Obama visits New York to mark bin Laden death
May 6, 2011, Friday
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MARKING Osama bin Laden's death where the terrorist inflicted his greatest damage, United States President Barack Obama visited the Manhattan firehouse that sustained the heaviest losses on September 11, 2001.
"This is a symbolic site of the extraordinary sacrifice that was made on that terrible day," the president said yesterday after shaking hands with firefighters at Engine 54, Ladder 4, Battalion 9. The firehouse in New York's theater district lost 15 firefighters.
As for the killing of bin Laden by US commandos, Obama said: "When we say we will never forget, we mean what we say. What happened on Sunday because of the courage of our military and the outstanding work of our intelligence sent a message around the world but also sent a message here back home."
Obama said he hoped the outcome brought the firefighters "some comfort," thanked them for their daily sacrifice and said they had a president and administration that has "got your back."
In his brief remarks, Obama never mentioned bin Laden's name.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who led the city in the dark days after the attacks, joined Obama in the visit to the station.
Obama viewed a bronze memorial plaque commemorating the firefighters who were lost and then had lunch with a dozen firefighters.
From there, Obama traveled to ground zero where the World Trade Center once stood, to meet victims' families and lay a wreath.
Months before the 10th anniversary of the attacks, and days after bin Laden was killed in Pakistan, Obama's visit was giving New York its own moment of justice.
Ahead of Obama's arrival, Deanne McDonald stood at the northeast corner of the World Trade Center site waving an American flag in each hand and shouting "Obama got Osama! Obama got Osama!"
"God bless the Navy SEALS," said McDonald, 38, from Brooklyn. She took the day off work to wait for Obama, saying she was prouder than ever to be an American.
Obama's New York visit was intended to have a measured tone - not a bookend to President George W. Bush's visit after the attacks when Bush took a bullhorn and called out his defiance to the terrorists. Obama spokesman Jay Carney told reporters traveling with the president on Air Force One that the trip was intended in part "to perhaps help New Yorkers and Americans everywhere to achieve a sense of closure with the death of Osama bin Laden."
Obama invited Bush to join him yesterday, but the former president had declined.
The bustling construction site that Obama was visiting bears little resemblance to the pit that remained after the rubble of the towers was removed. The emerging skyscraper informally known as Freedom Tower is more than 60 stories high now. Mammoth fountains and reflecting pools mark the footprints of the fallen twin towers.
Jim Riches, whose firefighter son was among the nearly 3,000 people killed at the World Trade Center, planned to meet Obama.
"I just want to thank him, hug him and thank him and shake his hand," Riches said.
Obama arrived in New York City after rejecting calls to release photos of a slain bin Laden so the world could see some proof of death. The president said he would not risk giving propaganda to extremists or gloat by publicizing grotesque photos of a terrorist leader shot in the head.
To the doubters, Obama said: "You will not see bin Laden walking on this earth again."
"This is a symbolic site of the extraordinary sacrifice that was made on that terrible day," the president said yesterday after shaking hands with firefighters at Engine 54, Ladder 4, Battalion 9. The firehouse in New York's theater district lost 15 firefighters.
As for the killing of bin Laden by US commandos, Obama said: "When we say we will never forget, we mean what we say. What happened on Sunday because of the courage of our military and the outstanding work of our intelligence sent a message around the world but also sent a message here back home."
Obama said he hoped the outcome brought the firefighters "some comfort," thanked them for their daily sacrifice and said they had a president and administration that has "got your back."
In his brief remarks, Obama never mentioned bin Laden's name.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who led the city in the dark days after the attacks, joined Obama in the visit to the station.
Obama viewed a bronze memorial plaque commemorating the firefighters who were lost and then had lunch with a dozen firefighters.
From there, Obama traveled to ground zero where the World Trade Center once stood, to meet victims' families and lay a wreath.
Months before the 10th anniversary of the attacks, and days after bin Laden was killed in Pakistan, Obama's visit was giving New York its own moment of justice.
Ahead of Obama's arrival, Deanne McDonald stood at the northeast corner of the World Trade Center site waving an American flag in each hand and shouting "Obama got Osama! Obama got Osama!"
"God bless the Navy SEALS," said McDonald, 38, from Brooklyn. She took the day off work to wait for Obama, saying she was prouder than ever to be an American.
Obama's New York visit was intended to have a measured tone - not a bookend to President George W. Bush's visit after the attacks when Bush took a bullhorn and called out his defiance to the terrorists. Obama spokesman Jay Carney told reporters traveling with the president on Air Force One that the trip was intended in part "to perhaps help New Yorkers and Americans everywhere to achieve a sense of closure with the death of Osama bin Laden."
Obama invited Bush to join him yesterday, but the former president had declined.
The bustling construction site that Obama was visiting bears little resemblance to the pit that remained after the rubble of the towers was removed. The emerging skyscraper informally known as Freedom Tower is more than 60 stories high now. Mammoth fountains and reflecting pools mark the footprints of the fallen twin towers.
Jim Riches, whose firefighter son was among the nearly 3,000 people killed at the World Trade Center, planned to meet Obama.
"I just want to thank him, hug him and thank him and shake his hand," Riches said.
Obama arrived in New York City after rejecting calls to release photos of a slain bin Laden so the world could see some proof of death. The president said he would not risk giving propaganda to extremists or gloat by publicizing grotesque photos of a terrorist leader shot in the head.
To the doubters, Obama said: "You will not see bin Laden walking on this earth again."
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