Bob Dole: “Harry Truman was wrong. Truman famously defined a statesman as ``a politician who has been dead for 20 years.'' It is a…”

“Harry Truman was wrong. Truman famously defined a statesman as ``a politician who has been dead for 20 years.'' It is a good line, but it wasn't true then, as Truman's own career attests, and it is not true today. That said, we can never have enough statesmen and women to validate our democratic creed, which makes our sense of loss all the greater when an authentic statesman leaves this place. For 35 years, Trent Lott has served the people of Mississippi with distinction, never forgetting their interests, even as he advanced our national interests: Economic development for Mississippi, meeting transportation infrastructure needs, persuading businesses to build plants and provide jobs. His effectiveness is legendary, whether championing a strong national defense, encouraging entrepreneurship in a dynamic economy or expanding both educational opportunity and accountability. Through it all, Trent kept faith with the people who sent him here. Just as he long ago earned their trust and confidence, so he impressed Members on both sides of the aisle with his integrity and his decency. The only person ever to serve as a party whip in both Houses, Trent soon became much more than a party leader. To his lasting credit, he helped convince us tax cuts were the road to economic revitalization. At the same time, he argued for a bipartisan approach to education reform.”