Political Quotes

“One of the qualities, of, I think, a great person is that they don't see themselves as great. They really see themselves as ordinary. If they value something about themselves, it's that being ordinary allows them to do generous and good things for other people. Jack Murtha was a huge figure for those of us who were in my class, the class of 2006. People may remember that the big debate that year was about the war in Iraq. I ran as a person who was opposed to that war, and I remember during the campaign being very dispirited wondering where we were going. Then a voice rose out of Washington, and it was a Vietnam veteran, it was a combat decorated marine, it was the chair of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, it was a man who had the highest credentials as an advocate for the military. That voice, of course, was Jack Murtha. And he stood up and he said that this war was wrong. He said that his vote was a mistake. What attracted me, I think my classmates, and all of my colleagues who have been speaking to this man, Jack Murtha, was his generosity--he was always wondering what could he do for you today--his integrity, but he also had a quality of incredible strength.”