Tributes Continue To Pour In For Beau Biden
By Steve Patterson
WILMINGTON, Del., (CBS) – In Delaware and across the political world, tributes continue to pour in for Beau Biden.
The 46-year-old son of the Vice President and former Delaware Attorney General died Saturday from brain cancer.
CBS 3's Steve Patterson talked with some Monday who knew the younger Biden.
"Trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind."
"Cheerful, thrifty, brave."
When the phrase "Boy Scout" was used to describe Beau Biden, it was meant as a badge of honor.
"Those are the traits of Beau Biden."
When Delaware Judge Thomas Ambro recites the scout's oath, he says all the traits seem to define the late Biden's tenure as a public servant.
"I do not know of a single person who disliked Beau Biden," said Ambro.
Forty-six-year-old Beau Biden died Saturday night after a two-year battle with brain cancer.
The Vice President's son started his career as a Philadelphia Prosecutor, then Army National Guardsman, then in office for two terms as the Delaware Attorney General.
"There's a reason that Beau was the most popular elected official in the state," said Delaware Governor Jack Markell.
Delaware Governor Jack Markell says Beau's ability to reach past barriers of ideology, race and class among his peers made him so successful as a politician on both sides of the aisle.
"People really knew that when he was with them, they were the most important person in the room," said Governor Markell.
Biden was in line to be the future of Delaware.
As Attorney General he clamped down on child sex crimes, went after predators and netted nearly 200 convictions in office.
Before he became sick, he was entertaining a run for governor, a move that most, including Markell say, he would have won.
"At a time when people are so cynical about elected officials, he was just a great guy," said Markell.
CBS 3's Steve Patterson also spoke with one of Biden's closest political allies.
"It's unusual."
In the current landscape of partisan politics, some might call this an understatement.
"I know he that took some flak for asking a Republican to come in and be his Chief Deputy."
When Democrat Beau Biden won his first election for Delaware Attorney General by 13,000 votes in 2006, he named Attorney Richard Gebelein his Deputy Chief.
"I took a little flak for going in as his Deputy Chief too," said Gebelein.
Not a popular move.
Gebelein says a Democrat giving power to the competing party was seen as a slap in the face, but he committed because of Beau's character.
"I thought that together we could do a lot of good things for Delaware," said Gebelein.
The two-term Attorney General was first a Major in the Army National Guard, deployed in 2008 for a year-long tour of duty in Iraq.
When he left, he called on Gebelein.
And the Republican asked to fill the Democrat's seat.
"Beau was an extraordinary person that could do these things and not worry about it, not think about the repercussions, just doing what he felt was the best thing," said Gebelein.
Biden netted nearly 200 convictions as Attorney General and made a reputation defending the rights of children against sexual predators.
And to get it done, he put politics aside.
"This is a loss that words just can't describe," said Gebelein.
