Robert Smith: “I would not be surprised if Senator Thurmond did not even know my name, and there is no reason that he should. He had…”

“I would not be surprised if Senator Thurmond did not even know my name, and there is no reason that he should. He had served in this body and had run for President before I was ever born, and I want him to know that I was uncomfortable in presiding here in seeing time pass by with too few people rising to pay tribute to his name and the heritage of political service he leads to this country. I, as a little boy, moved with my father and mother from Pendleton, OR, to Washington, DC. My dad worked for Dwight Eisenhower, and as a little boy I became interested in political affairs and public life, and for all of the memory of my life I remember hearing the name of Strom Thurmond. I remember him as a Democrat. I remember him as a Republican. I remember him always following the dictates of his conscience in pursuing issues as he saw them to be right. I, therefore, join with all who pay tribute to Strom Thurmond. I thank him for his service to our country. I thank him for his repeated reminders to us and the Republican conference of the first constitutional responsibility that we have--to provide for the common defense.”