President Joe Biden became emotional on Monday when Bill Clinton surprised him with an award for his social commitment.
Biden shed a tear as Bill Clinton praised him for his “extraordinary decency, goodness and grace.” The former president presented him with the Clinton Global Citizen Award.
The president also got personal when he thanked the Clintons, and Hillary Clinton in particular, for their support: “I want to thank you personally for the way you have helped me.”
“I love you,” he told the former first lady.
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden pose for a photo after he receives the Global Citizen Award from former President Bill Clinton, Chelsea Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during the Clinton Global Initiative
Biden made an unexpected visit to the Clinton Global Initiative on Monday evening, when Jill Biden participated in a session on women’s health with Chelsea Clinton.
During the session, Jill Biden unveiled a new set of measures to address health care disparities for women in the U.S. These plans include spending at least $500 million annually on women’s health research.
After Jill and Chelsea finished their speeches, “Hail to the Chief” was played. Hillary Clinton walked out, followed by Bill Clinton, who escorted President Joe Biden. The room erupted in a standing ovation.
The president gave the first lady a long hug and did the same for Chelsea Clinton.
Bill Clinton, who publicly supported Biden’s bid to stay in the presidential race after many Democrats called for him to resign, praised the president’s service.
“It is an honor for me to welcome a friend of 40 years and an extraordinary leader who has fought his entire life to make America better, fairer and stronger,” he said of Biden, who stood behind him.
He presented the glass trophy. The Clinton Global Citizen Award recognizes world leaders who take action to improve the state of the world, according to the Clinton Foundation.
In 2013, then-Vice President Biden was a guest presenter to present Mayor Michael Bloomberg with the Clinton Global Citizen Award. Other winners included Olena Zelenska, Jon Bon Jovi, Malala Yousafzai and Leonardo DiCaprio.
President Joe Biden wipes away a tear as Bill Clinton praises him
Joe Biden and Bill Clinton at the Clinton Global Initiative
President Joe Biden gives first lady Jill Biden a hug
Biden, standing next to the first lady, Hillary Clinton and Chelsea Clinton, joked: “This is what you call being trapped.”
He also teased the former president a bit in his comments.
“You and I have something very much in common. We married someone who is way above our station. I’m Jill Biden’s husband. He’s Hillary Clinton’s husband,” he said, repeating one of his favorite jokes.
He went on to call Jill Biden’s announcement one of the most important of his administration.
“If I were to be personally proud, I think Jill’s work in women’s health research, and this is Jill’s work and this was Jill’s movement, would go down in history as one of the most important programs of our government,” he said.
The additional government spending comes mainly from the Department of Defense, which provides medical care to more than 230,000 active-duty female military personnel and nearly 2 million retired military personnel, as well as their family members.
The research focuses on the question why these women suffer from endocrine, hematological and other immune-related disorders twice as often as men.
“Women are really hungry for this kind of information,” Jill Biden said. “We don’t have the answers.”
President Biden hugs Chelsea Clinton
Chelsea Clinton and Jill Biden led a talk on women’s health
The Clintons have chosen the theme for this year’s meeting as “What’s Working,” a way to look for possible solutions and effective programs in turbulent times.
After the compliments were exchanged, the Clintons and Bidens posed for a group photo.