[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 7 (Wednesday, February 2, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E59]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO ROBERT D. SQUIER

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                         HON. ROBERT A. WEYGAND

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 2, 2000

  Mr. WEYGAND. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a few minutes today to 
pay tribute to Robert D. Squier who passed away last week after a long 
illness. While his name may be familiar to some, particularly those 
with an interest in politics, people around the United States and even 
in some foreign countries know him by his work. Bob was a political 
consultant. He advised Presidents and would-be Presidents, Senators and 
those wishing to be Senators and Governors and hope-to-be Governors on 
how to conduct their campaigns and how to communicate their dreams, 
beliefs and accomplishments to the voters.
  Bob believed deeply in his craft and in our political system. Despite 
what many think of his profession, he knew how important it is to reach 
out to voters. But he also knew his role. In an interview several years 
ago, he remarked, ``the candidate is always more important than the 
consultant. The consultants that do poorly in this business are the 
ones who begin to forget that.''
  Bob only worked for Democrats, and the list of politicians he advised 
over the years is a who's who of Democratic politicians and a modern 
American history book itself. Squier began his career while still in 
college when he produced a campaign commercial for Orville Freeman, 
then Governor of Minnesota who would later become Secretary of 
Agriculture. He would later be hired by President Lyndon Johnson as a 
television advisor, and he went on to work for Hubert Humphrey's 
Presidential campaign. In the years that followed, the list of those 
that sought and benefited from his wisdom continued to grow; Muskie, 
Carter, Dodd, Rockefeller, Bumpers, Simon, Hart, Byrd, Biden, Graham, 
Robb, Pell, Richards, Clinton, Gore to name but only a few.
  It is fair to say that politics was in his blood. I know, however, 
that it was also in his genes. I have been fortunate for many years to 
know and work with his son, Mark, who learned at his feet and went on 
to open his own firm. I extend to Mark and his brother, Robert, their 3 
children, and Bob's wife, Prudence, my deepest sympathy.

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