Bill Nelson: “it is a great privilege for this Senator from Florida to continue public service as a result of the will expressed in…”

“it is a great privilege for this Senator from Florida to continue public service as a result of the will expressed in last Tuesday's election by the people of my State of Florida. It is a great privilege for a lifetime of public service. It is especially a great privilege serving in this body at this time in our Nation's history, with the challenges that are facing us. I believe there are many messages that have come from the American people in this election that we have just experienced. Clearly, the issue of Iraq and the policy of the United States Government toward Iraq is one. That was discussed during the election all over this country, and it was particularly discussed as two of the main items of interest in the two televised debates that we had in the Senate election in Florida. The other message coming out of this election, in addition to Iraq, is that the American people are tired of the partisan bickering. They have seen excessive partisanship operative in Washington. When they see that excessive partisanship overlaid with ideological rigidity, the result is gridlock. That is what we have had, in large part. People would like for their public servants to perform by reaching out to each other across the aisle and bringing people together in order to build that consensus in order to govern. That has not been the main theme in the American Government in the last several years.”