William M. Thomas: “Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 329 designates 1994 as a year to remember Thomas P. Tip O'Neill, Speaker of the House of…”

“Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 329 designates 1994 as a year to remember Thomas P. Tip O'Neill, Speaker of the House of Representatives. I think it also, appropriately, should honor his talents. His training, of course, came from the ward politics of Boston and were shaped by Massachusetts politics as well. I think Tip O'Neill personified the Democrats of the mid-20th century at a time in which the Democrats retained majority control in the House of Representatives throughout virtually his entire career as a Member of the House of Representatives, including the entire time that he was Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it has been said of Tip O'Neill that his politics were basically rewarding friends and punishing enemies, not that Republicans were necessarily enemies, but Republicans were friends off the floor. I have a number of vivid memories of Tip, up close and personal. In terms of attempting to either influence or cow me, I can only imagine how it would have been had I been a member of his party, since I was a member of the opposition party, it almost might be fitting to ask that the resolution be amended to request that every Democrat who honors the memory of Tip O'Neill walk a mile in Republicans' shoes to fully appreciate the Speaker of the House and the talents that he displayed.”