it was a friendship that shouldn't have worked john a former navy pilot just released from a north vietnamese prison joe a young senator from delaware but in the 1970s joe was assigned a military aide for a trip overseas i was a navy senate liaison and used to carry your bags on overseas trips the son of a gun never carried my bags he was supposed to carry my bags damn it but he never carried my bags [Music] john and joe travel thousands of miles together the families got to know each other gathering for picnics in the biden's backyard they would just sit and joke it was like a comedy show sometimes to watch the two of them but when john was elected to the senate as a republican from arizona they found themselves on opposing sides we're in different parties we hold different views on many issues they'd be going at it on the floor and you think oh these guys must really really really dislike each other and they'd be having dinner that night together senator biden had great respect for the institution of the senate he built relationships that were cordial that were personal we've always been willing when we thought the other guy was right across the aisle and lock arms it's good for the country it takes trust to get things done in a divided government and i think with joe biden his colleagues knew that your points were equally valid to him even if a deal seemed out of reach it was always joe who tried to cross the aisle he was like a natural for that he just had an ability to find the common ground but never give up your principles for three decades joe was able to move his colleagues and find a way forward on violence against women banning chemical weapons assault weapons and controlling nuclear arms it was a style of legislating and leadership that you don't find much anymore and when millions of americans were faced with losing their health insurance it was joe's friend who saved obamacare by crossing the mccain has his vote with a thumbs down john and i have been given several awards about bipartisanship we don't understand why you should get an award for bipartisanship thank you for your example and how to remain the same good guy that you were when you first got here most of all for your friendship my life and the lives of many have been enriched by it you