Political Quotes

“yes, it is a distasteful discussion, but I remind my colleagues it is the result of a distasteful experience of over 80 women that lead us to this today. I stand today to urge every one of my colleagues to listen carefully and thoughtfully to this debate and ask themselves whether the U.S. Senate should confer this extremely high honor on retiring Adm. Frank Kelso, an honor received by relatively few people in the history of this Nation. There is no doubt that Admiral Kelso served a distinguished military career. He is the Chief of Naval Operations. Without our action today, he can retire with two stars and a pension of $5,600 per month. Our job is to decide if Admiral Kelso should be given a monthly pension supplement of $1,100 and two additional stars. This is the question before the Senate: Did Admiral Kelso serve to a higher standard? Did he serve above all reproach? Should thousands of young men and women coming behind him use him as a role model in their own lives as they shape their military careers? As U.S. Senators, we cannot ignore the tarnish of Tailhook in today's debate. I have reviewed carefully the documents and history that bring us to today's debate. There is no doubt the stories and the secrets of the Tailhook conventions are well known, and beyond comparison in abhorrent behavior. We talk a lot in this body about moral decay, taxpayers' funds and personal responsibility. Tailhook 1991 had it all.…”