Johnny Isakson: “I rise to pay tribute to a person who has had a tremendous impact on my life and my career in the Senate and also a…”

“I rise to pay tribute to a person who has had a tremendous impact on my life and my career in the Senate and also a tremendous impact on my country, the United States of America. I still remember to this day the date and time Mitch McConnell called me in 2007 and said: Hey, we have an opening for a Republican on Foreign Relations and nobody will take it. Will you take it? I did not know if that was a benefit--a perk or whoever--but I said: Anytime you are offered a gift, don't look a gift horse in the face. So I did it. Two days later, Joe Biden saw me at the committee and said: I am glad you joined our committee. I am glad to have you. I have an opening on the Africa Subcommittee. I can't get a Republican to take it. Will you do it? I said: Mr. Biden, I have never been to Africa. He said: Well, you will soon. How about taking it? I did. I have been to Africa 12 times since. It has become a passion in my career, and I give Vice President Biden a lot of credit for the influence he had on that. I also remember the day when the mock swearing-in took place down on the second floor, and I had my nine grandchildren here to watch me being sworn into the Senate. At the mock signing ceremony, Joe stood there, and we all raised our hand, and we repeated the ceremony that we had done on the floor. Then Joe greeted each one of my grandchildren one by one as they walked by.…”