Political Quotes

“The Nation and perhaps many parts of the Western World will be focused on the comments of Senator Jeffords this week. They are particularly important not because a man who was a lifelong Republican has declared that he would become an Independent but because of the impact of that decision on this institution and on the Government in Washington. For people to change political parties is rare in this American political scene but not unheard of. In fact, the Senator from Pennsylvania, on his side of the aisle, on the Republican side of the aisle, has at least four colleagues who have done that: Senator Strom Thurmond, first elected as a Democrat, Governor of South Carolina, then ran as a candidate for the U.S. Senate as a Democrat and decided to change parties and become a Republican. That was his decision. I served with Senator Phil Gramm in the House when he was a Democrat. He made the decision to change parties and stood for reelection in Texas as a Republican to let the people make their decision as to whether or not they would validate his choice of the new party. Then there is Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama, once a Democrat, now a Republican on Senator Specter's side of the aisle. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, once a Democrat, is now a Republican.”