Political Quotes

“I thank the Senator from Illinois. I thank him for setting an example of how to speak truth to power in this body. We have talked over the course of this afternoon about the influence of special interests and how they have affected this debate. There is simply no one in the U.S. Senate who, over a period of time, has ignored special interests and money and power and just done and said and fought for the right thing over and over again. To the extent that people like Senator Booker and I made the choice to run for this body even amidst its reputation for dysfunction, it is because we hoped that when we got here we could maybe--we could maybe--equal some portion of the example that the Senator has set. So personally--and I think I can speak on behalf of Senator Booker and Senator Blumenthal and myself. Certainly, for me it has meant so much that the Senator has been here for the totality of this debate. I say to Senator Durbin, thank you. It has meant just as much to me to have all our colleagues here today. It has meant the world to me to have Senator Blumenthal, my partner, engaging in this together and to have Senator Booker, as was mentioned, in an act of wonderful sympathy, make the decision to stand on his feet for the duration of this time as well. This has been organic. We sent out the word that we thought this was something important, but this really happened of its own volition.…”