Neil Abercrombie: “I think I am perhaps the only Member here who won an election and lost an election on the same day. I won a special…”

“I think I am perhaps the only Member here who won an election and lost an election on the same day. I won a special election in 1986 and lost a primary on the same day. As a result, I was the last person to be sworn into this body by Tip O'Neill before he retired. What I remember from that short time that I was here, not knowing whether I would come back, is remarks from Tip O'Neill and remarks from the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde). Both of them said to me in the short time I was here, whether you are here 3 weeks, as I was, or whether you are here for 30 years, this is the people's House. This is the House of democracy. That lesson was given to me by Tip O'Neill and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde). To not have the availability to us today to vote on a censure motion is to take away the fundamental sense of fairness that made me so proud to have been able to come to Hawaii 40 years ago, never knowing that I would have the chance to serve in this House and to be denied the opportunity now to vote on an alternative, a reasonable alternative that was emphasized by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) and Tip O'Neill is a travesty.”