Political Quotes

“I thank the gentleman from Connecticut not only for taking this Special Order but for the speech that he gave as we led into this Special Order about that wrenching day in November, the 22nd of November 1963, as to where he was and the memory he had. Now, I thank the leader who has recalled so well what John Kennedy meant to our generation. In my view, every generation of Americans has had a figure to whom it looked for guidance, for inspiration. However, few generations have had such a compelling figure as John Fitzgerald Kennedy was to my generation. John Kennedy was the first President for whom I voted. I turned 21 in 1960, and I had the opportunity to vote for him in November. It was a controversial vote for some who thought that a young Catholic or, frankly, an old Catholic, should not be President of the United States for, after all, he would have to answer to the Pope. John Kennedy made it clear that he would answer to the American people and to his conscience, and that is what he did. {time} 1415 Mr. Speaker, all of us have memories, and I will refer to at least two. I was a student at the University of Maryland in 1959. It was the spring of 1959, and there was to be a convocation, as there was every spring, with a major speaker being invited to give an address. It was to be given at Cole Field House, which was then the athletic field house for the University of Maryland. It still exists, but we now have another basketball center called Comcast Center.…”