[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 136 (Friday, October 2, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1888]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       A TRIBUTE TO WALDO PROFITT

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                            HON. DAN MILLER

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 2, 1998

  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, for 37 years, the people of 
Sarasota, Florida have been lucky to have Waldo Profitt Jr. as 
Editorial Page Editor of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Waldo provided 
great journalism with unquestioned integrity and commitment to 
community service.
  Waldo Profitt recently retired from the Herald-Tribune. His reporting 
and commentary on the social, fiscal, political and public environment 
of Sarasota County during its fast-paced growth years are a tribute to 
the finest qualities of a first-class journalist. Waldo was on the 
front lines on many issues and he never failed to thoroughly 
investigate, and then critically comment, on what this meant in the big 
picture.
  Long before the mainstream environmental movement, Waldo Profitt 
educated his readers that environmental protection, resource 
conservation and local responsibility for community resources were 
crucial to the preservation of Florida's quality of life and to the 
State's long-term economic viability and vitality. He emphasized that 
environmental protection was not about hugging trees, but enhancing and 
protecting our future.
  Anyone in public life would appreciate Waldo's approach to his craft, 
which rejected attack journalism and recognized that ``today's opponent 
may be tomorrow's ally.'' His colleagues pay him a high compliment when 
they say that he taught them that successful journalists need not be 
mean or unpatriotic. Even those who disagreed with him philosophically, 
will honestly say, that Waldo ``wrote with integrity'' and that he was 
``incisive, fair and balanced.''
  One of my proudest moments in Congress was when Waldo wrote, ``I've 
been underestimating Dan Miller.'' Let me tell you, NO ONE has ever 
underestimated Waldo's ability to quickly humble any public servant in 
Southwest, Florida. So, his words meant a great deal to me.
  For Waldo Profitt, Jr., professional integrity and decency were 
watchwords. It is a fitting time for us to recognize those qualities in 
his career and to salute a gentleman who served his country in the U.S. 
Army Air Corps during World War II. But I want to especially honor 
Waldo for always taking the courageous path of the highest standards in 
his chosen field--journalism. My hat goes off to him.




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