The Morning Briefing: Remembering 9/11, Hurricane Irma and Much, Much More

Good Monday Morning.

Here’s what’s on the President’s agenda today:

In the morning, President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will lead a moment of silence in remembrance of those lost on September 11, 2001.
The President and the First Lady will then depart the White House en route to the Pentagon to participate in a 9/11 observance at the Pentagon.
Following the observance, they will return to the White House.
Later in the morning, the President will receive his daily intelligence briefing.
The President will then receive an update on Hurricane Irma.

America Commemorates 9/11

Today America remembers the thousands of victims of a terror attack by radical Islamists on September 11, 2001. This will be the first time President Trump, a native New Yorker, leads the nation in observance.

President Donald Trump, a native New Yorker observing the anniversary for the first time as the nation’s leader, is scheduled to observe a moment of silence at about the time the first airplane hit. The White House said he is to be joined by first lady Melania Trump.

He also planned to participate in a 9/11 observance at the Pentagon. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, are hosting a private observance for victims’ relatives there at 9:11 a.m. Monday. After the names are read at that ceremony, there’s a public observance, with a wreath-laying and remarks.

Vice President Mike Pence and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke are scheduled to deliver remarks at the Flight 93 National Memorial near Shanksville. It’s on the rural field where one of the airliners crashed after passengers and crew fought to wrest control away from the terrorists who’d hijacked it and were heading for Washington.

Construction continues at the Shanksville memorial, where ground was broken Sunday for a 93-foot (28 meters) tall Tower of Voices to honor the 33 passengers and seven crew members who died.

Irma continues on its path, Florida to survey damage

Hurricane Irma dropped to a category 1 hurricane early Monday morning.

Irma was downgraded as it moved over the western Florida peninsula, the National Hurricane Center said. By 5 a.m. ET, it had sustained winds of 75 mph with its center 60 miles north of Tampa.

Despite its weakening as it passes over land, Irma remains a monster pushing strong winds and flooding in the southeast, forecasters warned.

President Trump is planning to visit Florida “soon.”

Pres. Trump says he will visit Florida "soon," will keep an eye on how Hurricane Irma develops over the next few hours. pic.twitter.com/itaTVJYuDH

— CBS News (@CBSNews) September 10, 2017

There are more Irma stories below in my round-up of other morsels.

Steve Bannon on 60 Minutes

Former presidential advisor Steve Bannon appeared on 60 Minutes last night for some straight talk. One thing about Steve: he doesn’t sugar coat.

Here’s part of the transcript:

CHARLIE ROSE: Everybody listening to you talks about one of the great issues in American life today, which is the plight of the middle class. But they also believe that there is on your part and the President’s part not enough appreciation for some of the values also that made America great. And you don’t appreciate that. You don’t appreciate the diversity, you don’t appreciate the respect for civil rights…

STEVE BANNON: I was raised in– in– a desegregated neighborhood. It– it– the north side of Richmond is predominantly black, okay? I went to– I went to an integrated school, a Catholic school. I served in the military. I don’t need to be– I don’t need to be lectured–by a bunch of– by a bunch of limousine liberals, okay, from the Upper East Side of New York and from the Hamptons, okay, about any of this. My lived experience is that.

Picture of the day: