Political Quotes

“I return to the floor to conclude saying good-bye to Members of our caucus who will not be returning to this Chamber next year. Last, but certainly not least, to me and to so many of us, is my dear, dear friend, the Senator from Missouri--as she says it--Claire McCaskill. It should come as no surprise to anyone that the Senator from Missouri found her way into politics. She got her start early. Growing up in a family that was actively involved in government and politics, Claire was not given the option to avoid subjects of national debate. When Claire was 7 years old, she was sent door to door on Halloween, saying: Trick or treat; vote for JFK. Soon, politics wasn't just a passion passed down but a passion of her own. In high school, Claire launched a stealth campaign to become homecoming queen. In the tradition of her school, the football team picked the winner. So Claire befriended all the linemen--doing small favors, arranging dates--knowing there would be more of them than any other position. Guess what. She won, not because she skated by on popularity--although she was always popular--but because she put in the work. She was tenacious and tactical, qualities she would take from high school politics into the politics of the wider and older world. That is how, as a Democrat in a State already becoming more conservative during her youth, Claire would go on to represent Missouri at nearly every level of government.…”