-9999

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, well, it is a busy time around Washington. Newly elected colleagues who will join us in January are hiring staff and getting acquainted with the rhythms of the Nation's Capital. I imagine that seasoned veterans are passing along a familiar piece of advice from Harry Truman:

If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog.

It is an observation colored by exposure to the more cutthroat, double-dealing corners of public policy. It seems to suggest that loyal, devoted counsel that you can trust implicitly is so rare that you might as well quit looking for it. Clearly, the 33rd President of the United States never had the privilege of meeting my friend David Popp.

Certain corners of the Capitol press corps may be surprised to learn that, indeed, my communications director actually has a first name. But like most folks in the building, I call him ``Popp'' as well. Around my office and, frankly, across Capitol Hill, this is one word that has become shorthand for fierce loyalty and a peerless capacity for hard work.

Early on, it wasn't exactly obvious that the proud son of Wilmington, OH, would end up applying these qualities at the highest levels of American politics. For many years, Popp's highest political loyalty and most significant vote went to his mom Leilani and her campaign for the school board. And at least until college, his appreciation for hard work had him following in the footsteps of his dad Tom, a longtime community banker. But for those of us who have seen Popp on the clock here in the Capitol, it is hard to imagine him winding up anywhere else.

By the time I got the chance to hire him, Popp was already a seasoned pro here on the Hill. And being the humble, self-effacing guy he is, I am sure he met the opportunity to join Senate leadership staff with the awe and wonder that the upper Chamber rightly commands.

Still, the thought must have crossed Popp's mind that working in communications for a notoriously tight-lipped principal might be a welcome break from the rambunctious world of the House, where he had cut his teeth. That, of course, was not to be. As it turns out, when I stay mum in the hallway and members of the Fourth Estate don't get the answers they are looking for from me directly, they simply go to Popp.

One of the immense luxuries of my time as leader is knowing that when you turn to staff to tackle challenges, you get your pick of the very best. I have never doubted that the man with ultimate responsibility for broadcasting my views, eyeing blind spots, squashing rumors, and shaping stories is among the very best.

As the very best tend to be, Popp is modest. He often tries to convince his colleagues that he is really not much of a writer, that he couldn't cut it as a pure flack, that he doesn't have an eye for the creative side of political communications. But nobody buys that. Popp is a pro.

He is also an incredible teammate. Deflecting praise from his own work usually means showering it instead on the team he leads so capably. Popp treats the rest of my communications staff like his own family. When the Senate pulls a late night, he is quick to send as many of them home as possible. After a long session, he is known to appear with a stack of Italian subs from a favorite spot down Pennsylvania Avenue.

If Popp treats team like family, I should note that his real family makes a great team as well. Popp's wife and ultimate teammate, Monica, is herself a proven veteran of Senate leadership. As chief of staff in the whip's office, she was an essential member of our extended team. For anyone who has met Monica, there is no question where Dave Popp learned grace under pressure.

My field general for communications brings an invaluable combination of skills. He has both the warrior's instinct to anticipate and prepare for everything that could possibly go wrong and the even keel to stay on course when big waves do inevitably crash across the deck.

At moments of immense national importance, Popp is unflinching. In chapters of great personal significance to me, he has my utmost confidence. Around the office, no matter the news of the day, Popp is quick to remind us: all eyes on stakeout. And in the mold of a certain one-named predecessor who was once mistaken for an automated email system, he is even quicker to keep me and my team informed of the latest developments at all hours.

But lest anybody worry that I am working Popp too hard, I should point out that he does have hobbies outside of work. After all but the most demanding weeks in the Capitol, he and Monica find time to escape to their happy place on the water. In the near future, I suspect he will have a bit more energy to devote to the hunt for par--and a club championship--on the golf course and to more sundowners on the Bay with Tilly and Captain in tow. Until then, I will relish having such a trusted hand and consummate public servant in my corner.

So, Popp, my friend, thanks for everything.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source