Political Quotes

“My colleagues have heard me say this before. We have been joined by Senator Rockefeller, who has done great work, Senator Feinstein, and others, Democratic and Republican, who have done fine work on this legislation. But I love asking people who have been married a long time: What is the secret to being married a long time? This is especially important for me to say this with Senator Collins sitting on the floor. She and certainly her husband to be anticipate their coming marriage. But I love asking people who have been married a long time: What is the secret to be being married a long time? I get great answers, funny answers but also some very profound ones, and the best thing I ever got was the two Cs. What are the two Cs? Communicate and compromise. That is not just the secret for a long marriage, a union between husband and wife, but it is also the secret for a vibrant democracy. I think the two Cs characterize what is going on with this legislation because I have been here a while--11 years--and I don't know that I have ever seen better communication on an issue of this importance than I have in this instance. It was very dramatic, very satisfying, and frankly, compromise, the kind of compromise we have talked about over the last 15 minutes or so, needed, given, done willingly, to lead us to this point today. It has been said before, and I will say it again.…”