Bill Clinton: “This is exhibit A for everything I believe in in politics. You know, Senator Mikulski just reeled off my week to you…”

“This is exhibit A for everything I believe in in politics. You know, Senator Mikulski just reeled off my week to you, and we just got home from--Hillary and I did--from this incredible 12-day trip to Africa. And I have been in all those places she said, so I was tired when I got here. But if you stand this close to Barbara Mikulski for 5 minutes, I could get down and do 100 push-ups right now. [Laughter] I want to go out and run around the block. [Laughter] Let me say, all of you know I do a number of these kinds of events, and some nights when I'm tired I say, ``Gosh, I can't believe we've got to do one of these.'' I wanted to come tonight, and this is one that Hillary is jealous of me that I got to do that she didn't, because of our admiration for Barbara. I want to read you something. I normally don't speak from notes at these things, but I just want to read you this. Barbara Mikulski: the first Democratic woman to hold a Senate seat in her own right; the first Democratic woman to serve in both Houses; the first woman to win a statewide election in Maryland; the first woman to have a leadership position in the Senate for our party. She's the first woman Senator to write two mysteries, which I love because I read scads of them every year. [Laughter] What I want to say to you is that she got to be all that--first, first, first, first, first--not because she was a woman but because she has the heart of a lion and because she's done good things for the people of Maryland.…”