Political Quotes

“I was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 1948 and 23 times thereafter. For that reason, I am frequently asked by the press these days whether this Congress differs from the early ones to which I was elected. I answer yes--there is a difference. There is a difference in the ambience, in the relationship between Members of the two parties. I have the impression that in the earlier Congresses Members were friendlier than now and I regret that. And they were friendlier towards the Presidency. Nobody thought of impeaching a President. In the 81st Congress, the Republicans did not like Harry Truman--they criticized him. They voted against his Fair Deal programs, they abused him for firing General MacArthur, they called him a tool of the Prendergast machine in Kansas City--but there never was one mention of impeachment. But that was prior to the special prosecutor law. That changed things and now we have a special prosecutor, Mr. Starr, who investigated and found nothing to blame on Mr. Clinton on Whitewater, Travelgate, Filegate, his original charges. Then he stumbled on Monica Lewinsky. That gave him his chance. Starr is determined to drive Mr. Clinton out of the Presidency--and in this bill, the Republicans are taking his recommendations to impeach him--as the Chicago Tribune said--for ``low crimes and misdemeanors.'' There are no high crimes and misdemeanors that either Mr. Starr or the Republicans can cite.…”