Zach Nunn: “I rise to join with my fellow Senators in mourning the death of former Senator Edmund S. Muskie of Maine, and in paying…”

“I rise to join with my fellow Senators in mourning the death of former Senator Edmund S. Muskie of Maine, and in paying tribute to one of the most distinguished and influential Members of this body during a turbulent period in our history. Ed Muskie worked his way through Bates College, where he was a Phi Beta Kappa, and earned a scholarship to Cornell's law school. After serving in the Navy on destroyer escorts during World War II, he was elected to the Maine House, where he served as minority leader. He won the Governorship of Maine during the Eisenhower years when no Democrat had held the office in 20 years, and was easily re-elected. He revitalized the State party and was elected and re-elected to the U.S. Senate until his resignation to become Secretary of State in 1980 during the last difficult months of the Iran hostage crisis. It was a time of great tension following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, during which the United States boycotted the Olympic games in Moscow. Ed Muskie was Hubert Humphrey's Vice-Presidential running mate in 1968.”