And we literally can’t stop crying.
Obama arranged a surprise send-off for his Vice President, Joe Biden, who has served the past eight years at the President’s side.
Biden, who arrived at the event yesterday with his wife Jill, under the pretence that they were gathering to toast senior staff, was left astounded when it turned out the event was actually being held in his honour.
Obama praised Joe Biden’s many achievements, describing him as ‘the best Vice President America’s ever had’ and a ‘lion of American history.’ Then Obama, who referred to Biden as a ‘brother’, surprised his VP and the audience when he announced that he would be awarding Joe the Presidential Medal of Freedom, with distinction.
‘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’ announced Obama. ‘For my final time as President, I am pleased to award our nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.’
Joe Biden becomes the fourth person ever to receive this prestigious award with his predecessors including President Ronald Reagan, Pope John Paul II and Gen. Colin Powell.
After Obama made his surprise announcement and awarded his friend, Biden tearfully addressed the President, ‘This honor is not only well beyond what I deserve, but it's a reflection of the generosity of your spirit. I don't deserve this. But I know it came from the president's heart.’
Before becoming Obama’s running mate, Joe Biden had spent more than three decades in the Senate, was chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee, not to mention has made huge strides forward in curing cancer.
With less than 10 days left in the Whitehouse, Obama has turned out some of his most inspirational and emotional addresses in the past few days, with his farewell address earlier this week making headlines for his moving words to Michelle and his children.
His surprise speech yesterday, however, to his running mate and long-time friend might just be one of President Obama's best moments in office.
It is quite literally impossible to get through this video without crying.
