Rob Bishop: “I want to start by introducing you to a character in American history by the name of Elbridge Gerry. Elbridge Gerry is a…”

“I want to start by introducing you to a character in American history by the name of Elbridge Gerry. Elbridge Gerry is a former Vice President, Governor of Massachusetts, signed the Declaration of Independence. He is also one of three people who spent the entire time at the Constitutional convention and then refused to sign the document. Now, we have had others; the gentleman up to my left who appear on the ceiling, one of the two Americans that we had in this icon of lawgivers in the history of the world. George Mason was one who stayed there and refused to sign the document. He had a specific reason, and that was it didn't have a bill of rights. Elbridge Gerry did not have a specific reason. He had a litany of little ticky issues that he thought were wrong with the document. They are so small and so insignificant that I have yet to find a history book that actually lists the reasons for his refusal to sign this particular document.”