[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15090]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING TERRY DeVINE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Pomeroy) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. POMEROY. Mr. Speaker, it's with a great sense of sorrow that I 
rise to remember a prominent North Dakota journalist and friend, Terry 
DeVine, whose funeral was held today in Fargo.
  If North Dakota had a hall of fame for journalists, Terry DeVine 
would go in by acclamation. He was tough, smart, hard working, and 
fair. Fortunately for us, he spent most of his career at the Fargo 
Forum, where over the years we came to know that he had a mighty big 
heart as well.
  My indelible memories of Terry include his early years at the Forum, 
which coincided with my early years in politics. As if my first trip to 
the Fargo Forum, our State's largest newspaper, wasn't unnerving 
enough, there was hard-charging Terry DeVine, former collegiate 
football player, Marine Corps combat veteran. He presented a gruff 
demeanor that clearly conveyed ``Don't even think of trying to B.S. the 
Fargo Forum.''
  In fact, his journalist skepticism was a point of pride for Terry. 
After a politician sparked his ire by complaining about what he saw as 
the unnecessary intrusions of reporters in pursuit of a story, Terry 
wrote about the role of the press in holding officials accountable. 
``The relationship between a reporter and a politician should be like 
the relationship between a barking dog and a chicken thief,'' he 
proudly quoted from his former colleague Jules Loh.
  True to his writing, Terry relished the watchdog role of the press. I 
consider it a true privilege to have known and worked with Terry DeVine 
for nearly three decades. I came to admire not just his prowess at 
writing and running a newspaper but his unflagging intellectual 
curiosity, his deeply anchored sense of right and wrong, and his 
compassion for the ``average Joe.''
  The Terry we knew ran the gamut, from hard-charging city editor like 
a character out of ``Front Page'' in the early days to a quieter but 
steady leader through years of personal health adversity. His quick 
humor and core values never changed, and in his determined 
perseverance, he gave us the very best lessons of a remarkably 
dedicated and talented journalist.
  I called him a week ago to say good-bye. I wanted to tell Terry of my 
respect for his career, my enjoyment of our visits over the years, and 
that in our dealings I felt he had always been fair. Whether I got all 
that across or not, I don't know. I'm not good at saying good-bye. But 
Terry, without a hint of self pity, thanked me for the call and he 
thanked me for our friendship. That was so like Terry: strong, direct, 
on point.
  Terry DeVine's career has set a high bar for journalists in North 
Dakota. Come to think of it, he set a high bar for all of us. He had a 
life well lived, a career of distinction, and an impact that we will 
never forget.
  God speed, Terry.

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