[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 139 (Tuesday, October 1, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12048-S12049]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO SENATOR WILLIAM COHEN

  Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, another close friend who is retiring is 
the wonderful, talented, thoughtful, and intellectual senior Senator 
from Maine, Bill Cohen, whose career in the two Houses of Congress 
began in 1973. One level climaxed during his first term in the House of 
Representatives when, as a member on the Committee on the Judiciary, he 
sat through the impeachment hearings relating to President Nixon. I was 
not a Member of this body, or indeed in Washington, DC, during that 
vitally important and profound national debate. But I can remember, 
from afar I gained admiration for that very junior minority member of 
the House Judiciary Committee in connection with his public agonizing 
over an appropriate answer, the way in which he asked questions, and 
the way in which he justified his ultimately extremely difficult but, I 
think, correct decision on that matter.
  He has, of course, been a Member of this body during my entire career 
here, as a thoughtful, highly independent mind, with a brilliant tongue 
and ability to state his position that is almost entirely unmatched. 
But, Mr. President, I think I will remember Senator Cohen most for his 
relationship with another former colleague of ours, Senator Warren 
Rudman of New Hampshire. The Presiding Officer remembers Senator Rudman 
very well. I often describe him as the only person I have known in my 
life who was always right, was never shy about sharing his absolutely 
correct views with everyone else, and who, even in a crowd of eight 
Senators, could occupy 75 percent of the talking time. Yet, with all of 
those qualities, he was greatly beloved by all who came in contact with 
him and was a wonderfully effective Senator.
  The only Member of this body, however, who could ever prick Senator 
Rudman's balloon was Senator Cohen. He did so constantly, occasionally 
on the floor of the Senate, but literally every day in private 
relationships. To listen to the conversations between the two of them 
and the way in which Senator Cohen could deal with Senator Rudman was a 
wonderful privilege. While I know Senator Cohen looks forward to 
another wonderful career, I cannot but suspect that at least one of

[[Page S12049]]

the reasons for his retirement now is the absence of any other person 
in this body with whom he could deal and interact in the way in which 
he did with our friend from New Hampshire, Warren Rudman. But Senator 
Cohen's wisdom and independence and thoughtfulness will be greatly and 
profoundly missed in this body.

                          ____________________