Political Quotes

“I agree with the Senator. We are in a war on terrorism in this world. It is entirely appropriate to focus on the war on terrorism at home. President Bush has proposed a more seamless process by which we backstop as a Federal Government local and State police and all law enforcement in our ability to protect the American people. I believe government should help Americans as it finds them. Where there is a clearly demonstrated need, particularly as to gays and lesbians, we should show up to help. I believe the Senator would agree with me that in the case of James Byrd, where this African-American brother was dragged to death in a hate crime, the Federal Government, because the statute permits the category of race, was helpful. It did not subvert the local pursuit and prosecution of the murderers of James Byrd. We backstopped it. We brought the good offices and the resources and the expertise to be helpful to Texas in that case. Come with me to Wyoming, sir, and you will talk to officers that introduced themselves to me as Republican police officers. They did not need to identity their party but their point to this Republican Senator was that this is not a partisan issue. They could have used the help. This became a case that so consumed Laramie, WY, that their limited resources were simply exhausted by one case. They would love to have had the Federal Government show up to work but the Federal Government was statutorily prohibited from coming to help.”