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Joe Biden calls Boston "the face of America's resolve" on marathon bombing anniversary

The vice president joined the Boston community to mark the one-year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing
Biden tells Boston: "You have become the face of America's resolve" 02:46

Joining survivors of last year's Boston Marathon bombing, the families of the victims, first responders and other government officials, Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday told the Boston community, "You have become the face of America's resolve."

Biden was one of several officials to speak Tuesday before the invitation-only audience of about 2,500 people gathered at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston to mark the one-year anniversary of the attack.

Around the world, Biden said, "people know all about you, they know who you are, they know your pride, they know your courage, they know your resolve... It infuriates [terrorists] that we refuse to bend, refuse to change, refuse to yield to fear. You are Boston strong, but America is strong -- they're not unlike you, all around America. That's what makes us so proud of this city and this state, what makes me so proud to be an American."

He specifically praised Carlos Arredondo, the man in the cowboy hat who came to the rescue of bombing victim Jeff Bauman in the aftermath. "The whole word witnessed ordinary citizens doing extraordinary things," Biden said.

When 36,000 people line up for the next Boston Marathon on Monday, the vice president said, "You will send a resounding message around the world, not just to the world but to the terrorists, we will never yield... America will never ever ever stand down... We respond, we endure, we overcome, and we own the finish line."

Back in Washington, President Obama privately observed a moment of silence at 2:49 p.m. ET, the moment the two bombs exploded near the marathon's finish line last April 15.


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