In Remembrance of Strom Thurmond

IN REMEMBRANCE OF STROM THURMOND

    Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment this evening to pay tribute to our dear friend and former colleague, Strom Thurmond, a man who gave of himself personally to his constituents and to his colleagues here in the Senate.

    All of us will always remember Strom. We will remember him seated right in front of the Presiding Officer at his desk. We will remember him for his smile. We will remember him for his greeting. Frankly, I don't think any of us will ever walk into this Chamber again without almost seeing him down there at his desk.

    He was a man who gave so much of himself to his constituents. We will remember him for the way he treated each one of us, the way he treated his constituents, and the individual attention he gave to us and his constituents.

    I saw the way he personally dealt with his constituents. I also saw the personal attention he paid to me and the personal interest he took in my family. In particular, I am grateful to him for the hospitality and attention he showed to my son Brian, who just recently graduated from his beloved Clemson University.

    A few years ago, when I told Strom that my son Brian was going to Clemson, I remember the big smile on his face. Of course, I knew he was a graduate of Clemson. I could tell how delighted and eager he was to share stories about his experience at Clemson. And I remember a lot of those stories.

    Of course, the first thing he told me was: "You know, I went to Clemson"—which, of course, I did know. And I then asked him: "Strom, what year did you graduate from Clemson?" He said: "1923." I said: "Strom, that was the year my dad was born"—which it was.

    During the 4 years that Brian was at Clemson, almost every time I saw Strom on the floor, Strom would say: "How's your boy? How is that boy of yours doing down at Clemson? Does he like it?" Of course, I told him he did, which Brian certainly did.

    After Brian graduated, Strom invited Brian and myself up to his office. Strom showed him all the pictures on the wall. Strom invited him over and had his picture taken with Brian, a picture that Brian now has, and a copy of another picture that I have of Brian and myself and Strom that is in a prominent place in my office today in the Russell Building.

    Strom Thurmond paid this same level of attention, which he paid to his colleague in the Senate and to his colleague's son, to all his constituents. And we know that. We have all heard the stories. It did not matter whether you were a U.S. Senator or whether you worked in a filling station or who you were in his home State of South Carolina; it did not matter. That was Strom Thurmond. It did not matter who you were, Strom paid attention to you.

    We have all heard the stories about the birthdays and the anniversaries, constituent problems. It did not matter, Strom was there.

    Strom Thurmond has left a mark on his State and our country through his kindness and his personal attention to others—a mark that surely will not be forgotten or held in anything less than the highest regard.

    We thank Strom for his service to our country, to South Carolina, and to the people who will miss his kindness and his friendship. We thank Strom for his extra efforts to help those in need, those he loved, and those he came to the Senate to represent.

    We will remember this man, our friend, fondly. He was a man of courage, a man of integrity, a man of passion, a man who loved this country dearly.

    We thank you, Strom. We miss you. We respect you.