Barack Obama and John McCain put aside the election campaign yesterday to jointly attend a 9/11 commemoration event at the site of the World Trade Center bombings. Neither pollie gave a speech, they just laid wreaths and spoke with families and other attendees.

Bloomberg reported that the joint appearance was unprecedented, but that US politicians are wary of playing politics on this day of commemoration: ““Both parties have used it for their own political benefits, but it is risky,” said Trent Duffy, a former aide to President George W. Bush and a partner at the Washington communications firm HDMK. The candidates “realize that the best statesmanship, and hence the best political move, is to not play politics on 9/11.””

President George W. Bush held a moment’s silence at the White House yesterday before dedicating a memorial at the Pentagon.

Read the full story here.

Republican VP nomination Sarah Palin spent September 11 in her home state of Alaska for a deployment ceremony for her son Trig, who was leaving for Iraq. Read the Washington Post story here.