George W. Bush Highlights Heroic Actions of Flight 93 Versus Modern Politics

In a speech commemorating the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, former President George W. Bush praised the heroic acts of the passengers of United Flight 93 while condemning the “anger, fear and resentment” of modern politics. Bush spoke at the ceremony in Pennsylvania honoring the 40 passengers on Flight 93 who passed terrorists who hijacked their planes, a reflection, he said, of American values. “The 33 passengers and seven crew members of Flight 93 could have been any group of citizens chosen by fate. In a sense, they replaced us all, ”he said. “Terrorists quickly discovered that a random group of Americans is an exceptional group of people.”

Bush noted their immediate urge to work together to stop the group, a marked difference from today’s policy, he said. “On the day of America’s trial and mourning, I saw millions of people instinctively grab hold of their neighbor’s hand and rally to each other’s cause,” Bush said. The Pennsylvania event also featured Vice President Kamala Harris and Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf. President Joe Biden laid a wreath at the site after attending a ceremony at Ground Zero.