Political Quotes

“Madam President, I take this time to talk about former Senator Charles ``Mac'' Mathias who represented Maryland in the Senate for three terms and whose passing on Monday was a real loss for Maryland and our Nation. Mac Mathias was a true statesman in the best sense of the word. He became a voice for those who had no voice. He fought for better conditions for working people, and he took bold, principled stands that were not always popular with the prevailing political sentiment. Mac Mathias was one of my heroes, and I considered him a friend and adviser. He was first elected to Congress in 1960, and he lived through some of the most turbulent times of the 20th century, including the struggle for civil rights, the Vietnam war, and the Watergate scandal. Mac's strong, principled stand garnered respect from both sides of the aisle, prompting then-majority leader Mike Mansfield to characterize Mac as ``the conscience of the Senate.'' Mac Mathias was often at odds with his own party. In 1970, for instance, he denounced the U.S. military incursion into Laos, condemned the Watergate scandal, and worked tirelessly for campaign finance reform. His outspokenness earned him a place on President Nixon's enemies list. Mac was an important supporter of the civil rights movement, helping to craft an open housing law. In 1965 he traveled to Selma, AL, to visit Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who was then in jail.…”