Tribute to Senators

Floor Speech

TRIBUTE TO SENATORS -- (Senate - November 20, 2008)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I think the length of my service is a blink of the eye compared to those who have spoken before. And as I stand here, I cannot tell you whether it is going to be two blinks.

But I was on the CODEL with the Senator from Washington. We were in China with Senator Stevens, and I would like to offer some insight, if I can, as to the question raised by my colleague from Kansas as to what makes Ted Stevens tick.

When we were in China, Senator Stevens was treated as a hero. And he is a hero because of his service in World War II. He flew under General Chennault and went over, I think it was, the China-India-Burma bump. He landed in places in China to refurbish supplies, ammunition, I think, bring in intelligence sources, as described to me, where landing fields were cut out. There may have been a foot on one side and a foot on the other side, and this young guy was flying in there because he loved his country.

When we talk about Ted Stevens and his service to our country--so many talk about 40 years in the Senate--as I reflected on who that young guy was, flying in there with absolute fearlessness, with courage, with love of country, he is the same guy. He is the same guy. That is what he has given to this country his entire adult life, and it has been given in great service to this country. I think that is pretty special.

He has the veneer of a tough guy. And Ted Stevens can be tough. There is no question about that. But those of us who know him also see the love, the love that is in his heart, reflected in love of country, but love of family, love for his magnificent wife, love for his daughter. You see the gleam in his eye anytime he talks about her or she is in his presence. We see the love he has for this body, the love he has for his colleagues, even, by the way, for those with whom he disagrees. I have not been on the side of ANWR with my colleague from Alaska. But if you simply tell him where you are and you give your word and live by that, he is always there with you.

Senator Smith is not with us today, but few of us will ever forget when he stood on the floor of this Senate after the tragic death of his son and reflected upon the support of his colleagues and took special note of the fact that he was not with Ted Stevens on the most important issue to Ted at that time: ANWR. Yet when Senator Smith suffered tragedy in his life, who was the first person to step up to try to provide support, to try to ensure that cause get there? It was Senator Stevens.

That is the person we know. He has given his entire adult life to service to this Nation--extraordinary service to this Nation--and he has done it with fearlessness, courage, love, and commitment, as with everything he did as a young man. He has never lost any of those qualities, and we see them today. This Nation has been blessed by his service, and many of us have been blessed by his friendship, and we wish him our very best.

Mr. President, I yield the floor.

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