In a rare move for a politician, Joe Biden responded to a heckler with an emotional and personal response, silencing a rally on Thursday.
The US Vice President was campaigning for the Democrat presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in Cleveland, Ohio when he was interrupted by an Iraq war protester.
“My friend died, we fought for America” the man shouted. According to the Guardian, the protester was at odds with Mr Biden over the US’ policy in Syria.
A sombre looking Biden paused before saying: “Will you listen? Yeah, so did my son” before inviting the man to discuss the issues with him after his speech. The man was reportedly later seen entering the backstage area after speaking with the secret service.
Mr Biden’s veteran son Beau died from brain cancer last year. The 46-year-old, who served a long deployment in Iraq and was awarded a bronze star, was first diagnosed with the illness in 2013. He was also twice elected the attorney general of Delaware.
Mr Biden has said his grief was a factor in him not running for the Democrat nomination this year.
Beau’s death was the second traumatic loss to Mr Biden’s family after his one-year-old daughter Naomi and wife Neila Hunter died in a car crash in Delaware in 1972. Beau and his brother Hunter survived the tragedy with broken bones.
