Biden, Harris Pay Their Respects to Late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Biden, Harris Pay Their Respects to Late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden pay their respects to late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington on Sept. 25, 2020. (Erin Schaff/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
Zachary Stieber
9/25/2020
Updated:
9/25/2020

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his running mate on Friday paid their respects to late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Ginsburg was lying in state in the National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol.

Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, held hands as they walked to Ginsburg’s casket to pay their respects. Biden made the sign of the cross as he stood looking at the casket.

The Bidens then departed.

Biden told reporters after exiting the capitol that he first met Ginsburg when he was chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee when she was nominated for the nation’s highest court in 1993.

“I was the chairman of the committee and she was confirmed. Wonderful memories,” he said.

Biden was leaving the capitol about 90 minutes after arriving. He was heading back to his home in Wilmington, Delaware, while his wife went to Maine to attend campaign events.

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, center, speaks with his wife Jill Biden, left, and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington on Sept. 25, 2020. (Erin Schaff/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, center, speaks with his wife Jill Biden, left, and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington on Sept. 25, 2020. (Erin Schaff/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden pay their respects to the late Supreme Court Justice Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as her casket lies in state during a memorial service in her honor in the Statuary Hall of the U.S. Capitol, in Washington on Sept. 25, 2020. (Olivier Douliery/Pool via Reuters)
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden pay their respects to the late Supreme Court Justice Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as her casket lies in state during a memorial service in her honor in the Statuary Hall of the U.S. Capitol, in Washington on Sept. 25, 2020. (Olivier Douliery/Pool via Reuters)
Biden didn’t campaign on Thursday, a growing trend for the 77-year-old, who is trying to unseat President Donald Trump.

While in Washington, Biden spoke briefly to Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), his running mate.

Harris, asked if she was concerned about Trump potentially not accepting the results of the upcoming election, told reporters: “Today I’m just really thinking about RBG. I really am.”

“It’s very important, I think, that in the midst of being 39 days away from the election that we honor one of the greatest Americans, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, in terms of all that she inspired, all that she empowered, both legally and just in terms of the way she lived her life,” she added later.

Trump, 74, and first lady Melania Trump paid their respects to Ginsburg on Thursday while her casket was at the Supreme Court, also in Washington.

The president said after he learned of Ginsburg’s death on Sept. 18 that he was sad to hear the news.

She led an amazing life,” he said.

Trump was participating in a Latinos for Trump roundtable in Doral, Florida, on Friday morning before departing for events in Washington, Atlanta, Georgia, and Newport News, Virginia.