Political Quotes

“Yes, he could have resigned as he requested several years ago. We cannot predict what could have happened on a vote of the Senate several years ago. He may well indeed have retired with four stars, and it may have come to a debate for a different reason. Things could have been different. We cannot predict what could have happened 3 years ago. We have in front of us today the question of whether or not this U.S. Senate will yield this man an additional two stars with the knowledge that we have. And some of these reports have just come to us in the last several months and, indeed, some of them in the last few weeks. We have to base our vote tonight on the knowledge that we have in front of us, and that is what we are debating, and that is why we are saying to our colleagues that we will allow him to retire with his two stars. And it is with honor that he retires. However, we cannot add an additional two stars to that and give him an honor above and beyond that at this time.”