A good friday morning to you. Craig melvin here. We start this morning by honoring and remembering the people, the family members, the friends, the colleagues that were lost on this day some 19 years ago, september 11, 2001. President trump observing this solemn anniversary in shanksville, pennsylvania, where brave americans on flight 93 said lets roll, stopped another terrorist attack. Vice president mike pence, former Vice President joe biden attended services in new york city. We are also watching this pandemic change the way these services operate and how we remember the victims from that day. Its a stark reflection of the times in which we find ourselves and the crisis that our country is facing right now. We are still seeing 9 11 claim victims all these years later. In fact, the new York City FireDepartment Says many of new yorks finest are dying from illnesses connected to that day when the Word Trade Center collapsed. Their bravery, thousands of people we lost, will never be forgotten. Today, also, serves as a powerful reminder of the fortitude inside every american and that we are, in fact, capable of a thing called unity. We remember so many of those images in the wake of that tragedy 19 years ago today. Well start our coverage with reporters scattered all over america. Mike memoli is in new york city as former Vice President joe biden attended that memorial service. Vice president pence also in new york. Carol lee is at the white house. Ali vitali is in fairfax, virginia, where senator Kamala Harris is giving remarks. Tom winter is following the story of the impact on our First Responders all these years later. Mr. Memoli, ill start with you. I read a short time ago that joe biden plans to make no news today. How is he observing 9 11 . Reporter thats right, craig. As a Vice President for eight years, joe biden is no stranger to these annual 9 11 commemorations. Were seeing, though, Something Different that biden hadnt done as Vice President which is participating in different locations in the same day. He began, of course, this morning here in new york visiting part of that official ceremony at ground zero, observing moments of silence when planes hit the north and south towers of the Word Trade Center. Biden now on his way to shanksville, pennsylvania, where well do a private commemoration of the victims there, when the flight crashed in the field at shanksville. Craig, its also interesting to note in past president ial election years weve often seen the president ial candidates together at these commemorations. Not so today. Joe biden just a few feet away from Vice President mike pence at ground zero. We expect hell be on the ground in shanksville after President Trump has left there and returned to the white house. As you say, biden saying he does not want to make news today, that today is all about the victims and their memories, calling it a solemn day. We did, though, see in his actions, if not his words, something we havent seen frankly in a Campaign Setting of late which is joe biden interacting with some of those families of the victims here, getting in close proximity in a way we havent seen, of course, with the pandemic, with the precautions theyve taken to try to keep him healthy, of course. Craig, another Important Note for biden as his campaign has said they suspended all advertising as part of this day. Okay. Mike memoli in new york city, thank you. President trump and First Lady Melania Trump are remembering the victims of flight 93 this morning. Carol, how is the president honoring those lost americans today . Craig, he and the first lady, as you mentioned, are in pennsylvania. The president just finished speaking there, and he really delivered a rather somber speech. He talked about honoring the First Responders and members of the military and victims of 9 11 including those who were on flight 93. Take a listen to some of what he had to say. The memory of your treasured loved ones will inspire america for all time to come. The heroes of flight 93 are an everlasting reminder that no matter the danger, no matter the threat, no matter the odds, america will always rise up, stand tall and fight back. Reporter craig, the president also said that the best way to honor the victims of 9 11 is to be a united country, something we havent heard from him in recent days and weeks in the heat of this campaign. He said its important to take care of your neighbor and essentially unite the country around common values. He ended his remarks with a phrase thats become familiar to all of us saying never forget. He returns here to the white house this afternoon for a medal of honor ceremony and notably, craig, this is all happening as the president s secretary of state is overseas in talks to end the war in afghanistan which obviously has been going on since 2001. Americas longest war. Carol lee from 1600 pennsylvania, thank you. Ali vitali is in northern virginia, in fairfax, virginia, because Kamala Harris is participating in a ceremony there. Whats the Vice President ial nominee saying, ali . Reporter craig, senator Kamala Harris gathering here with local First Responders to memorialize this 9 11 anniversary. She was also joined by her husband, doug em hoff and one of the virginia senators here mark warner. Outside of what you could see in the cameras, there were other americans looking on, some from the balconies surrounding this courtyard. Others gathered on the grassy area behind me, wearing masks, all wanting to be part of this memorializing moment. Harris not speaking the the political times we find ourselves on. Instead, speaking to how americans react in times of tragedy and ban together. Listen to what she said. In times of suffering and pain we by our very nature as who we are, we stand together. What our attackers fail to understand is that the darkness they hoped would envelope us on 9 11 instead summoned our most radiant and defined human instincts. Reporter craig, again, not a day for politics, despite the fact were in the midst of a general election campaign. But there is still the undercurrent of the National Crisis that were currently undergoing in the coronavirus pandemic. One of the First Responders here who spoke today speaking the the parallels of both the 2001 tragedy and the National Moment that were in right now, our heavy reliance on First Responders. The fire chief here talking about the selflessness of First Responders who ran into buildings in new york and d. C. Sometimes at their own peril, connecting that now to this moment were in right now with coronavirus where again we see First Responders and essential workers putting their own safety and their own health on the line to help other americans who are grappling with this Public Health crisis. So a remembrance today that branches the moment were in right now as well as our tragic American History from 9 11. Craig. Ali vitali with some important reminders, thank you. To a certain extent, the new York City FireDepartment Says the attacks on 9 11 still being felt very much by our firefighters. Youve got new reporting on that. What can you tell us . Every year and a couple days leading up to 9 11, the Fire Department gets together and they memorialize those who have been lost because they have had illnesses medically linked to their service on 9 11 or in the days and weeks following it in the rescue efforts there. Of course, on 9 11343 firefighters died directly as a result of their efforts to rescue people, to put out the fires in the towers, but since then, 266 deaths have been recorded as a result of 9 11linked illnesses, 27 this year, an increase from 22 last year. Craig, the problem is expected to become more acute unfortunately. This year the fdny at their headquarters had to take down and billed out their wall that they expect to memorialize those who have died because of the dust, the smoke and everything that they inhaled. You can see it very clearly there in those pictures. Remember them so clearly from that day. They had to expand that wall since it was built in 2011 because they expect so many more people that work there, so many more files that worked on the pile, as they call it, the pile of rubble, to become sick in the coming years. Its a sad remembrance and a sad note that the terror attacks of 9 11 are still killing new York City Firefighters. Its a very somber ceremony each year, craig. Tom winter, thank you for that. I want to turn for a moment to nbcs peter alexander. Peter is traveling with President Trump who, as we just showed you and told you, was in shanksville for that remembrance ceremony. Peter, walk us through what it was like to be there in this moment . Reporter craig, in fact, this is my first time at shanksville. This is a powerful place, sacred ground as the families of those who lost their lives here describe it. Its a place that represents unity and courage and defiance in the face of adversity. 19 years ago this day, those heroic passengers and crew members fighting off the hijackers before united flight 93 ultimately crashed in the ground. Just behind us here, the president was here a short time ago, has since departed alongside the first lady. The two laying a wreath at the wall of names here, the president delivering remarks, honoring the memory of those heroes, those passengers and crew members on that day. They also read the names as they do on this day each year, each name being echoed by the ringing of the bells of remembrance. Right now just a short distance behind me, some of those family members walked through the ceremonial gate thats alongside this wall here out to that sacred ground, a site thats marked only by a large boulder exactly where the plane crashed. I heard remarks from the chaplain today that was also striking. He said, no one can get over it, but together we hope to get through it. Thats what they do on this day each year. The former Vice President , the democratic nominee joe biden will be here a little later this afternoon, expected that he will participate perhaps in the laying of a wreath or a small ceremony of his own, nothing formal though like they had earlier on this day. Joe biden has said today for him is not about politics. Its simply about a day of remembrance. Craig. Peter alexander in shanksville. Thanks to be all of you. Were also following breaking news in california this morning where the fire burning right now just north of sacramento is the largest fire that the state of california has ever seen, and it may not be done growing. Were going to head to southern californias fires, continuing the break out all over the west coast. More breaking news out of minneapolis, minnesota as well. What happened when the four officers charged with George Floyds murder appeared in court for the first time together . A pill for adults with moderate to severe Rheumatoid Arthritis when methotrexate has not helped enough. Xeljanz can help relieve joint pain and swelling, stiffness, and helps stop further joint damage, even without methotrexate. Xeljanz can lower your ability to fight infections. 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Whether its over the phone, online, or in your office, were here to listen and provide solutions that help you run your business better. Because the decisions you make have far reaching implications. And a relationship with a Corporate Bank like pnc can provide just what you need. As one of the nations largest banks, pnc brings customized insights and a local approach. To make informed choices now and in the future. Were following breaking news right now. The four exminneapolis Police Officers charged with killing george floyd in minneapolis are in court right now for a pretrial hearing. Its the first time all four of the exofficers have appeared in court at the same time. Floyd, of course, died back on may 25th after an encounter with the four. Video showing a Police Officer with his knee on George Floyds neck. Nbcs Shaquille Brewster is outside that minneapolis courthouse for us this morning. Shaq, what do we know about whats happening inside the courtroom . Reporter craig, you see and youll hear some of the protesters outside of the courtroom. Inside the courtroom where no cameras are allowed at this point, were getting a sense of the arguments being made by the different attorneys involved in this case. Were getting notes from our producer who is monitoring the hearing. What we know and what has been argued so far this this hearing that has been going on for over an hour at this point is that the prosecutors in the state are asking to charge all four Minneapolis PoliceDepartment Officers together in one trial. We knew this would face opposition from the attorneys of those officers based on Court Filings ahead of this case. In the courtroom were getting a sense of the possible defenses to come from those officers. For example, the attorney for officer Derek Chauvin saying the other officers in this case could use evidence in this case, the evidence that will be presented in the trial that will start in march, could use that to suggest hes guilty in the third charge that hes facing that the other officers are not facing. You have another officer, tou thao, the other officer keeping spectators back as mr. Floyd was under the knee of the officer, that attorney saying he was completely different. He said that officer was doing was completely separate from the other three officers who were restraining mr. Floyd. The attorneys are going through that now. The judge is saying he will not make a decision on that now. Instead hes taking that into advisement. The other point were hearing this judge go through or hearing arguments is the possible change of venue. All four of the former officers through their attorneys are asking this case be taken out of minneapolis, out of Hennepin County and moved to other venues, some as far as 3 1 2 hours away. The judge hearing arguments, thorough arguments and robust arguments on whether or not this trial should be moved out of minneapolis. He suggested that there will be some sort of questionnaire that goes out to jurors ahead of that decision being made. Craig. All right. Shaquille brewster in minneapolis where it appears as if there are two top lines from this hearing thats happening right now. Prosecutors arguing that the four officers should be tried together, the defense arguing there should be a change of venue. The hearing continues. Shaq, well be checking in with you throughout the afternoon. Thank you, sir. Were also following even more breaking news, breaking news weve been following all week as those fires rage across the west coast. Check out some of the images that have emerged as at least 12 people have died in california alone so far. Fire officials now say the august complex fire, a fire just north of sacramento, this is the largest fire in california history. Thats saying a whole lot. Nbcs Steve Patterson is covering the el dorado fire. This is a fire thats just east of los angeles. Its hard to keep track. But steve, i know fire officials there say nearly 3. 1 million acres of land have burned in california this year alone. What are you seeing on the ground there . How much luck are firefighters having today . Reporter part of it you can see behind me, these fire trucks, looks like theyre going back to command after being on the front lines or heading to the front lines. One of the things we dont talk enough about, its not just what i can see. Its what i can taste, what i can blink. The air quality is so awful that some officials in most of the state are just telling people, if you have respiratory problems especially, just go ahead and stay indoors. I know youve been showing those images of the orange skies above San Francisco and other places. Because these fires are burning so hot, so fast, so large, the wind is carrying these fires so far that everybody can really kind of feel it when youre here. But the fires particularly up north have been especially bad as more trucks roll in behind me. The northern california, the bear fire has caused ten deaths at least, but there are still 16 people missing in that fire. Fire officials worry that the death toll will rise as firefighters continue to combat that