Political Quotes

“I rise today to say a few words about my friend who is leaving the Senate this week, Massachusetts Senator Mo Cowan. I have to admit that when he first arrived I was excited because I was no longer going to be 100th in seniority. That job went to Mo, and I would be 99. However, quickly after he was sworn in, I realized he was one of the nicest and smartest Members of this body. During his recent farewell speech, Mo referred to me as the North Dakota sister he never knew he had. I already have six siblings, but I would welcome him into the Heitkamp family any day. In all seriousness, Mo was an excellent addition to this body. After the Boston massacre tragedy, he showed incredible leadership skills. He was a source of guidance and comfort to countless folks from Massachusetts in the weeks and months that followed that horrific act of terrorism. During his short tenure, Mo has distinguished himself in this body. First, Mo listens more than he talks. His acute observation skills have made him a trusted adviser to many. Equally important, Mo's observations are without judgment; rather, Mo listens and tries to understand how he can advance the issue and not judge the speaker's motivations. Mo is a serious thinker, always trying to find a path forward to resolve the important issues of our time. I can only imagine the important and great legislation Mo would have advanced if he had more time here.…”