Political Quotes

“I think we are going to have a cloture vote in the early afternoon, and I wish to share a few thoughts. The nominee, Gina McCarthy, is a fine person. I have been on the Environment and Public Works Committee since I came to the Senate in 1994. In fact, when the Republicans were in the majority, I chaired that committee, and then, as a minority, I was the ranking minority member. So I was there when Lisa Jackson was the Administrator of the EPA--someone I had a great deal of respect for. In fact, some of my Republican friends criticized me. I was the only one who really liked her because, in spite of the fact we disagreed with each other philosophically, she always answered honestly, even when it was uncomfortable for her to do so. I remember one time I asked her a question during a hearing that was live on TV, as our hearings were at that time. We were talking about one of the cap-and-trade bills that had come up. I don't know how many we have had--10 or so in the last 12 years. I asked her: If you really believe--which I don't--that CO<INF>2</INF> is bad, it is a pollutant and all that--if we were to pass this cap-and-trade bill, which is going to cost in the range of between $300 billion to $400 billion-- with a ``b''--would that reduce worldwide emissions of CO<INF>2</INF>? She said: No, it wouldn't. The reason is very obvious. People hide from this. They are not honest, as she is.…”