On the recordJanuary 25, 1994
Mr. Speaker, it is with certain sadness that I rise to honor a giant in politics in my home State of Massachusetts and throughout America, Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill, Jr. Here, as in Massachusetts, Speaker O'Neill was known by his nickname, "Tip," even as he held one of the most powerful positions in the free world. That tells a lot about the man. He sat with leaders of nations around the world, yet treated everyone the same, with compassion, concern, and respect. Tip's most famous remark was "All politics is local," and he remembered that. Tip knew that government ought to be caring, and that all the regulations in the world didn't give anyone in government an excuse to be uncaring. Even though he didn't say so, Tip knew that all politics was listening, too. He would listen to anyone who wanted to speak with him, not only Presidents and colleagues, but also to the people he loved, police officers and cobblers, teachers and retired folks. No matter who you were or what you had to say, Tip listened.
