful wave, when Americans everywhere held each other tight, seeking the reassurance that the world we knew wasn't crumbling under our feet.

Eleven times we have marked another September 11th come and gone. Eleven times we have paused in remembrance and reflection, in unity and in purpose. This is never an easy day. But it is especially difficult for all of you. The families of nearly 3,000 innocents who lost their lives, your mothers and fathers, your husbands and wives, your sons and your daughters. They were taken from us suddenly and far too soon.

To you and your families, the rest of us cannot begin to imagine the pain you've endured these many years. We will never fully understand how difficult it has been for you to carry on, to summon that strength and to when you rebuild your lives.

But no matter how many years passed, no matter how many times we come together on this hallowed ground, know this, that you will never be alone. Your loved ones will never be forgotten. They will endure in the hearts of our nation, because through their sacrifice, they helped us make the America we are today. An America that has emerged even stronger.

Most of the Americans we lost that day had never considered the possibility that a small band of terrorists halfway around the world could do us such harm. Most had never heard the name Al Qaeda. And yet it's because of their sacrifice that we've come together and dealt a crippling blow to the organization that brought evil to our shores, Al Qaeda's leadership has been devastated. And Osama bin Laden will never threaten us again.

Our country is safer and our people are resilient. It's true that the majority of those who died on September 11th had never put on our country's uniform. And yet they inspired more than five million Americans, members of the 9/11 generation, to wear that uniform over the last decade. These men and women have done everything that we have asked.

Today, the war in Iraq is over, in Afghanistan we're training Afghan Security Forces and forging a partnership with the Afghan people. And by the end of 2014, the longest war in our history will be over. Meanwhile, countless civilians have opened their hearts to our troops, our military families and our veterans.

Eleven years ago memorial services were held for Americans of different races and creeds, backgrounds and beliefs. And yet, instead of turning us against each other, tragedy has brought us together. I've always said that our fight is with Al Qaeda and its affiliates, not with Islam or any other religion. This country was built as a beacon of freedom and tolerance. That's what's made us strong. Now and forever.

And finally, when those innocent souls were taken from us, they left behind unfulfilled -- an unfulfilled work and tasks that remain undone. And that's why on a day when others sought to bring this country down, we chose to build it up with a national day of service and remembrance.

The Scripture tells us do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. There's no better way to honor the best in those who died than by discovering the best in ourselves.

This anniversary allows us to renew our faith, that even the darkest night gives way to a brighter dawn. Today we can come here to the Pentagon and touch these names and kneel beside a building where a single stone still bears the scars of that fire. We can visit the field of honor in Pennsylvania, remember the heroes who made it sacred. We can see water cascading into the footprints of the Twin Towers, and gaze up as a new tower rising above the New York skyline.

And even though we may never be able to fully lift the burden carried by those left behind, we know that somewhere a son is growing up with his father's eyes, and a daughter has her mother's laugh, living reminders that those who died are with us still.

So as painful as this day is, and always will be, it leaves us with a lesson. That no single event can ever destroy who we are. No act of terrorism can ever change what we stand for. Instead we recommit ourselves to the values that we believe in, holding firmly without wavering to the hope that we confess.

That's the commitment that we reaffirm today. And that's why, when the history books are written, the true legacy of 9/11 will not be one of fear or hate or division, it will be a safer world, a stronger nation, and a people more united than ever before.

God bless the memories of those we lost. And God bless these United States of America.

COSTELLO: President Obama speaking at the Pentagon, honoring those who lost their lives there eleven years ago today.

Brianna Keilar is in Washington. And I just say, Brianna, the sound of planes going over the Pentagon, or near the Pentagon, was quite unsettling during these speeches.

KEILAR: You know, that struck me as well, Carol, and I think also part of it sort of shows, as well, though the normalcy, that even though this is a very somber occasion and a somber anniversary, as you heard President Obama put it, and I can hear the planes right now, it's very much a real part if you're near the White House or the Pentagon, that you hear planes taking off from Reagan Airport.

But I think to me it sort of reminded me of the fact that things have somewhat returned to a bit of normal, even as people pause and they think very much about what today is, that business and commerce doesn't stop here in the nation's capital, even as you see President Obama going about his, what's become, traditional activities for 9/11. A moment of silence here at the White House. A moment of silence and remarks at the Pentagon. And then later today, he'll head to Walter Reed to meet with wounded veterans -- Carol.

COSTELLO: I know that there was an effort to make this not a political day. In fact both candidates for president decided not to run any attack ads today. Was that -- of course that was a conscious decision. But tell us why they decided to do that.

KEILAR: Well, I think it is a conscious decision. Obviously I think that's something that a lot of people just would strike them as indecent for that normal business, I think, to be going on and the candidates are both very much aware of that -- Carol

COSTELLO: Brianna Keilar, thanks so much.

Let's go back to Ground Zero for a moment of silence honoring that heart-wrenching blow when the south tower collapsed. Of course that tower burned for some 57 minutes before it fell. As well you remember United Airlines flight 175 struck the south tower between the 77th and 85th floors. Let's pause.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: David Halderman.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Maile Rachel Hill.

COSTELLO: Also at New York's Ground Zero a sign of healing. An overnight breakthrough that clears the way for a 9/11 museum on the site.

CNN's Poppy Harlow joins us now to tell us about that. What was the break through, Poppy?