Thomas Daschle: “I am very honored, very grateful and, I must say, humbled by the generous remarks of the very distinguished Senator from…”

“I am very honored, very grateful and, I must say, humbled by the generous remarks of the very distinguished Senator from West Virginia, my friend, Senator Byrd. I can't think of a more pleasant way to ease my way into the half-century realization than to listen to the eloquence of this masterful speaker and legislator. I cannot think of a better gift to be given than the respect shown to me by Senator Byrd in the way that he has just expressed. It has now been my good fortune to serve in the Senate for 10 years. As I continue to serve, my respect for him, the education I receive from him, the opportunities that I have in serving with him continue to excite me and provide what I consider to be some of the greatest experiences that I share in the Senate. Someone once said that life has no blessing like that of a good friend. If that is indeed true, then I have been richly blessed by my friends on both sides of the aisle in the U.S. Senate, but among them, there is no friendship for which I have greater pride and for which I treasure more than the friendship that I have been blessed to receive from the distinguished Senator from West Virginia. So, I thank him for his kind words, for his eloquence, for the respect that he has shown me and also for being such an extraordinary instructor, not only to me, but to all the Members of the Senate as he continues to serve in such a magnificent way as the senior Senator from the State of West Virginia.”