[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000-2001, Book III)]
[October 20, 2000]
[Pages 2232-2234]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks at a Memorial Service for Governor Mel Carnahan in Jefferson City, Missouri
October 20, 2000

    Jean, Robin, 
Tom, Russ, 
Debra, to all the Carnahan family and the 
extended Carnahan family; to the Sifford family; and Governor and Mrs. Wilson; Senator 
Daschle and Congressman Gephardt and all the Members of Congress who are here and 
the Governors. I think I can speak for Hillary and the Vice President 
and Tipper when I say that we are profoundly honored to be here, and we 
come out of respect for the work that Mel Carnahan did for the people of 
Missouri, the example he set for the Nation, and the genuine friendship 
he showed to us.
    I loved the guy. And anybody who thinks he was dull never looked him 
straight in the eye, because he had steel and passion and fire. And

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I think he rather enjoyed being underestimated by people who disagreed 
with him.
    I hope his fellow citizens of this ``Show Me'' State will be 
gratified by what is an absolutely stunning representation here in this 
crowd of his fellow Governors, United States Senators, United States 
Representatives from all across this great land. They came here because 
he in some way touched them or because he inspired them or because, like 
me, they were just crazy about him.
    He was a leader in the very best way. Yes, he was a leader like 
Harry Truman: He spoke the plain truth and thought there was no greater 
calling than public service and really believed if you appealed to the 
best in people, most of the time that's exactly what you'd get.
    In a time when it's fashionable for people in public life to sort of 
complain about the difficulties of it, he was frank to say that he liked 
politics and public service. Indeed, he loved it. He didn't understand 
why some people thought it was a sacrifice and a pain. For him, it was a 
calling, a calling to work with people, and I saw it personally.
    I don't know how many times either the Vice President or I came to 
Missouri because this was the leading State in the country in moving 
people from welfare to work. He believed that the dignity of a job and 
the ability to work and support one's children was the best form of 
social welfare. And he thought we could do it right. And we came here at 
least three times--I did--to try to point the way to the rest of the 
country to look and see what was going on here and know we could do it 
all around America.
    I, too, remember those awful floods where he led by example, 
scrambling up levies to help bear the burden of sandbagging. When his 
critics warned him not to raise taxes for education because he could 
lose his job, he decided Missouri's kids were worth the risk. And those 
of us who followed him loved him even more.
    And when some outside interests tried to pass a concealed weapon law 
in Missouri, he really took his career in his hands. Mel and 
Robin and the entire family got a lot of 
people involved, even got Hillary 
involved, everybody they could scrounge up to help them to stand up and 
turn a tide that, I have to confess, I didn't think they could turn.
    For the Carnahans, politics was a noble family affair. They have 
given so much of them, each in their own way. And they've done it with 
dignity, grace, and generosity of spirit. For all the young people out 
here wondering whether politics is or is not compatible with a good, 
loving family, I say, look at the Carnahans. You can deal with the rough 
and tumble. If there's enough love, you will endure and flourish.
    Less than a week ago, our friend Mel was hard at work in what turned 
out to be his last campaign. I thought when we marched behind the casket 
today and the magnificent horse with the boot turned backwards in the 
stirrups, that in a way it was fitting that our friend Mel died in the 
saddle with his boots on, fighting for the causes he championed and the 
people of Missouri whom he loved so much and served so well.
    We honor that. And we honor the life of his son and of Chris 
Sifford. We honor the fact that Randy was always ready to help and 
support his father. We honor the fact that Chris was an idealist who 
gave so much of his life to the public service that Mel did. We honor 
the fact that they believed in him, and in turn, he made them believe in 
themselves and their ability to make a difference.
    I like the fact that Mel Carnahan was the only politician that I 
have known who was actually not ashamed to say that one of his political 
role models was Adlai Stevenson. It didn't matter to him that Stevenson 
had holes in his shoes, lost the Presidency twice, and was considered by 
most people to be an impractical egghead. The main thing was, Stevenson 
was an elegant, good man who thought politics was a noble endeavor. And 
he said it better than just about anybody ever has.
    I will never forget coming to a rally in southwest Missouri in early 
1992, when Mel was involved in a very tough primary for Governor that he 
wasn't necessarily favored to win, and I was running for President, 
polling a distant fifth in New Hampshire. Only my mother thought I could 
win. But Mel Carnahan came to that rally in southwest Missouri and came 
out for me. He had absolutely nothing to gain by it--nothing. He did it 
just because he thought it was right. And for 8 years, he has been my 
friend and my partner.
    In so many ways, he was a magnificent Governor. I suspect only those 
who have worked with him across a wide range of issues can know just how 
good he was. The last thing we did here together, Jean, was talk about the Patients'

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Bill of Rights and to eat a little barbecue. Mel made sure we went in 
the kitchen and shook hands with the people there. He never let me 
forget that just because I wasn't running again, I was still a public 
servant.
    I am grateful--grateful--that I knew Mel Carnahan. I am grateful 
that we had the chance to work together. He left us too early, but he 
had a great ride. He had a wonderful wife, devoted children, people who 
believed in public service. Robin worked in 
our administration for a while, and I'm grateful for that. And I think 
we should remember him with this admonition of Saint Paul to the 
Galatians: ``While we have time, let us do good.''
    I spoke the other day to a congregation of bishops of the Church of 
God in Christ, and I made the mistake of saying I was glad to be with 
them because, unlike me, they weren't term-limited. And the head bishop 
stood up and said, ``Mr. President, we are all term-limited.'' So if he 
were here--and in a way, he is--he would say, ``Okay, so I had a lot 
more I wanted to do, but I had a good ride. And it's not so bad being up 
there. The boys are good company, and I'm looking down on you. You know 
what to do. While you have time, do good.''
    We'll miss you, Mel. We'll try to take up the slack, but we'll not 
have another one like you. God bless you, and Godspeed.

Note: The President spoke at 12:57 p.m. on the South Grounds of the 
State Capitol. In his remarks, he referred to Governor Carnahan's widow, 
Jean, and their children Robin, Tom, and Russ, and Russ' wife, Debra; 
and Governor Carnahan's successor Roger B. Wilson, and his wife, Pat. 
Governor Carnahan died in a plane crash south of St. Louis on October 16 
while traveling to a campaign event with his son Roger (Randy) and his 
senior adviser, Chris Sifford.