Edward M. Kennedy: “the death of our friend Speaker Tip O'Neill last month has deprived the Nation of one of its most beloved leaders. Tip…”

“the death of our friend Speaker Tip O'Neill last month has deprived the Nation of one of its most beloved leaders. Tip was a giant in every way--a giant of a man, a giant of a Speaker, a giant of a friend. He never lost the common touch. Massachusetts has lost one of the greatest public servants it ever had, and all of us whose lives he touched have lost a wonderful friend. By his side, through all those great years, was another great O'Neill, the woman who means so much to all of us and who meant the world to Tip, the woman he always called the biggest contributor to all his campaigns--Millie O'Neill. They had five extraordinary children who share so many of the finest qualities of their parents--Tommy and Kip and Michael and Susan and Rosemary. I think Tip finally got tired of waiting for the Red Sox to win the pennant. Tip liked to call his friends ``old pal''--or call us ``beautiful.'' But in truth he was the best old pal and the most beautiful one of all. What extraordinary memories he leaves, especially the laughter from his endless supply of stories, and the sheer joy we had in listening as he told them.”