Political Quotes

“Fourteen years ago I entered the House of Representatives. I had been elected, but before I took office, I traveled to Washington, and Matt Salmon, the Congressman I was replacing, said: Is there anybody you want to meet? And I said: Tom Coburn. I had watched from afar what he had done on the Appropriations Committee and the stands he had taken, and I admired him. I went and visited with him in his office while he was packing up his stuff. I will never forget that. And I have to say that today I admire him even more than I did then, having watched him go back into the private sector and then enter the Senate. Columnist George Will said Tom Coburn was the most dangerous creature that could come into the Senate. Why? Because he is simply uninterested in being popular. I think that is certainly true. But if he didn't care about it, it happened anyway. I have news for Tom. As you can see around, he has become popular. But one thing he never managed to achieve, if he sought it, was becoming partisan. When you hear those across the aisle lavish praise on this man, realize that was never one of his goals and never happened, much to his credit. I thank you and your staff for your generosity over the years to me and my staff and for what you have done for this institution, for your colleagues, and for me personally. I yield back. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maine.”