Political Quotes

“Mr. President, in my era in politics, one of the most frightening things you could ever hear when you were about to go into an event was when the host of that event called you to the side and said: You will be speaking following Ted Kennedy. That was the worst news you could receive. No one in the world wanted to follow Ted Kennedy. He was that good and well loved and a man who had given his life to public service and to the State of Massachusetts. Well, our friend, Paul Kirk, who is seeing his tenure in the Senate come to an end either today or this week had the unfortunate responsibility to follow that great man. But if there was ever a person who could stand and take the job, it was Paul Kirk. He came to the Senate not just as a former staffer of Senator Ted Kennedy after Senator Kennedy passed away but as truly a very close friend of Senator Kennedy. On the day he was sworn in, Senator Paul Kirk of Massachusetts said he assumed his duties feeling ``the profound absence of a friend'' but a ``full understanding of his devotion and understanding of public service.'' Paul Kirk promised to be a voice and a vote for the causes which Senator Kennedy believed in, and for 4 months and 10 days he has honored that promise to his old friend and to the people of Massachusetts. I will tell you that Paul Kirk, in his short time here, has served with dignity and integrity.…”