Robert Smith: “Morris King Udall is my cousin. But he is more than a kinsman to me. He is a political exemplar and a source of wisdom…”

“Morris King Udall is my cousin. But he is more than a kinsman to me. He is a political exemplar and a source of wisdom and humor still. I lament his passing but I rejoice in his legacy. I was but a boy of 8 years when Morris was elected to Congress from Arizona to replace his brother Stewart. It was 1960 and Stewart Udall became the Interior Secretary for John F. Kennedy. It was then that I realized more fully my maternal heritage to public service. My mother, Jessica Udall Smith, often held up the service of Morris and Stewart Udall as public examples worthy to follow in order to make the world a better place and to lighten the burdens of human kind. I grew up as best I could in the tall shadows of Udall giants. I choose to follow their path to public service. The way is sometimes hard and the storms many. But it is a way made easier by the humor of Morris Udall. He taught me that humor directed at oneself is usually best and often funniest. He wrote to me that the only cure for political ambition is embalming fluid. He told me to use any of his jokes `cause he'd ``stole `em all fair `n square.'' I learned from him that the greatest thing about the United States of America is not that any boy or girl can grow up to be President, but that any boy or girl can grow up making fun of the President. I learned all of this from cousin Mo and so, so much more. May God bless the memory of Morris K. Udall and may we all fondly remember him too.”