Political Quotes

“I rise today to commend the extraordinary accomplishments of Cal Ripken, Jr. As we all know, last night at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Cal Ripken broke a record that was once considered unbreakable. From 1982 until today, the one constant in the ever-changing world of baseball has been the presence of No. 8 in the Baltimore Orioles line-up. In an era where job insecurities increasingly permeate our society, Cal Ripken's breaking of Lou Gehrig's long-standing record while playing for the same team during the entire streak, seems even more remarkable. Without a doubt, this new record has reinvigorated American's interest in baseball. And the fact that the record-holder is such a solid, decent, and humble man adds extra luster to this unprecedented achievement. While this record is an extraordinary testament to Cal Ripken's dedication to the game of baseball, his actions during the closing days of this streak are even more telling. In the early morning of September 6, 1995, as Cal stood poised on the edge of baseball immortality, he accompanied his daughter Rachel to her first day of school. And when asked which event held more significance--the breaking of Lou Gehrig's record or his daughter's first day of school--Cal responded that in his house, Rachel's first day of school was undoubtedly the most important occasion. I congratulate Cal Ripken, his wife Kelly, daughter Rachel, and son Ryan.”