Political Quotes

“Mr. President, on the floor of the Senate Senators often come to praise a local university football team that just won a championship or a famous coach who is retiring or maybe even a famous politician who has passed away. Today I come to the floor of the Senate to thank a man who will never be written about in the history books or even known outside of my small hometown of Mantador, ND. Brad Hejtmanek's life and his accomplishments were pretty modest by national standards, but nevertheless, for the people of my small hometown, Brad was something special. Brad was a standout high school athlete, a veteran, a softball coach, a National Guardsman, a coworker, a husband, a father, a gardener, and a friend. For most of his adult life, Brad was the mayor of Mantador-- not exactly the most glamorous of jobs. Mantador runs exclusively on volunteer labor. For years he made sure the city water and sewer were working, the Christmas tree got decorated, that barking dogs were attended to, that the garbage got picked up, the roads got fixed, and abandoned lots did not get overrun with weeds and junk. For years Brad got to do the great ceremonies incumbent of a small- town mayor. For example, after I was elected attorney general of North Dakota, Brad presented me with the key to the city. This was no ceremonial key; it was the real deal. I wondered for months after getting that key what that key actually opened, until one day I got a call from Brad asking me if I could send the key back.…”