Political Quotes

“Madam President, I apologize to Senator Boxer and Senator Mikulski. They are going to give their final speeches, but I would like to have this opportunity to speak a few words about President Obama. Of course I will be here for their full speeches. It is hard to imagine today, but it wasn't that long ago that Barack Obama was a little-known Illinois legislator with a very unusual name. I still remember the first time I heard that name. I was in the House gym, where Members congregated, and one of the people I shared the room with was Abner Mikva, a longtime Illinois Congressman, an appellate court judge, and President Clinton's chief legal officer. I had known that Republican Senator Peter Fitzgerald decided not to run for reelection after one term. Judge Mikva turned to me and said he knew the perfect person to fill that open seat. I said: Who could that be? He said: Barack Obama. I said: What? He said: Barack Obama. I said: Who? What kind of a name is that? He said: He is one of the most talented people I have ever met in all of my years. That said a lot to me, even though at that time I smiled and left the room. It didn't take long, though, before I understood what Abner Mikva said to me. Barack Obama won that election in the Senate. He came from nowhere, a man with an unusual name, but once he was here, it was obvious he was the real deal. His ability to communicate was, and is, stunning.…”