VP Biden says President Offered Financial Support when Son Beau Biden was Ill

By Cheri Cheng - 12 Jan '16 14:17PM
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Vice President Joe Biden revealed that during tough times when his eldest son, Beau Biden, was ill, the President of the United States, Barack Obama, had offered financial help.

Biden opened up about this generous offer for the very first time in an interview with CNN chief political analyst Gloria Borger.

During the sit down interview, Biden recalled telling Obama about his fear of not being able to support his son's family financially if his son were to resign from his position as Delaware's attorney general due to his health. Biden said that at the time, he told Obama that he was considering selling his home in Delaware.

"He got up and he said, 'Don't sell that house. Promise me you won't sell the house,'" Biden said. "He said, 'I'll give you the money. Whatever you need, I'll give you the money. Don't, Joe -- promise me. Promise me.' I said, 'I don't think we're going to have to anyway.' He said, 'promise me.'"

The younger Biden was able to serve out his term after tests revealed that he had not lost cognitive ability from the stroke that he had suffered from. Beau, however, died from brain cancer in June.

Biden also talked about how hard it was to have Thanksgiving without his son.

"Thanksgiving was hard," he said. "The idea of an empty chair, you know, was something no one looked forward to. But everybody -- you know, they're tough. And you know, we're focusing on the inspiration of Beau, rather than loss of Beau."

Aside from these personal topics, Biden discussed the candidates in the upcoming presidential campaign, particularly Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump, and cancer research.

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