William R. Richardson: “To Congresswoman Waters, for the last 120 days you have been tirelessly, unrelentingly instructive and even graciously…”

“To Congresswoman Waters, for the last 120 days you have been tirelessly, unrelentingly instructive and even graciously transparent in your efforts to help me to get here. Thank you. To my supporters and friends and family in the gallery, my consultant, manager, labor brothers and sisters, volunteers, friends and staff, I will individually thank you in the reception that will follow, but I would be remiss to not publicly acknowledge the dedicated work that you did to get me here. Thank you very much. To my new colleagues, yes, on both sides of the aisle, it is my desire to establish a reputation to be a Member's Member. What that means to me is to be a hard worker, to be responsive, to be straightforward and honest, even if we disagree; and I hear that happens a few times here. You know, or you will learn to know, that I will keep my word. To the constituents of the California 37th Congressional District, my job will be to focus as much on the war in America, the war of crime, poverty, inadequate health care, failing education, crumbling infrastructure, and sparse development as much as I will focus on the war in Iraq.”