PRIVATE PHONE NUMBER AND KEEPS 
IN TOUCH WITH THEM LONG AFTER.
TO KNOW JOE BIDEN IS TO KNOW 
THAT LOVE WITHOUT PRETENSE, 
SERVICE WITHOUT SELF-REGARD, AND
TO LIVE LIFE FULLY.
AS ONE OF HIS LONG-TIME 
COLLEAGUES IN THE SENATE WHO 
HAPPENED TO BE A REPUBLICAN ONCE
SAID, IF YOU CAN'T ADMIRE JOE 
BIDEN AS A PERSON, YOU'VE GOT A 
PROBLEM.
HE IS AS GOOD A MAN AS GOD EVER 
CREATED.
SO, JOE, 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 AID
TO JOIN US ON STAGE.
FOR THE FINAL TIME AS PRESIDENT,
I AM PLEASED TO AWARD OUR 
NATION'S HIGHEST CIVILIAN HONOR,
THE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF 
FREEDOM.
[ APPLAUSE ]
AND FOR THE FIRST AND ONLY TIME 
IN MY PRESIDENCY, I WILL BESTOW 
THIS MEDAL WITH AN ADDITIONAL 
LEVEL OF VENERATION, AN HONOR MY
PREDECESSORS RESERVED FOR THREE 
OTHERS, POPE JOHN PAUL II, 
PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN AND 
COLONEL COLIN POWELL.
I AM PLEASE TODAY AWARD THIS 
DISTINCTION TO MY BROTHER, 
JOSEPH BIDEN, JR. 
WILL THE AIDE PLEASE READ THE 
CITATION?
>> VICE-PRESIDENT JOSEPH R. 
BIDEN, JR., IN A CAREER OF 
PUBLIC SERVICE EXTENDING NEARLY 
HALF A CENTURY, VICE-PRESIDENT 
JOSEPH R. BIDEN, JR., HAS LEFT 
HIS MARK ON ALMOST EVERY PART OF
OUR NATION.
FIGHTING FOR A STRONGER MIDDLE 
CLASS, A FAIRER JUDICIAL SYSTEM,
AND A SMARTER FOREIGN POLICY, 
PROVIDING UNYIELDING SUPPORT FOR
OUR TROOPS, COMBATTING CRIME AND
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, LEADING 
OUR QUEST TO CURE CANCER, AND 
SAFEGUARDING THE LAND MAMARK 
RECOVERY FROM CORRUPTION.
WITH HIS CHARM, CANDOR, UNA 
BARBED OPTIMISM AND DEEP AND 
ABIDING PATRIOTISM, JOE BIDEN 
HAS GARNERED THE RESPECT AND 
ESTEEM OF COLLEAGUES OF BOTH 
PARTIES.
AND THE FRIENDSHIP OF PEOPLE 
ACROSS THE NATION AND AROUND THE
WORLD.
WHILE SUMMONING THE STRENGTH, 
FAITH AND GRACE TO OVERCOME 
GREAT PERSONAL TRAGEDY, THIS SON
OF SCRANTON, CLAY MONT, AND 
WILMINGTON, HAS BECOME ONE OF 
THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL 
VICE-PRESIDENTS IN AMERICAN 
HISTORY.
AN ACCOLADE THAT NONETHELESS 
RESTS FIRMLY BEHIND HIS LEGACY 
AS HUSBAND, FATHER AND 
GRANDFATHER, A GRATEFUL NATION 
THANKS VICE-PRESIDENT JOSEPH R. 
BIDEN, JR., FOR HIS LIFETIME OF 
SERVICE ON BEHALF OF THE UNITED 
STATES OF AMERICA.
[ APPLAUSE ]
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> MR. PRESIDENT -- PLEASE, 
PLEASE.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU.
[ CHEERING AND APPLAUSE ]
PLEASE.
THANK YOU.
YOU'RE FIRED.
[ LAUGHTER ]
FOR THE PRESS, BRASHETTI IS MY 
CHIEF OF STAFF.
I HAD NO INKLING.
I THOUGHT WE WERE COMING OVER, 
MICHELLE, FOR YOU, JILL, AND 
BARACK AND I TO -- A COUPLE OF 
SENIOR STAFF TO TOAST ONE 
ANOTHER AND SAY WHAT AN 
INCREDIBLE JOURNEY IT'S BEEN.
MR. PRESIDENT, YOU GOT RIGHT THE
PART ABOUT MY LEANING ON JILL.
I'VE ALSO LEANED ON YOU AND A 
LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM.
I LOOK AROUND THE ROOM AND I SEE
GREAT FRIENDS LIKE TED COKAUFMA 
WHO HAS SO MUCH WISDOM.
I LOOK AROUND, I'M SO STARTLED, 
I SEE PEOPLE I DON'T EXPECT.
MADAM PRESIDENT, HOW ARE YOU?
I LOOK AT MY NEW BOSS OVER 
THERE.
[ LAUGHTER ]
BUT YOU KNOW, I GET A LOT OF 
CREDIT I DON'T DESERVE.
I STATE THE OBVIOUS.
BECAUSE I'VE ALWAYS HAD SOMEBODY
TO LEAN ON, FROM BACK THAT TIME 
IN 1972 WHEN THE ACCIDENT 
HAPPENED, I LEANED ON -- AND I 
MEAN THIS IN A LITERAL SENSE.
CHRIS KNOWS THIS, DODD KNOWS 
THIS, MEL KNOWS THIS, TED KNOWS 
THIS.
I LEANED ON MY SONS BO AND 
HUNTER.
AND I CONTINUE TO LEAN ON HUNTER
WHO CONTINUES TO, IN A BIZARRE 
KIND OF WAY, RAISE ME.
I MEAN, I'VE LEANED ON THEM.
YOU KNOW, MR. PRESIDENT, YOU 
OBSERVED EARLY ON THAT WHEN 
EITHER ONE OF MY BOYS WOULD WALK
IN THE ROOM, THEY'D WALK UP AND 
SAY, DAD, WHAT CAN I GET YOU?
DAD, WHAT DO YOU NEED?
AND THEN JILL CAME ALONG AND SHE
SAVED OUR LIFE.
SHE -- NO MAN DESERVES ONE GREAT
LOVE, LET ALONE TWO.
AND -- BUT EVERYBODY KNOWS HERE 
I AM JILL'S HUSBAND.
EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT I LOVE HER 
MORE THAN SHE LOVES ME.
[ LAUGHTER ]
WITH GOOD REASON.
AND SHE GAINED THE MOST PRECIOUS
GIFT, THE LOVE OF MY LIFE, THE 
LIFE OF MY LOVE, MY DAUGHTER 
ASHLEY.
AND I CONTINUE TO LEAN ON THE 
FAMILY.
PRESIDENT, YOU KIDDED ME ONCE.
YOU HEARD THAT IN PREPARATION 
FOR THE TWO DEBATES, 
VICE-PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES I HAD,
I ONLY HAD TWO, THAT BO AND 
HUNTER WOULD BE THE LAST PEOPLE 
IN THE ROOM.
BO WOULD SAY, LOOK AT ME, DAD, 
LOOK AT ME.
REMEMBER, REMEMBER HOME BASE, 
REMEMBER.
SO, AND THE SECRET SERVICE CAN 
TELL YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, THAT BO
AND HUNT AND ASHLEY CONTINUE TO 
HAVE TO CORRAL ME.
AT THE NATIONAL PARKS I WAS 
CLIMBING ON TOP OF THE BRIDGE TO
JUMP OFF THE BRIDGE WITH A BUNCH
OF YOUNG KIDS.
AND I HEAR MY SONS YELLING, DAD,
GET DOWN.
NOW.
[ LAUGHTER ]
AND I JUST STARTED LAUGHING SO 
HARDY COULDN'T STOP.
I SAID, WAYS GOING TO DO A FLIP 
OR FULL GAINER.
DAD, THE SECRET SERVICE DOESN'T 
WANT YOU UP THERE, DAD.
LOOK AT ME, DAD.
SO, WE'VE NEVER FIGURED OUT WHO 
THE FATHER IS IN THIS FAMILY.
MR. PRESIDENT, YOU KNOW THAT 
WITH GOOD REASON THERE IS NO 
POWER IN THE VICE-PRESIDENCY.
I DID FOR NANCY PELOSI'S 
DAUGHTER, THE READING OF THE 
CONSTITUTION, YOU PROBABLY DID 
ONE FOR HER, THEY HAD ME READ 
THE PROVISIONS OF THE 
VICE-PRESIDENCY IN THE 
CONSTITUTION, AND THERE IS NO 
INHERENT POWER, NOR SHOULD THERE
BE.
MR. PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE, YOU 
HAVE MORE THAN KEPT YOUR 
COMMITMENT TO ME BY SAYING THAT 
YOU WANTED ME TO HELP GOVERN.
PRESIDENT'S LINE OFTEN, PEOPLE 
DON'T HEAR IT OFTEN, BUT SOMEONE
WOULD SAY, CAN YOU GET JOE TO DO
SUCH AND SUCH?
YOU SAID, I DON'T DO HIS 
SCHEDULE AND HE DOESN'T DO MINE.
EVERY SINGLE THING YOU'VE ASKED 
ME TO DO, MR. PRESIDENT, YOU 
HAVE TRUSTED ME TO DO.
AND THAT IS A REMARKABLE THING.
I DON'T THINK, ACCORDING TO -- I
SEE THE PRESIDENT OF GEORGETOWN 
HERE AS WELL.
I DON'T THINK ACCORDING TO THE 
PRESIDENTIAL, VICE-PRESIDENTIAL 
SCHOLARS THAT KIND OF 
RELATIONSHIP HAS EXISTED -- I 
MEAN, FOR REAL.
IT'S ALL YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
IT'S ALL YOU.
THE REASON WHY WHEN YOU SENT ME 
AROUND THE WORLD, NOTHING GOOD, 
AS MY MOM WOULD SAY, GETS MISSED
BETWEEN THE CUP AND A LIP 
BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHEN I SPEAK I
SPEAK TRUE.
IT'S BEEN EASY, MR. PRESIDENT, 
BECAUSE WE NOT ONLY HAVE THE 
SAME POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY AND 
IDEOLOGY.
I TELL EVERYBODY, I'VE TOLD THEM
FROM THE BEGINNING AND I'M NOT 
SAYING THIS TO RECIPROCATE.
I'VE NEVER KNOWN A PRESIDENT, 
AND FEW PEOPLE I'VE EVER MET MY 
WHOLE LIFE, I CAN COUNT ON LESS 
THAN ONE HAND, WHO HAVE HAD THE 
INTEGRITY AND DECENCY AND THE 
SENSE OF OTHER PEOPLE'S NEEDS 
LIKE YOU DO.
I KNOW YOU'RE UPSET WHEN I TOLD 
THE STORY ABOUT WHEN HUNT AND I 
WERE WORRIED THAT BO WOULD HAVE 
TO -- THEY WOULD, AS A MATTER OF
HONOR, DECIDE TO STEP DOWN AS 
ATTORNEY GENERAL WHILE HE WAS 
FIGHTING HIS BATTLE BECAUSE HE 
HAD APHASIA.
HE WAS LOSING HIS ABILITY TO 
SPEAK.
AND HE DIDN'T WANT TO EVER BE IN
A POSITION WHERE TO HIM 
EVERYTHING WAS ABOUT DUTY AND 
HONOR.
AND I SAID -- AND HE MAY RESIGN,
I DON'T KNOW.
I JUST HAVE A FEELING HE MAY.
HUNT AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS.
HE SAID, HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY 
OTHER INCOME, BUT WE'RE ALL 
RIGHT BECAUSE HUNT'S THERE AND I
CAN SELL THE HOUSE.
WE WERE HAVING A PRIVATE LUNCH 
LIKE WE DO ONCE A WEEK.
AND THIS MAN GOT UP, CAME OVER, 
GRABBED ME BY THE SHOULDERS, AND
LOOKED ME IN THE EYE AND SAID, 
DON'T YOU SELL THAT HOUSE.
YOU LOVE THAT HOUSE.
I SAID, IT'S NO BIG DEAL, 
MR. PRESIDENT.
HE SAID, I'LL GIVE YOU THE 
MONEY.
I'LL GIVE YOU THE MONEY.
PROMISE ME.
PROMISE ME.
YOU WON'T SELL THAT HOUSE.
I REMEMBER WHEN ASHLEY, 
MR. PRESIDENT, WE WERE IN THE 
OVAL AND ASHLEY WAS IN THE 
ELEVATOR, AND THE ELEVATOR 
PLUMMETED -- SHE WAS WITH A 
GROUP OF PEOPLE, I FORGET WHICH 
BUILDING IN PHILADELPHIA, IT 
PLUMMETED TO THE GROUND.
AND IMMEDIATELY THE SERVICE WAS 
WORRIED THAT SHE MAY HAVE BEEN 
BADLY HURT.
AND I GOT UP TO TAKE THE CALL 
AND YOU DIDN'T LET UP UNTIL YOU 
MADE SURE YOUR SERVICE FOLLOWED 
THROUGH AND MADE SURE EVERYTHING
WAS ALL RIGHT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, MR. PRESIDENT, 
YOU KNOW, WE KID ABOUT BOTH 
ABOUT MARRYING UP, WE BOTH DID 
THAT KIND OF THING.
BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER 
IS -- I SAID THIS TO MICHELLE 
LAST NIGHT -- MICHELLE IS THE 
FINEST FIRST LADY, IN MY VIEW, 
THAT HAS EVER SERVED IN THE 
OFFICE.
THERE'S ANOTHER GREAT FIRST 
LADIES, BUT I GENERALLY MEAN IT.
[ APPLAUSE ]
WHEN I GOT TO MEET MICHELLE'S 
BROTHER AND HE TOLD ME ABOUT HOW
YOU GUYS WERE RAISED AND I GOT 
TO KNOW AND LOVE YOUR MOM, IF 
YOUR MOM WERE 15 YEARS OLDER, 
SHE COULD HAVE BEEN MY MOM, 
LITERALLY.
THE WAY YOU WERE RAISED, THE WAY
WE WERE RAISED, IT WASN'T ANY 
DIFFERENCE.
AND I KNEW THAT THIS DECISION TO
JOIN YOU, WHICH IS THE GREATEST 
HONOR IN MY LIFE, WAS THE RIGHT 
DECISION ON THE NIGHT WE HAD TO 
GO AND ACCEPT THE NOMINATION, 
THE FORMAL -- TO BE NOMINATED AT
THE CONVENTION.
AND FINNEGAN WHO IS NOW 
18-YEAR-OLD, WAS TEN YEARS OLD.
SHE CAME TO ME AND SHE SAID, 
POP, IS IT OKAY IF THE ROOM THAT
WE'RE IN, FINNEGAN, MAZY AND 
NAOMI, THAT WE HAVE THE BEDS 
TAKEN OUT?
AND I SAID, WHY?
SHE SAID, MAYBE THE OBAMA GIRLS 
AND YOUR BROTHER'S CHILDREN, 
MAYBE THEY CAN COME DOWN AND WE 
CAN ALL SLEEP TOGETHER IN 
SLEEPING BAGS.
AND I GIVE YOU MY WORD AS A 
BIDEN, I KNEW WHEN I LEFT TO GO 
TO THE CONVENTION, OPEN THAT 
DOOR AND SAW THEM CUDDLED 
TOGETHER, I KNEW THIS WAS THE 
RIGHT DECISION.
I KNEW IT WAS THE RIGHT 
DECISION.
I REALLY DID.
BECAUSE, MR. PRESIDENT, THE SAME
VALUE SET, THE SAME VALUE SET --
FOLKS, YOU KNOW, I JOKE WITH MY 
STAFF THAT I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY
PAY THEM ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY 
GET TO ADVISE ME.
[ LAUGHTER ]
LET ME EXPLAIN WHAT I MEAN BY 
THAT.
AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE 
UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE WHERE MY 
HEART RESIDES IN DELAWARE, THEY 
CAN TELL YOU, I GET TO GIVE 
ADVICE.
I GET TO BE THE LAST GUY IN THE 
ROOM AND GIVE YOU ADVICE ON THE 
MOST DIFFICULT DECISIONS ANYONE 
HAS TO MAKE IN THE WHOLE WORLD.
BUT I GET TO WALK OUT AND YOU 
MAKE IT ALL BY YOURSELF, ALL BY 
YOURSELF.
HA
HARRY TRUMAN WAS RIGHT ABOUT THE
BUCK STOPPING AT THE DESK.
AND I'VE NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, 
NEVER, NEVER ONCE DOUBTED ON 
THESE LIFE AND DEATH DECISIONS, 
I NEVER ONCE DOUBTED THAT YOUR 
JUDGMENT WAS FLAWED, NOT ONCE, 
NOT ONCE.
WE'VE DISAGREED AND ARGUED AND 
WE'VE RAISED OUR VOICES AT ONE 
ANOTHER.
WE MADE A DEAL WE WOULD BE 
COMPLETELY OPEN LIKE BROTHERS 
WITH ONE ANOTHER.
BUT, MR. PRESIDENT, I'VE WATCHED
YOU UNDER INTENSE FIRE.
I WILL VENTURE TO SAY THAT NO 
PRESIDENT IN HISTORY HAS HAD AS 
MANY NOVEL CRISES LAND ON HIS 
DESK IN ALL OF HISTORY.
THE CIVIL WAR WAS WORSE, WORLD 
WAR II WAS WORSE.
BUT, MR. PRESIDENT, ALMOST EVERY
ONE OF THE CRISES YOU FACED WAS 
A CASE OF FIRST INSTANCE, CASE 
OF FIRST INSTANCE.
AND I WATCHED THAT PRODIGIOUS 
MIND AND HEART AS BIG AS YOUR 
HEAD, I'VE WATCHED YOU.
I'VE WATCHED HOW YOU'VE ACTED.
WHEN YOU SEE A WOMAN OR MAN 
UNDER INTENSE PRESSURE, YOU GET 
A MEASURE AND YOU KNOW THAT, 
MICHELLE, AND YOUR DAUGHTERS 
KNOW IT AS WELL.
THIS IS A REMARKABLE MAN.
AND I JUST HOPE THAT THE 
ASTERISK IN HISTORY THAT IS 
ATTACHED TO MY NAME WHEN THEY 
TALK ABOUT THIS PRESIDENCY IS 
THAT I CAN SAY I WAS PART OF, 
PART OF THE JOURNEY OF A 
REMARKABLE MAN WHO DID 
REMARKABLE THINGS FOR THIS 
COUNTRY.
REMARKABLE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
YOU KNOW I CAN'T LET A COMMENT 
GO BY WITHOUT QUOTING AN IRISH
POET.
[ LAUGHTER ]
JILL AND I TALK ABOUT WHY YOU 
ARE ABLE TO DEVELOP THE WAY YOU 
DEVELOPED AND WITH THE HEART YOU
HAVE.
MICHELLE AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT
IT.
I'VE CONFIDED IN MICHELLE, I'VE 
GONE TO HER FOR ADVICE.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS MAN.
YOU'VE GIVEN ME INSIGHT.
AND I THINK IT'S BECAUSE, 
MR. PRESIDENT, YOU GAVE ME 
CREDIT FOR HAVING UNDERSTANDING 
OTHER PEOPLE'S MISERY AND 
SUFFERING.
MR. PRESIDENT, THERE'S NOT ONE 
SI
SINGLE SOLITARY OUNCE OF 
ENTITLEMENT IN YOU OR MICHELLE 
OR YOUR BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS.
YOU GIRLS ARE INCREDIBLE.
YOU REALLY ARE.
IT'S NOT HYPERBOLE, YOU REALLY 
ARE.
NOT ONE OUNCE OF ENTITLEMENT.
AND SHAMUS HANEY, ONE OF THOSE 
POETS SAID -- 
[ LAUGHTER ]
WHEN YOU CAN FIND SOMEONE WHO 
SAYS IT BETTER, USE IT.
HE SAID, YOU CARRIED YOUR OWN 
BURDEN, AND VERY SOON YOUR 
SYMPTOMS OF CREEPING PRIVILEGE 
DISAPPEARED.
YOU CARRIED YOUR OWN BURDENS AND
VERY SOON YOUR CREEPING SYMPTOMS
OF PRIVILEGE DISAPPEARED.
MR. PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE 
SOMETIMES BEEN LIKE A LONE WOLF,
BUT YOU CARRIED YOURSELF IN A 
WAY THAT IS PRETTY REMARKABLE.
THE HISTORY OF THE JOURNEY, YOUR
JOURNEY, IS SOMETHING PEOPLE ARE
GOING TO WRITE ABOUT A LONG 
TIME.
AND I'M NOT BEING SOLICITOUS 
WHEN I SAY THIS.
AND YOU ARE SO FORTUNATE, BOTH 
OF YOU, TO HAVE FOUND EACH OTHER
BECAUSE ALL THAT GROUNDING, ALL 
THAT THAT YOU HAVE MADE THIS GUY
TOTALLY WHOLE.
IT'S PRETTY AMAZING.
MR. PRESIDENT, THIS HONOR IS NOT
ONLY WELL BEYOND WHAT I DESERVE,
BUT IT'S A REFLECTION OF THE 
EXTENT AND GENEROSITY OF YOUR 
SPIRIT.
I DON'T DESERVE THIS.
BUT I KNOW IT CAME FROM THE 
PRESIDENT'S HEART.
THERE IS A TALMUDIC SAYING THAT 
SAYS, WHAT COMES FROM THE HEART 
AND IS THE HEART.
MR. PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE CREEPED 
INTO OUR HEART, YOU AND YOUR 
WHOLE FAMILY, INCLUDING MOM, AND
YOU OCCUPY IT.
IT'S AN AMAZING THING THAT 
HAPPENED.
I KNEW HOW SMART YOU WERE.
I KNEW HOW HONORABLE YOU WERE.
I KNEW HOW DECENT YOU WERE FROM 
THE COUPLE YEARS YOU WORKED IN 
THE SENATE.
AND I KNEW WHAT YOU WERE CAPABLE
OF.
BUT I NEVER FULLY EXPECTED THAT 
YOU'D OCCUPY THE BIDENS' HEART 
FROM HUNTER, ASHLEY, MY SISTER, 
ALL OF US, ALL OF US.
AND, MR. PRESIDENT, I'M INDEBTED
TO YOU.
I'M INDEBTED TO YOUR FRIENDSHIP.
I'M INDEBTED TO YOUR FAMILY.
AND AS I'LL TELL YOU ON A 
HUMOROUS NOTE, WE'RE HAVING 
LUNCH, LUNCHES, MOSTLY -- 
WHATEVER IS IN OUR MINDS.
WE TALK ABOUT FAMILY AN AWFUL 
LOT.
AND ABOUT SIX MONTHS IN, 
PRESIDENT LOOKS AT ME AND HE 
SAID, YOU KNOW, JOE?
YOU KNOW WHAT SURPRISED ME?
HOW WE'VE BECOME SUCH GOOD 
FRIENDS.
[ LAUGHTER ]
AND I SAID, SURPRISED YOU?
BUT THAT IS CANDID OBAMA.
[ LAUGHTER ]
AND IT'S REAL.
MR. PRESIDENT, YOU KNOW AS LONG 
AS THERE IS BREATH IN ME, I'LL 
BE THERE FOR YOU, MY FAMILY WILL
BE THERE.
I KNOW IT IS RECIPROCAL.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL SO 
VERY, VERY, VERY MUCH, ALL OF 
YOU FOR BEING HERE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
