Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise to honor the life and legacy of my friend and former colleague, Senator Kay Hagan of North Carolina. There have been several eloquent tributes to Kay. I am sure we will hear many more in the days to come. They all note her profound grace, her fighting spirit, her charm, and of course, I agree with all of those remarks. I want to especially extend my very sincere condolences to her husband, Chip; to her children, Jeanette, Tilden, and Carrie; and to her father Joe. The news of her death on Monday was deeply felt here in the Senate. Kay and I were in the same class of freshmen Senators. We came in, in 2008, and as the only two women in that class, we became fast friends. But of course, it wasn't hard to make friends with Kay Hagan. She never met a stranger. She had contagious optimism and joy, and she drew everyone in with her smile and kindness. Kay was first in the Senate, not as a Senator, but as an intern, where she had the job of operating the elevators. Of course, those were the days when women Senators were few, and they were often appointed to fill temporary vacancies. So I am sure it was a very powerful moment when Kay took the elevator here in the Capitol for the first time as a United States Senator, only the second woman from her State, North Carolina, to do that. Kay and I often compared notes about our new roles as Senators. We talked about our families and the challenges of commuting to and from DC.…”