Kay Bailey Hutchison: “I will never forget this day last year when it was announced that we had lost our friend and colleague, Paul Coverdell.…”

“I will never forget this day last year when it was announced that we had lost our friend and colleague, Paul Coverdell. His death was a shock to all of us. It was something that most of us were so emotional about that we could not speak in the first few days after learning of his death because we knew that we would not be able to get the words out. Those who did speak will be remembered; they did, indeed, have a hard time getting through the words they wanted to say. It is very rare that after a year from losing a Senator or a Member of Congress that loss is still so vivid, but that is the case with Paul Coverdell. I miss him today just as much as I missed him a year ago today. He had that kind of impact. The interesting thing is he accomplished so much in a very short time. And there is not anyone who knew him who did not like him. He was also a leader. In his career in public service, which he actually did after a very successful private sector career, he made a difference wherever he was.”