Political Quotes

“I thank Senator Rockefeller very much. Mr. President, I believe John Bryson is well suited for this important role, particularly at a time when our economy is fragile and job creation is not occurring fast enough. He has a lot of experience. Senator Kerry just pointed this out. He has run a multibillion-dollar company, he has been a strong advocate for business, he is ready to advance a jobs agenda--and all of that makes him a perfect fit for Commerce Secretary. I first got to know John when he served for 18 years as CEO of Edison International, one of the 200 largest corporations in the United States, with more than 20,000 employees. Edison International is the parent company of Southern California Edison, which provides power to 14 million Californians and nearly 300,000 businesses. As my colleagues may recall, in 2000 and 2001, California was gripped by an energy crisis that resulted in rolling blackouts that left millions of Californians in the dark. The period marked the most turbulent era ever for the California power sector. Price caps, manipulation, rolling blackouts, deregulation, and Enron became the focus of our attention. During that difficult time, John's company was under siege. I watched closely as he successfully fended off financial disaster, even as other California utilities were swept into bankruptcy.…”