Vice President Joe Biden surprised with Presidential Medal of Freedom
President Obama surprised Vice President Joe Biden by awarding him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s top civilian honor, during a ceremony secretly scheduled to honor the Vice President for his years of service (Joe Biden thought it was merely a friendly gathering to toast senior staff with the First Lady and his wife.) The vice president was moved to tears during the poignant award ceremony.
In the words of President Obama:
“For your faith in your fellow Americans, for your love of country and for your lifetime of service that will endure through the generations, I’d like to ask the military aide to join us on stage. For my final time as President, I am pleased to award our nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”
Video: youtube creative commons
The Vice President praised the President’s generous spirit, modestly stating that the award was more than he deserved. The President in turn praised Biden highly, acknowledging their close friendship, and joking about their “bromance,” which is frequently a humorous item in the press.
Joe Biden, 74 years old, is the 47th Vice President of the United States, served for 47 years as a U.S. Senator from Delaware (he was first elected at the age of 29, making him one of the youngest politicians to be elected to that high office.)
Learn more about Vice President Biden’s award (CNN)
Photo: whitehouse.gov
