Barack Obama Surprised His BFF Joe Biden With the Presidential Medal of Freedom

The relationship between Joe Biden and Barack Obama has long been a beautiful, enviable thing. The two always speak of each other with such love and respect, and such a casual, caring familiarity, that it’s no wonder their Oval Office bromance memes have threatened to overtake cat videos as the best thing on the internet.

Today, those #PoliticsGoals reached a new head when President Obama surprised his Vice President (whom he calls his brother) with the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

It’s clear the no one in the room, least of all Biden himself, expected the award. From the moment he realizes what’s happening, as Obama lists off his many accomplishments, Biden seems to be entirely focused on not crying. Watching the video above, I didn’t manage that feat myself, and be warned, I’d guess you won’t either.

If you somehow do make it through that video up there with no tears, make sure to watch Biden’s acceptance where he fights through the emotions to make one last jab with a classic “candid Obama” anecdote.

VP Biden: “Mr. President, I’m indebted to you, I’m indebted to your friendship…as long as there’s breath in me, I’ll be there for you.” pic.twitter.com/ffN6uOo8xk

— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) January 12, 2017

At the start of the event, Obama joked that “this also gives the Internet one last chance to talk about our ‘bromance.'” And clearly, we weren’t going to disappoint him.

(via Mediaite, image via screengrab)

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Vivian Kane

Vivian Kane (she/her) is the Senior News Editor at The Mary Sue, where she's been writing about politics and entertainment (and all the ways in which the two overlap) since the dark days of late 2016. Born in San Francisco and radicalized in Los Angeles, she now lives in Kansas City, Missouri, where she gets to put her MFA to use covering the local theatre scene. She is the co-owner of The Pitch, Kansas City’s alt news and culture magazine, alongside her husband, Brock Wilbur, with whom she also shares many cats.

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