Bill Clinton: “Thank you. Pastor Cofield; Bennie and Rosemary and John; and Aunt and Uncle, Mamie and Wilmer Lee; Mr. Mayor; my good…”

“Thank you. Pastor Cofield; Bennie and Rosemary and John; and Aunt and Uncle, Mamie and Wilmer Lee; Mr. Mayor; my good friend Governor Richards; all the distinguished Texans who are here; and friends of Barbara Jordan around the country; Members of Congress; members of the Texas State government; the former Members of Congress who served with Barbara who came down with me today; to members of the Cabinet; my fellow Americans. The last time I saw Barbara Jordan was late last fall when Liz Carpenter talked me into going to the University of Texas to give a speech on race relations on the day of the Million Man March. I was nervous enough as it was. [Laughter] And I walked out into that vast arena, and there were 17,000 people there. But I could only see one, Barbara Jordan, smiling at me. And there I was about to give a speech to her about race and the Constitution. [Laughter] I think it was the nearest experience on this Earth to the pastor's giving a sermon with God in the audience. [Laughter] Through the sheer force of the truth she spoke, the poetry of her words, and the power of her voice, Barbara always stirred our national conscience. She did it as a legislator, a Member of Congress, a teacher, a citizen. Perhaps more than anything else in the last few years, for those of us who had the privilege of being around her, she did it in the incredible grace and good humor and dignity with which she bore her physical misfortunes. No matter what, there was always the dignity.…”