Political Quotes

“I just flew in from Chicago. Early this morning, I was given the news that I had lost a great friend and one of my dearest colleagues; Senator Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey passed away. Most of us saw Frank a few weeks ago. He was here on the floor of the Senate. He had to come down; it was one of those moments where his vote was crucial. We knew he was struggling, but we also knew he would be here. He said he would, and he was. He sat right over here in a wheelchair, with that trademark Frank Lautenberg smile. I don't think I have ever run into a person in my life as happy as Frank Lautenberg. He was a great joke-teller. The best thing about Frank's joke--even if he was telling it for the 254th time--is he would start laughing before the end of the joke and pretty soon the whole room was laughing. You always wanted to be out for dinner with Frank and Bonnie because you knew there was going to be a good time. You would hear a lot of jokes you had heard before, but you encouraged him to tell them. He had so many stories to tell. Here he was, a member of the ``greatest generation,'' having served in World War II, and served here in the Senate. Two different approaches. He retired once and came back, and served here to the age of 89. He astonished us all when he came here on the floor of the Senate, that he was wheeled in in a wheelchair to vote on some important amendments related to gun safety and gun control.…”