Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise, as so many of my colleagues have, to mourn and pay tribute to Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii. He was a giant of the Senate. He was an individual whose courage, whose compassion, and whose commitment to this country has never been exceeded by anyone who served here--indeed, by any American I can think of. A few years ago, I was asked to introduce the Senator at an event. I wrote down some points on a card that I kept on my desk, and will forever keep on my desk: Second Lieutenant Daniel K. Inouye, E Company, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, San Terenzo, Italy, April 21, 1945. That was the day he was wounded leading his platoon against an enemy pillbox, the day for which he would be ultimately awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions. Then I have another date: May 8, 1945. That was VE Day, the end of the war. Seventeen days before the end of the war, when Berlin was encircled and collapsing, when American forces were rushing and the end was clear, and indeed every soldier recognized that the war was coming to an end, Senator Inouye didn't stop serving, didn't stop sacrificing, didn't stop giving his all to protect his soldiers and accomplish his mission. Indeed, that spirit of never giving up, of never failing to do his duty, animated his service in the Senate, animated his service to this country, and to the State of Hawaii. At the time I gave these remarks, he was 1 of 90 living holders of the Congressional Medal of Honor.…”