Political Quotes

“last January we were told that Senator Bob Kerrey was going to retire from the Senate this year. I remember saying to him that I wished it were not so, but knowing Bob as well as I did, I understood the reasons. Bob Kerrey has been an invaluable Member of this body. He has advocated for improvements in education. He has worked in a bipartisan way to reform Medicare and has been willing to speak up about the things necessary to reform it. He has helped to improve the lives of farmers in Nebraska. And he has been a forceful voice on America's role throughout the world. But I understand and respect his desire to fulfill those spiritual needs that are often ignored in politics and to focus more on his personal and family life. As a proud father and grandfather, I, too, want to spend time with family. So we can all respect and appreciate his decision, though we are going to miss his candor, his wit, and his strong advocacy for families and children in the Senate. I will miss one who was willing to stand up on the most explosive issues of our time and speak out forthrightly, whether popular or not. He served this country well as a member of the elite Navy Seals in Vietnam, was Governor of Nebraska, and a U.S. Senator for two terms. I once heard him refer to it modestly as ``whatever,'' but the ``whatever'' was the Congressional Medal of Honor he earned for service in Vietnam.…”