Biden says 'knock-off jihadis' can't break American spirit
(CNN) – The brothers accused of planting bombs at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, and later murdering a police officer in Cambridge, are "twisted, perverted, cowardly knock-off jihadis" who failed to instill fear in the American people, Vice President Joe Biden said at a memorial service for the slain officer Wednesday.
"It infuriates them that we refuse to bend, refuse to change, refuse to yield to fear," Biden said at the afternoon event honoring of Sean Collier. "The doctrine of hate and oppression, they've found out cannot compete with the values of openness and inclusiveness. And that's why they're losing around the world."
The service for Collier, a campus police officer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, came more than a week after the two blasts killed three people and wounded hundreds. The accused perpetrators shot Collier to death in his cruiser Thursday night as he was responding to a loud disturbance call, setting off a series of events that left one of the suspected bombers dead and the other the subject of a day-long manhunt.
MORE: Officials weight in, then retreat, on Boston bombing attacks
Collier was remembered by friends and colleagues as an integral member of MIT's community, whose dedication to his job cost him his life. The university's alumni association made him an honorary member Wednesday.
"People have asked me if Sean were here, what would he think," his brother, Rob Rogers, said at the service. "Are you kidding me? He would have loved this. Sirens, flashing lights, formations, people saluting, bagpipes, Taps, the American flag – he would have loved it. He was born to be a police officer, and he lived out his dreams."
MORE: Slain MIT cop: 'He was born to be a police officer'
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, said Collier's "life was infused with this spirit of service – that protection, that strength, could come only from giving himself fully."
And Biden called the slain officer a "remarkable son and brother."
"No child should predecease their parents," Biden said, acknowledging that while "every loss is different," he could speak with experience on the particular pain of losing a child. His daughter and first wife were killed in a car accident in 1972.
MORE: Biden vows justice for Boston attack
"The moment will come when that thing that triggers the memory of Sean, that moment, whether it's a song or a season or a holiday or passing a little league field, whatever it is, you'll know it's going to be okay when the first instinct is you get a smile to your lips before you get a tear to your eye," Biden said. "It's impossible to fathom that that will occur, but I promise you, I guarantee you, it will."
The vice president also offered counsel to the larger campus community, still reeling from the blasts, shooting, and manhunt that swept their neighborhood last week.
"Just look around this field at the student body here," Biden said. "Just listen to the accents of the president and vice president. This is a diverse campus. Probably the greatest technological university in the world. It's black, it's white, it's Muslim, it's Christian, it's Jewish, it's Hindu."
"You make no distinction between the competence of male and female. You are their worst nightmare. All the things these perverted jihadis, self-made or organized, all the things they fear," he continued.
MORE: Friend 'brainwashed' bombing suspect, uncle says
Later in the day, Biden's wife Jill, dressed in black, visited a memorial site on Boylston Street, near the blast site in Boston. She hung a pair of black running shoes, signed "Boston Strong. Love, Jill Biden," on a police fence covered with other running shoes, flowers and big posters memorializing the victims of last Monday's attack.
CNN's Rose Arce contributed to this report.
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2 American citizens decided to make a bomb and killed 3 people.
Domestic terrorism. Unless you want 100% surveillance, it will be real hard to stop an individual in America from killing another individual.
Last I heard actually this sort of attack takes place 29 times a day (just quoting someone on daily gun murders).
I appreciate Vice President Biden's intelligent words, and he is a good man, but I'm afraid we will never live in a world where we can stop every single murder (or 3 in this case) from happening.
Fake Jihadis killed real people. They should make that kid serve his sentence in Guantanamo to see how the real jihadis live.
Joe, you knock-off VP, are you trying to get some copycat to try to outdo them? Didn't they do enough for you?
I would be SHOCKED if these guys had no over-seas connections and/or help.
You can't take Joe anywhere and let him speak off the cuff........Sometimes it is funny, sometimes I just shake my head.
Could this guy get any dumber?
Great, now Biden gets involved. So much for credibility.
More CNN liberal dribble... keep it up and your sure to get better ratings...
What is a knock off jihadist? They don't seem to be any less lethal Joe. What's it like in that head of yours before a comment escapes your mouth?
Politics aside I just think it's cheap to call these guys knock off's with all of the damage and destruction they did to people watching a marathon. I guess all of the military folks who have been injured by lesser devices were injured by knock off's.. Geeze words have meaning Mr. Biden. Think before you speak for once.
Unbelievable that all you jerks take the death of a police officer and make it about politcs excuse me while i go puke!!!!!
"It infuriates them that we refuse to bend, refuse to change, refuse to yield to fear,"
It infuriates me that we do all of these things.
Let's not be dazzled by the irrelevant facts people. The welfare thing is a distraction. Timothy McVeigh was trained by the U.S. government in combat and weapons. Then he went and killed 168 people and wounded over 800. Christopher Dorner was trained by the L.A. police department and went on to kill 4, just like these two brothers who happened to have received public assistance. What does this tell us about terrorists and gun maniacs and the role of government? Nothing.
I really don't see openness and inclusiveness anywhere in the world at the present time.
It would be great to know where those guys got the gun they used to kill the officer. Maybe it was from another terrorist group. But thanks to the GOP, we'll never know. Waterboarding, warrantless wiretaps, censorship, illegal searches, suspended Miranda rights these are all okay according to Lindsay Graham, but asking someone to show I.D. before buying assault rifle and armor piercing bullets is crossing the line.
Joe Biden is a clown and an embarrassment, but at least he's only Vice President. George Bush was an order of magnitude more damaging to the image of the U.S.
'knock-off jihadis'??? Tell that to the people who lost loved ones, or limbs in this attack. To me these so called 'knock-off jihadis' were very effective.
Biden, pathological mob-connected liar, is the chanting chatterbox of lies for the criminal Islamo-Commie Obammie. These Chechen chilly-hearted killers are deeply connected to Islam jihad. Obama administration treachery is wide full open to see here. Democrat Party is evil. Impeach Biden. Impeach Obama. Swear in Boehner.
Joe is such a nimrod. Deliver a speech, check. Do anything constructive or contribute without copying the work of others- that's asking too much. It's like he's the answer to Dan Quale. Please, run for president Joe. It will give SNL weeks of gold, Jerry, GOLD!
P.S Note to Zaphed -you're exactly right Joe's indeed 'way cool' -& gaffs & all 'Go Joe' indeed –just love the man!
Also a note to Spfld Tom –a laugh if Joe ran in '16 huh? You obviously dont mean the kind of sick-laughs that the Bush/Cheney crowd gave us for 8 nightmarish years of nearly bringing this country to its knees economically & morally! 'only the rich-to -the fore-& of 'rampant greed & war-mongering' (hey-wasnt that a charge at Nuremburg? & in a fair & balanced world shouldnt they all be in jail now for same? Oh! No -much of the American public is now busy resuscitating this nauseating regime's image mostly via Faux News of course!
I like my vice president
"knock-offs" ? The only ones who get "KNOCKED-OFF" are innocents. This guy has no clue what he even said.
All U Guyes Complainin Wat Vice President Joe Biden Is Sayin Jus Sum Miserable People That Need God In Ur Life 2 Knw That In The Bible When U Complain 4 Minor Reason's Is Judgin In His Eyes Which Is Sad Place 2 Be, & Stop Blaimin The Democrates 4 Wat Goin On w Terrorist Killings That Happen Durin There Time Of Presidency; U Guyes Weren't Complainin When It Happened Durin Republicans Presidency So Why Complain Now.. We Can't Blame No One When Thangs Like This Happens Jus The People That Cause The Killings or Terrorist Act's, Not Because There I Dn't Like Democrates or Republicans, It's People Mentalities Not Perferred Party Teams??!! Instead We Need 2 Give Sympathy, Condolences, Prayers, & Blessings 2 All Have Lost There Lives or Injured Durin This Terrorist Hurtful Sorrow Time That There Families Can Get Through Bipartisanly In Jesus Name Blood & Luv Always!!
Yeah, I mean they only caused the lockdown of an entire city and caused numerous 4th Amendment violations by the Police upon Citzens in Boston. No, the terrorists didn't take the Point on that round. LOL
he didn't mention the new world order this time....sad