Political Quotes

“I want to pick up on that point because there is a gun lobby. We all see it, we all know it, there are a lot of bucks behind it. But there is another lobby out there, the people, and the people want us to do sensible measures to protect our children. I want to make one last point to my colleague, and that is, in my home State of California, the largest State in the Union by far--34 million people--the No. 1 cause of death among children from the minute they are born until they are 18, the No. 1 cause of death is gunshots-- No. 1 cause of death. If we had a disease that was the No. 1 cause of death, we would be working on this floor feverishly until we addressed that disease. This is a disease. I have to say to my friend, I watched him take on the tobacco lobby and win. There is not a time I do not get on an airplane and realize I do not have to smell that smoke and have that in my lungs that I don't think of him and his courage in that matter. When he came over here, I just knew reinforcements were coming for some of these tough issues, and this is one of them. This is a tough one, but that is what we are here for. It is very easy to vote for the easy bills. It is easy to vote for 'Children's Appreciation Day.' It is easy to do that. It is a little tougher when you take on the gun lobby. I hope we are judged by this. My experience is that people respect you, even if they might not agree with you, if you have the guts to do something about a problem.”