Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a great Senator and a friend and mentor of mine, Senator Robert C. Byrd. When I look at his desk, a place from which he spoke such powerful words so many times, it is hard to believe he will not be on the floor of the Senate speaking powerfully about what he believed in--the people of West Virginia and the great issues of our day. He will be sorely missed. He was orphaned as a child and grew up poor. He often told us about his foster father, who was a coal miner, who had to work hard to scrape together food and shelter for their family. He always spoke of working men and women and those who were working hard and having a hard time making ends meet. I know his heart was always with them. From a young age, Senator Byrd learned the importance of hard work, dedication, and perseverance--skills that would serve him well throughout his long and very distinguished life. After graduating from high school at the top of his class in 1934, he married his high school sweetheart Erma. Many of us knew her, and those who didn't knew of her because he would speak continually about the love of his life, his sweetheart Erma. After school, he went on to work at a number of odd jobs. He worked as a butcher during the Great Depression, earning less than $15 a week. He worked as a gas station attendant. During World War II, he was a welder in a shipyard in Baltimore. But he never forgot his childhood and where he came from.…”