Political Quotes

“Madam President, in the midst of all the strife and partisanship and ideological rigidity that makes it so difficult these days for us to bring about consensus in the world's most deliberative body, there is the occasion at the first of each of these meetings in the Senate that we do come together--when the chaplain mounts the rostrum, prays for the Senate and for the Nation, and then we all join together in the Pledge. I think it is worthy noting the way that the great master of the Senate, Senator Robert Byrd, taught all of us freshmen 10 years ago to mount the rostrum and to call the Senate together. As the Presiding Officer calls the Senate to order, he or she then announces the chaplain for the day and descends from the rostrum as the chaplain comes to the rostrum to offer the prayer. It is a recognition of the Deity, it is an expression of humility, it is a little symbolic act, but it is important. I think it is important to note that in July, when the entire Senate filed through that center door under that arch inscribed with ``In God We Trust,'' we all stood silently at our seats as our Chaplain, Admiral Black, gave a prayer over the flag-draped coffin of our departed colleague, Senator Byrd. Each of us stood silently in reverence and recognition not only of a fallen colleague but in recognition of a supreme Deity. And so it is that that tradition continues. And it continues with my friend, the Reverend Dr.…”