338 sLAde goRton: A hALf centuRy in poLitics
fice, listening to the proceedings on the floor, when Murray began her
tribute. He listened with growing gratitude, although he confessed that
the experience “bore some resemblance to attending one’s own wake.”
The following day, he told his colleagues:
“Friendships become both broad and deep during the course of a ca-
reer here in the Senate. When one comes to the end of such a career, it is
those personal relationships, in my view, that are the most deep and most
profound and that have the greatest effect on one as an individual. To
listen to expressions from people who are not accustomed to speaking
emotionally or personally is an extremely moving experience.” He was
especially pleased that Murray and others had praised the caliber of his
staff. “I think I can say unequivocally that I am and have been a creature
of my staff over the period of my entire 18 years in this body. My proudest
achievement is that so many young people—almost all from my own
state—have worked on my staff, either here or in the State of Washing-
ton. The great majority of them, of course, have already gone on to other
careers—most of them in the state—a return that I find particularly
gratifying.”^3
Peggy Noonan, Reagan’s talented speechwriter who had gone on to a
career as an award-winning author and columnist, took note of the fare-
wells in The Wall Street Journal:
Candor broke out on Capitol Hill yesterday, and a few hearts got worn on
a few blue pinstriped sleeves. Members of the U.S. Senate stood on the
floor of their chamber and spoke, usually without text or notes and often
at some length, about a man they admired.... It was personal and pas-
sionate and bipartisan.... The speeches were so emotional, so much like
eulogies, that the senators had to keep reminding themselves out loud
not to use the past tense. But they couldn’t help it, any more than they
can help feeling that when you’re a senator and you lose your seat you’re
dead. But also because, as each made clear, they couldn’t stand the thought
of losing all the experience, talent, shrewdness and seriousness that Mr.
Gorton had brought to the chamber....
In all of the praise you could hear the sound of an institution defining
itself, showing through what it said what it values and honors. I think it
was saying this: In the clamor of big egos bumping into daily events that
is Congress, we do notice who gets things done, who really works. Who
really thinks, who contributes, who has a long-term historical view, who
is a patriot, who doesn’t care who gets credit, who will quietly counsel and
help you with your problem and not capitalize on it or use it against you...
People who write for newspapers don’t really get to be very positive
about people in politics very often. It’s sort of a sign of being a sissy. You