[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Page 19752]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                     GUEST CHAPLAIN MICHAEL COLEMAN

  Mr. ASHCROFT. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Virginia. I 
thank in particular Rev. Mike Coleman, of Hannibal, MO, for coming to 
this Chamber today to call us to our highest and best. He prayed about 
justice and he prayed about mercy, he prayed about the components of 
attitude and spirit that will help us achieve that which the people 
have sent us to do. The real opportunity we have is to live at the 
maximums of our existence rather than to perform at the minimums. When 
we invite the presence of the Almighty as we begin these proceedings, 
we equip ourselves to point toward the maximums instead of to dwell on 
the minimums.
  So as we approach this day, I thank Rev. Mike Coleman for coming from 
Hannibal, MO, hometown of Mark Twain. I think it was Mark Twain, the 
philosopher, who said there is nothing quite so embarrassing as a good 
example. Well, I do not think the Reverend is embarrassing to us, but 
he does set a good example as he calls us to our highest and best, and 
it is the prayer of all of us together with him that today we would 
serve the people with compassion and dignity and with justice and 
mercy.
  I thank the Chair and I thank the Senator from Virginia for allowing 
me to make these remarks.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I thank my colleague. It is a great 
pleasure for those of us who join in the opening of the Senate to have 
the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. I have been here 21 years, and at 
long last this essential and I think necessary practice, which is 
celebrated all over America every day, particularly in the schools, and 
so forth, is now observed in the Senate.
  The words of our guest Chaplain today were very stirring because this 
could be one of the final days in our Senate life before we go on a 
recess, which will enable us to join our families and spend some time 
with our constituents and others.
  I thank the Senator.
  Mr. BIDEN. Will the Senator yield for a brief comment?
  Mr. WARNER. Yes.
  Mr. BIDEN. I would like to welcome the guest Chaplain as well and 
say, in light of Mark Twain's reputation, Rev. Coleman could have 
helped him a great deal in his attitude with a little enlightenment in 
spiritual matters.
  I think Hannibal could have used the Reverend back in the time of 
Mark Twain. It might have been a little bit different. I love Mark 
Twain, but he was a little wry. And I just want everyone to know I 
recognize the irony of the guest Chaplain being from Hannibal, MO, the 
home of Mark Twain.
  Mr. ASHCROFT. Will the Senator yield?
  Mr. BIDEN. I would be delighted.
  Mr. ASHCROFT. It might have been that Mark Twain got that education 
after he moved out East. He did end up more in the territory of the 
east coast, but his roots were solid and good, nourished by the right 
values.
  Mr. BIDEN. I have no question about that.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, if I may just add a little to that 
colloquy, it is my recollection that Mark Twain had some fairly pithy 
remarks on the Congress of the United States from time to time. Perhaps 
we should include some of those in the Record. My mother came from St. 
Louis, MO, so I feel that I am particularly blessed by the presence of 
this Chaplain today.

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