Long after the last partisan battle has been fought over Obamacare, long after Barack Obama has settled into a comfortable post-presidency, and long after the last joke has been made about some Joe Biden verbal misstep, people will remember the moment when the always-in-control president struggled to control his emotions. They will remember the moment when president and vice president embraced in front of the altar and exchanged heartfelt kisses on the cheek. And they will remember how their hearts ached at this intimate glimpse of one family’s pain. In an age when so many political moments are scripted, this was real. In a country whose presidents and vice presidents have rarely been close, this was genuine closeness. In an administration that prides itself on being hip, this was decidedly old-fashioned love.
I have to admit that I did not watch much of the funeral on TV yesterday, I have attended too many of them in my life.
However I have seen clips of the event and as expected there have been a lot of feels. Especially in response to the President's tearful and moving eulogy.
I started this day with a photo of the President frolicking with a baby, and I end with a picture of our President comforting a friend.
Both of them tell us something important about the man that we elected to lead this country. And it is something that no partisan attack or conservative lie can ever diminish.
Given the opportunity to meet anyone, living or dead, my only choice is President Barack Hussein Obama. I would be at a loss for words ( how can words begin to express my admiration for this thoughtful, intelligent, insightful leader?), but would love to shake his hand and tell him that this military mom thanks him for HIS service to our country.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Gryphen for posting this very moving picture of our wonderful President and equally amazing Vice President. I love this country.
ReplyDeleteGod bless Barack Obama and Joe Biden. What a team.
ReplyDeleteI love you, Gryphen, in a totally non committal way - much like my first marriage, however you make way more sense and I appreciate all you do for us loyal readers. I know some of this crap out there keeps you up at night monitoring the on-going situations, but I appreciate what you do. Thank you for letting me post my silly sheet!
ReplyDeleteBlue girl Liz .... Living in a red state!
It's so agonizing to lose a child.
ReplyDeleteAlmost unbearably poignant.
ReplyDeleteI can't begin to imagine the pain the VP must be feeling burying yet another child.... and I can only hope to live long enough to see the President appreciated for the amazing man that he is.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this lovely and heartbreaking moment
I love these two men and I love that they truly love and care for each other, truly best friends/brothers. I have a small group of what we call SFF - sister friends forever - and it is 2 sisters, and 2 other sisters, and a friend that comprise our 5-SFF group. I see Biden and Obama as BFF - brother friends forever. This designation is far stronger than just friends, but family chosen through experiences and love. May this connection continue to provide both of them comfort and laughter. Family chosen often provides a stronger connection that family by birth.
ReplyDeleteI so admire both of these gentlemen and their families.
Statesmen both to the end of days..
DeleteLove it.
ReplyDeleteBloomberg had a wonderful article yesterday about Biden's reasons for asking Obama to deliver Beau Biden's eulogy.
ReplyDelete"Obama called Biden on the night Beau died. By the time the call ended, he had been tasked with a humbling assignment: To say the final words about Beau that the vice president and his wife, Jill, are too grief-stricken to utter."
"And an aide close to both men, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Biden wanted Obama to deliver the eulogy because he felt that Obama would know instinctively what the family would want others to know about Beau. The aide said the men 'understand each other on a deep level based on their shared experience with loss and the deep void that creates.'"
The article also goes into the bond the two men have, one that transcends politics. On a deep level, they're brothers.
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-06-05/why-joe-biden-asked-barack-obama-to-deliver-his-son-s-eulogy
Thanks for posting this, Jesse......it brought tears to my eyes. I am so grateful for our wonderful President and his VP, and feel so sad for the Biden family and the pain they must be experiencing.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy that we have President Obama and VP Biden leading our country and especially happy that I voted for them both times.
ReplyDeleteRIP Beau Biden and I wish comfort to the Biden family!
Thank you IM - wonderful choices! Love those two guys!
ReplyDeleteThe eulogy was truly a testament of character and a testimony to shared family values. I had some tears listening to it and for the loss of Beau Biden but the eulogy renewed my faith in man kind that decency and integrity still exist and are honored.
ReplyDeleteThe President's comments about reality shows and getting attention were priceless.
Tears.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Gryph! For everything.
having just lost a dear friend this past week, the sadness is very real, grief knows no title, and death respects no one
ReplyDeletewe live. with luck we love, and when we die, we have to leave it up to other people to decide the sum of our life...
DrLager....
Even the dumbest American has developed the savvy to not fall for the "too good to be true" pitch of some jerk who came to their door, uninvited.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet, those same people show they haven't learned enough, as so many of them believe any and all the absurd things uttered about this President.
You can still easily find comments on social media, by people who are convinced that he is a Communist Nazi Muslim Atheist Socialist Keynesian Jew Catholic, born on Neptune, and sent to Earth to destroy mankind.
Never hearing anything that resembles any proof of such obscenely ridiculous charges, does nothing to the solid belief they have that all of this is true.
Thanks, Fox "news" for making millions of Americans sound like they have simply gone insane.
People who believe anything uttered when asked have not ever listened to even one speech nor interview accepting smear campaigns are truth.
DeleteTouching and human. We forget the human aspect but our president and vice-president have no problem sharing and supporting each other and the country.
ReplyDeleteDeepest sympathies to the vice-president and his family.
Thank you for the photo and the post. i watched much of the funeral service and teared up myself as President Obama's eyes began to glisten with tears. His was a beautiful eulogy as were the eulogies spoken by Beau Biden's two siblings. I had the impression that the Biden family members truly know, love and appreciate one another. And I have the same feeling about the Obama family. These were genuine "family values" we saw unfolding in Delaware on Saturday. I so look forward to seeing Vice President Biden smile again.
ReplyDeleteBeaglemom
thanks for this, Beaglemom. I agree with your family values point.
DeleteI love our President!
Sad. Then look at pictures of our wonderful President and he looks so tired. I hope he can rest.
ReplyDeleteWhat men of stature and grace. I'm no stranger to grief and loss, every language on earth understands tears and the earth shattering stillness after the passing of a loved one. There are no words to convey the passing of a child, and the honor he gave to his country and his family name.
ReplyDeletePresident Obama chose exactly the right words, and his love and respect for the Bidens was deeply moving.
Tragedy brings out the best in humankind.