I choke up looking at this photo of Joe Biden at the ceremony sending his son Beau off to Iraq. While Palin was boogeying down to "Ain't No Stopping Us Now", Joe was rushing off to be with his son, as he has done his whole life. From Politico, "At the end of the ceremony, the soldiers were dismissed. A long-faced Sen. Biden, wearing aviator sunglasses against the noon sun, moved into the crowd of families as Toby Keith’s "American Soldier" played over the loudspeaker." What a great father he is. What an agonizing day this must be for him.
Below, Biden's (very brief) remarks at the ceremony.
From Politico:
Biden sees Beau off
==snip==
To the approximately 110 soldiers arranged on the Legislative Mall in Dover, Biden explained it this way: "[T]oday I come to be prepared to deploy as a father. A father who got some sage advice from his son this morning: ‘Dad, keep it short, we’re in formation.’ I always listen to my general."
"My wife Jill and I, and our whole family – like every family member here – have hearts full of love and pride. We take comfort in the knowledge that you are the best trained, best prepared group of citizen soldiers our country and this state has ever sent into harm’s way," Biden said.
"So let me simply say, thank you. Thank you for answering the call of your country, thank you for doing what brave women and men have always done in uniform and always do. So stand strong, stand together, serve honorably, come home to your families that love you. May God bless you and may he protect you," he finished. He spoke in total for less than three minutes.
Beau Biden, Delaware’s attorney general, is deploying as a member of the state National Guard’s 261st Theater Tactical Signal Brigade, which is tasked with tactical communications operations in Iraq.
At the end of the ceremony, the soldiers were dismissed. A long-faced Sen. Biden, wearing aviator sunglasses against the noon sun, moved into the crowd of families as Toby Keith’s "American Soldier" played over the loudspeaker.
The soldiers will spend Friday and most of Saturday with their families, before reporting late Saturday night. Biden has no campaign events scheduled for Friday. (He was at the deployment ceremony as a senator and a father, according to the campaign, which was not involved in the event).
Best of luck to you, Beau! Thank you for your service. You're in our prayers.