The legacy of 9/11 is one of broken lives. Thousands of them. The legacy for politicians is to ride on the backs of men and women who lost personnel (friends, co-workers, fellow firefighters and medics) in great numbers and went on to finish the job, because it's the job.

They aren't heroes, but they are one damned tough bunch of people--the kind I hope you'd want watching your back. Because they are.