Biden visits 9/11 first responders with Billy Joel, Andrew Cuomo

Vice President Biden is marking the Sep. 11 anniversary in New York alongside Billy Joel.

{mosads}The iconic “New York State of Mind” singer, who grew up on Long Island, joined Biden and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) on Friday for a visit to New York City Fire Department Rescue Company 1 in Manhattan, according to a White House press pool report. The firehouse suffered severe losses during the 2001 terrorist attacks, losing nearly half of its company.

A leather jacket-wearing Joel, Biden, and Cuomo were seen hugging and shaking hands with first responders during their visit.

“People don’t know, these anniversaries don’t get any easier,” Biden told one woman. “It all comes back.”

The trio also was seen briefly donning navy blue FDNY baseball caps that they were given.

In a lighter moment, Biden was heard telling a “long story about how granddaughters are better than grandsons.”

“Grandsons aren’t bad. Granddaughters are better,” the vice president quipped. Biden recalled how he recently visited one of his college-aged granddaughters.

“Pop, can we hold hands?” he said his granddaughter requested. Biden “expressed astonishment at the idea that a grown woman would still want to hold hands,” according to the pool report.

Biden is poised to deliver remarks on Friday afternoon at the 9/11 Memorial Motorcycle Ride Kickoff event in New York.

—Updated at 1:42 p.m.