Barry Loudermilk: “First let me thank my good friend Representative Carter from the great city of Savannah and the great State of Georgia…”

“First let me thank my good friend Representative Carter from the great city of Savannah and the great State of Georgia for his vision to have this time to honor a true statesman, a legend in the State of Georgia, Zell Miller. It is sad that we wait until someone has left this life to sing their praises and to recognize the tremendous impact that they have had not only on our lives, but our children and their future lives. That really defines Zell Miller. I never had the opportunity to work directly with Zell Miller or even serve with Zell Miller, although I served with other Governors, but I knew of Zell Miller. I think that says a lot about someone that, even though you don't personally know them but you know of them, signifies the impact that they are having on lives. Zell Miller's death was a tremendous blow for a lot of people in our State. I knew of him from my involvement in politics, and I knew as Representative Carter said, that he was one of the few, if not only, to be a keynote speaker at both the Democrat and Republican National Conventions. That means he was truly bipartisan. What does that mean? Well, it doesn't seem to mean a lot today, but what it meant back then was: I care more about the people of the State. I care more about the people of this Nation and defending the rights and liberties and those things from which I believe in than I do a single party. That was Zell Miller.…”