Political Quotes

“I stand here today with a very heavy heart as the passing of a dear, dear friend of mine and a dear friend of a lot of people, former Congressman Lucien Blackwell. Lucien Blackwell was a Korean decorated war hero. He was a Member of this body. He was a member of the Pennsylvania State Legislature, a member of city council, and he was a very famous labor leader. Lucien Blackwell was a champion for the little people. Two things come to mind when you talk about Lucien Blackwell: He was a warrior, and he had passion. He was a warrior and a fighter for the people who could not fight for themselves, and he spoke for people who could not speak for themselves. Mr. Speaker, in my 18 years as a party chairman for the city of Philadelphia, he was my vice chair. He stood beside me for 18 years, and for 18 years there was never a motion on the floor that he did not make or he did not second. He was without question a man of integrity and a man who will be missed. I was with him the day before he passed. We did our normal politicking and our famous back-room scheming, always to try to help somebody else. I would not be here today if it was not for Lucien Blackwell. When this seat became vacant, the first congressional seat of Pennsylvania, he was going to fill it. He was going to come back and resume his career as a Congressman.”