Political Quotes

“at a time when people are justifiably concerned about the spread of toxic agents in our mail system here on Capitol Hill, I personally have a greater fear that we are going to fall prey to an agent that I think, in its own way, is every bit as toxic. The bipartisanship and cooperative problem-solving that the President and our legislative leadership have talked about and that the American public needs, not just symbolically, but in a practical, hardheaded way, is in danger of being shattered. Everybody here on Capitol Hill knows that, to date, the reality is not quite as bright as the rhetoric and the promise. Our desperate desire for unity and cooperation has temporarily obscured some deep divisions. There were rocky times on several items in the aftermath of the tragedy on September 11, although it appeared as though the President's challenge was being met by the gentleman from Illinois (Speaker Hastert) and the Democrats, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt). A series of three events has the potential to deal a body blow to our fragile accord. The first, unfortunately, has already occurred, with an unnecessary decision by the President and the Republican leadership to abandon a carefully crafted, bipartisan antiterrorist bill from the Committee on the Judiciary.”