Joe Biden: “few who ever served in this body have been as universally mourned as those of us from both sides of the aisle who knew…”

“few who ever served in this body have been as universally mourned as those of us from both sides of the aisle who knew him will mourn our former colleague, Ed Muskie, who died here in Washington early this morning. The reports already circulating on the news wire services and the obituaries that will appear in tomorrow's newspapers, all will make much, and rightly so, out of his long and distinguished service as a public man. Few men or women in our history have contributed so much to the Nation as Ed Muskie did as a U.S. Senator for 21 years and as Secretary of State; few have contributed as much to their native State as Ed Muskie did as a member of the Maine House of Representatives and as Governor of the State he loved so much; and few have contributed as much to one of the major political parties as Ed Muskie did to the Democratic Party, which he served as a Vice Presidential candidate in 1968 and as chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. It is fitting that, upon his death just 2 days before his 82d birthday, Americans should be reminded of his long and faithful public service and leadership--but those of us who knew and served with Ed Muskie will remember him more familiarly as a man of principle, as a powerful personality, and, most of all, as our good friend.”