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Has civility in public life become so rare that notable practitioners merit a prize?

That thought came to mind this week as Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. John McCain (R) of Arizona were honored for just that 鈥� a decades-long friendship marked by loyalty and good cheer, despite at-times sharp partisan differences.听

But given the lack of civility in this year鈥檚 presidential contest, such recognition may be more needed than ever. This is the fifth year that Allegheny College, a small liberal arts school in Meadville, Pa., has awarded its Prize for Civility in Public Life, and Messrs. Biden and McCain saw fit to appear in person Tuesday to receive their award and make remarks.

Allegheny President James Mullen framed the issue as no less than a threat to American democracy.

鈥淭he tone of our public discourse is driving young people away from the political process,鈥� said President Mullen to the assembled students, alumni, and other guests at the University Club in Washington. 鈥淯nless we regain a civil footing, our democracy risks losing a generation from American politics, and with it their passion, their commitment to justice, and their joy in service to others.鈥�

The problem is far greater than a certain Republican presidential candidate who was alluded to, but went unnamed during the event. There鈥檚 the Republican who shouted 鈥淵ou lie!鈥� at President Obama during a joint session of Congress in 2009. There鈥檚 the Democrat who, a few weeks later, declared from the House floor that the GOP health-care plan is 鈥渄ie quickly.鈥� There鈥檚 Sen. Ted Cruz (R) of Texas, the once and probably future presidential candidate, who called his majority leader, Mitch McConnell, on the Senate floor last year.听

At the event on Tuesday, former Gov. Tom Ridge (R) of Pennsylvania introduced his old friends McCain and Biden, and cited examples of their public civility.

In 2008, as the GOP nominee for president, McCain encountered a woman at a town hall who disparaged then-Senator Obama as an 鈥淎rab.鈥� McCain firmly but politely cut her off. 鈥淣o, ma鈥檃m鈥� he said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a decent family man and citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues, and that鈥檚 what this campaign is all about.鈥�

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The Biden example came from his announcement last October that he wouldn鈥檛 run for president. The VP called for an end to the nation鈥檚 鈥渄ivisive partisan politics,鈥� and rejected the notion that 鈥渋t鈥檚 naive to talk to Republicans.鈥�

鈥淚 don't think we should look at Republicans as our enemies,鈥� Biden said. 鈥淭hey are our opposition. They're not our enemies.鈥�

The event at the University Club had a few light moments. McCain talked about how, long ago, he was the Navy鈥檚 Senate liaison, and literally carried the young Senator Biden鈥檚 bags on overseas trips.

鈥淭hat was almost 40 years ago, and by God, I still resent it,鈥� McCain quipped.

The senator also joked about losing to the Obama-Biden ticket eight years ago: He and Biden 鈥渟erved together in the Senate until 2008, when he helped deny me the job promotion I had worked very hard to get.鈥� 听

Later, on a more serious note, Biden pointed out that he agreed to be Obama鈥檚 running mate on the condition that he not be asked to attack his friend McCain. Back in the 鈥�70s, when McCain was technically working for Biden, the senator from Delaware said he viewed the injured war hero, fresh from solitary confinement, as 鈥渂oth my mentor and my confidant.鈥� 听

鈥淚 strongly encouraged him to run for office,鈥� Biden said. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 hard at all to recognize the caliber of the man, the depth of his intellect, the power of his conviction.鈥�

Over the years, the vice president said, the two have disagreed strenuously on issues 鈥渂ut never question the other guy鈥檚 motive.鈥�

Allegheny College created the civility prize five years ago, 鈥渂ecause we believe that a celebration of civility is the best antidote to incivility,鈥� said Mullen, the college president.

Past winners are journalists David Brooks and Mark Shields; Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D) of California and Lindsey Graham (R) of South Carolina; the women of the United States Senate, who worked together to help end the government shutdown of 2013; and former Montgomery, Ala., Police Chief Kevin Murphy, for taking off his badge and giving it to Rep. John Lewis (D) of Georgia in 2014 as an for the police department鈥檚 treatment of Mr. Lewis in 1961.听

鈥淚n accepting the award, each recipient has been quick to caution they are not nominees for sainthood,鈥� Mullen said.

Indeed, in today鈥檚 highly charged political atmosphere, it鈥檚 impossible to escape criticism. In Tuesday鈥檚 New York Times, went after McCain for not standing up to his party鈥檚 presumptive presidential nominee, who has been lobbing ugly rhetoric at a federal judge who is of Mexican descent.听

After the event, in an interview, Mr. Ridge conveyed his passion for improving public discourse.

鈥淚鈥檓 tired of hearing people say, 鈥榃ell, they used to have fistfights in the Senate.鈥� I know, and they used to have horses before they had cars,鈥� said Ridge, who served as the first Homeland Security secretary. 鈥淪o because they did that a long time ago, it doesn鈥檛 mean they should be doing it now. I just don鈥檛 buy that.鈥�

Ridge blamed social media and the Internet, in part, for the coarseness in modern-day communication, 鈥渂ecause you鈥檙e not accountable.鈥� He recently penned lamenting the current state of affairs.听After it came out, 鈥渟ome people called me everything but Tom,鈥� Ridge laughed. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 precisely the point. I have a strongly held point of view, and you can disagree with me if I鈥檓 wrong, but don鈥檛 call me names.鈥�

Editor's note: The photo on this story was updated to show one of both Biden and McCain.

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