Thomas Daschle: “I was disappointed to read press reports, and then read the Record this morning, with regard to some of his comments…”

“I was disappointed to read press reports, and then read the Record this morning, with regard to some of his comments relating to some of our colleagues. He has noted on the floor that in the past, this has been a positive debate, an instructive debate and a debate that clarifies differences among us. I think that characterization is accurate. Oftentimes on the Senate floor, in heated debate, we say and espouse things we wish we could take back later. But this debate has largely been devoid of that. I think that has been productive and ought to be the way we conduct ourselves. So it was somewhat surprising to me to hear the majority leader so personally attack some of our colleagues and express himself as he did. It was, in my view, uncharacteristic of the majority leader. I hope that we can retain the level of decorum and the level of civility on the Senate floor that will lend itself to a good debate on this and many other very controversial and extraordinarily contentious issues in the future.”