Political Quotes

“It is very gracious of the Senator from Alaska to help me with my metaphors. I thank the Senator from Alaska. I stand corrected. The use of the word ``wilderness'' is inappropriate. It is the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. I do believe it is somewhat specious to argue it is only the size of South Carolina. Three Mile Island was only the size of this Capitol Building, and when you look at some of the oil spills I have seen, when I went up to see Prince Edward Sound, the size of that tanker may not have been much longer than half the size of this building, but what it did when it ruptured caused damage far beyond the size of the tanker. When the Senator says it is just the size of South Carolina, I think, frankly, that understates the potential damage which could be done to the environment and to the wildlife if we are not careful. Plus, I have to tell my colleagues, I believe it is shortsighted and it is not the wisest and most prudent approach to say that if we are going to have any kind of energy independence, then we have to drill in a national wildlife refuge in Alaska.”