Story highlights The White House had scheduled a ceremony to praise Joe Biden on Thursday

The event included a surprise award and heartfelt remarks about and from the vice president

(CNN) President Barack Obama surprised an emotional Vice President Joe Biden Thursday by presenting him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, during a White House ceremony.

"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 aide to join us on stage," Obama said in the ceremony. "For my final time as President, I am pleased to award our nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom."

Biden, who appeared extremely emotional during the tribute and was seen tearing up, accepted the award but said he did not deserve it.

"This honor is not only well beyond what I deserve, but it's a reflection of the extent and generosity of your spirit," Biden said. "I don't deserve this but I know it came from the President's heart."

Read More</s>U.S. President Barack Obama awarded Vice-President Joe Biden the highest civilian honor Thursday, the Presidential Medal of Freedom; declaring him an “extraordinary man with an extraordinary career in public service.”</s>US President Barack Obama awards Vice President Joe Biden the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a tribute to Biden at the White House in Washington, DC, on January 12, 2017. Photo: AFP

Washington: US President Barack Obama on Thursday surprised Vice President Joe Biden by presenting him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honour, during a White House ceremony.

"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 aide to join us on stage," CNN quoted Obama as saying. "For my final time as President, I am pleased to award our nation's highest civilian honour, the Presidential Medal of Freedom," he added.

Meanwhile, an emotional Biden accepted the award but said he did not deserve it. "This honour 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," Biden said.

Before surprising Biden with the award, Obama gave lengthy remarks praising Biden, his wife Dr Jill Biden and his children and grandchildren. "This is the kind of family that built this country. That's why my family is honoured to call ourselves honorary Bidens," Obama said.</s>President Barack Obama awarded Vice President Joe Biden with the highest civilian honor Thursday, commemorating an "extraordinary man with an extraordinary career in public service."A teary-eyed Biden accepted the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a ceremony at the White House dedicated to honoring the outgoing vice president.Obama said he is bestowing the honor on Biden for "faith in your fellow Americans, for your love of country and a lifetime of service that will endure through the generations."Watch video of the medal giving here:Biden praised his wife and children for their support throughout his career, and praised the Obama family for their dedication to country and service."I was part of the journey of a remarkable man who did remarkable things," Biden said.Here are some of Biden's remarks:Speaking ahead of Biden, Obama said the tribute will give the Internet one last chance to joke about the "bromance" the two share. He called Biden the "best possible choice, not just for me, but for the American people."Obama commended the "Biden heart," listing the influences in Biden's life, from the nuns who taught him in grade school, to his Senate colleagues, to his parents.Noting that Biden's career is "nowhere close to finished," Obama said his vice president will go on to have an impact in the U.S. and abroad.</s>President Barack Obama awarded a teary-eyed Joe Biden with the Presidential Medal of Freedom Thursday, praising the vice president as an "extraordinary man with an extraordinary career in public service."

Obama said he's bestowing Biden, who appeared visibly stunned, with the nation's highest civilian honor for "faith in your fellow Americans, for your love of country and a lifetime of service that will endure through the generations."

"For the first and only time in my presidency, I will bestow this medal with an additional level of veneration, an honor my three most recent successors have reserved for only three others: Pope John Paul II, Ronald Reagan and Gen. Colin Powell," Obama said at a White House ceremony billed as a tribute dedicated to honoring the outgoing vice president.

Taking the podium, a surprised Biden said he had "no inkling."

The vice president said he doesn't deserve the honor, but knows "it came from the president's heart."

Biden praised his wife and children for their support throughout his career, and praised the Obama family for their dedication to country and service.

"I was part of the journey of a remarkable man who did remarkable things," Biden said.

With Biden by his side, Obama says the tribute will give the Internet one last chance to joke about the "bromance" the two share.

President Barack Obama surprised Vice-President Joe Biden with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in a Tuesday White House ceremony. (Published Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017)

He honored Biden’s lifetime of public service, including his decades in the Senate and eight years as president, from the Violence Against Women Act, diplomacy, his “cancer moonshot,” and “It’s On Us” campaign to combat sexual assault on college campuses.

Obama says his choice of Biden was the "best possible choice, not just for me, but for the American people."

Listing the influences in Biden's life, from the nuns who taught him in grade school, to his Senate colleagues, to his parents, the president commended the "Biden heart."

"His work does not capture the full measure of Joe Biden, I haven’t even mentioned Amtrak, aviators, and 'literally,'” he quipped.

Vice President Joe Biden was honored with an emotional bi-partisan tribute on the Senate chamber floor on Dec. 7. 2016. Senators on both sides of the aisle were on the same page as they stepped up to express their admiration and gratitude to the outgoing vice president. An emotional Biden sat in the presiding chair during the moving tribute, which latest for more than two hours as lawmakers celebrated their colleague. (Published Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016)

Noting that Biden's career is "nowhere close to finished," Obama says his vice president will go on to have an impact domestically and internationally.</s>President Barack Obama surprised an emotional Vice President Joe Biden Thursday by presenting him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, during a White House ceremony.

“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 aide to join us on stage,” Obama said in the ceremony. “For my final time as president, I am pleased to award our nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”

Before surprising Biden with the award, Obama gave lengthy and colorful remarks praising Biden, his wife Dr. Jill Biden and his children and grandchildren.

“If you can’t admire Joe Biden as a person you’ve got a problem,” Obama said. He’s as good a man as God ever created.”</s>WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama surprised an emotional Vice President Joe Biden Thursday by presenting him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, during a White House ceremony.

"I just wanted to get some folks together to pay tribute," President Obama said at the ceremony. "It also gives the internet one last chance to talk about our bromance," he joked.

"If you can't admire Joe Biden as a person you've got a problem," Obama said. "He's as good a man as God ever created."

Before surprising his vice president with the medal, Obama gave lengthy and colorful remarks praising Biden, along with his wife Dr. Jill Biden, his children and his grandchildren.

The president also reflected on his decision to choose Biden as his vice president, saying, "There has not been a single time that I've doubted the wisdom of that decision ... this is an extraordinary man."</s>WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama surprised an emotional Vice President Joe Biden Thursday by presenting him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, during a White House ceremony.

“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 aide to join us on stage,” Obama said in the ceremony. “For my final time as President, I am pleased to award our nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”

Biden, who appeared extremely emotional during the tribute and was seen tearing up, accepted the award but said he did not deserve it.

“This honor is not only well beyond what I deserve, but it’s a reflection of the extent and generosity of your spirit,” Biden said. “I don’t deserve this but I know it came from the President’s heart.”

Before surprising Biden with the award, Obama gave lengthy and colorful remarks praising Biden, his wife Dr. Jill Biden and his children and grandchildren.

“This is the kind of family that built this country,” Obama said. “That’s why my family is honored to call ourselves honorary Bidens.”

Obama noted that while their term is almost over the two will be “forever binded as a family,”

“If you can’t admire Joe Biden as a person you’ve got a problem,” Obama said quoting a Republican senator. “He’s as good a man as god ever created.”

Biden, who was shocked by the entire gathering, said he had no “inkling” it was going to happen. The Vice President said he thought he was coming to toast senior staff with the first lady and his wife Jill Biden.</s>If the thousands of memes currently starring in your Instagram are any indication, President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden's bromance is quite literally the gift that keeps on giving. And on Thursday, POTUS held an event to honor his buddy and surprised him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

"For the final time as president, I am pleased to award our nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom," Obama said, eliciting a priceless reaction from Biden: the VP immediately grabbed a handkerchief and turned away to wipe a tear. It was probably a shock to the American people too, who thought they'd pretty much run out of tears after watching Tuesday's moving farewell address.

Speaking of Joe, Obama also said he's "someone who has devoted his entire life to service this country" and "the best vice president America's ever had," before quipping about their famous friendship ("This also gives the internet once last chance to talk about our bromance.")

"For the first and only time in my presidency, I will bestow this medal with an additional level of veneration," Obama said. "Ladies and gentlemen, I am proud to award the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction to my brother Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr."</s>WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama surprised an emotional Vice President Joe Biden Thursday by presenting him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, during a White House ceremony.

"I just wanted to get some folks together to pay tribute," President Obama said at the ceremony. "It also gives the internet one last chance to talk about our bromance," he joked.

"If you can't admire Joe Biden as a person you've got a problem," Obama said. "He's as good a man as God ever created."

Before surprising his vice president with the medal, Obama gave lengthy and colorful remarks praising Biden, along with his wife Dr. Jill Biden, his children and his grandchildren.

The president also reflected on his decision to choose Biden as his vice president, saying, "There has not been a single time that I've doubted the wisdom of that decision ... this is an extraordinary man."

Before surprising Biden with the award, Obama gave lengthy and colorful remarks praising Biden, his wife Dr. Jill Biden and his children and grandchildren.

"If you can't admire Joe Biden as a person you've got a problem," Obama said. He's as good a man as god ever created."
The President of the United States Barack Obama awards his Vice President Joe Biden the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction, the only time the president has awarded this particular honor during his tenure.