Political Quotes

“for the youngster who is retiring from the greater Carolina delegation, I bid a fond farewell. I am delighted for him and his wife Dot, who after three decades in the Senate will get to spend some time for themselves and with their seven grandchildren. The bad news is that there are a great number of others who will be delighted with Senator Helms' departure. Foreign Communist officials, Fidel Castro, and others will be delighted that he will not be on the Senate floor standing tall on behalf of U.S. values, U.S. security, and human rights. Over his many years of service, his strict observation to U.S. security interests never wavered. On matters of foreign policy and national security, he never rested. He never allowed officials at the Department of State or the United Nations to rest either. When it came to the security of free people, his philosophy has always been, keep your powder dry and keep lots of powder. Despite his rigid reluctance to compromise, his legislative record has been extraordinary. Understanding the rules of the Senate, being willing to use the rules of the Senate, and being willing to wait as long as it takes proved to be a formula for much legislative success. To reorganize the State Department, Senator Helms had to hold up 18 nominations for ambassadors, halted almost all committee business for six months as well as approval of two international treaties, and overcome a Presidential veto.”