U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) took to the Senate floor today to honor the life and legacy of George H.W. Bush.
Nelson recounted how the late president presented the Medal of Honor to Florida Senator Claude Pepper as an example of his compassion and humanity.
“An example of George Bush’s humanity was in the late 1980’s the Florida delegation got an emergency call to go to Walter Reed Army Hospital because it was in the final hours of Senator, then-Congressman, Claude Pepper,” Nelson said. “By the time got to the hospital … who should appear? President George H.W. Bush and Mrs. Bush because the word had gotten to them that Claude Pepper was about to pass.”
“[President Bush] said, Claude, I have something that I want to produce and I want to present to you on behalf of a grateful nation on behalf of your public service,” Nelson said. “And President Bush bent down and put around Senator Pepper’s neck the Medal of Freedom.
“Naturally, there wasn’t a dry eye among those of us that were there and it’s another little vignette in the life of George H.W. Bush that shows the humanity, the care, and the concern for his fellow mankind that was exhibited that day in Walter Reed Army Hospital.”
Following is a transcript of his remarks, and here’s a link to watch video of his speech.
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson
Remarks on the Senate Floor
December 5, 2018
Sen. Nelson: Mr. President, I have a couple of subjects to talk about and one of them is all of us in the Senate have attended a most moving in the National Cathedral for the late George H.W. Bush. There were many allocades and it was so moving.
I just want the Senate record to reflect one little vignette that I think underscores the compassion and goodness of the man George H.W. Bush. Many years ago when this senator was a young congressman and had the privilege of serving with former senator and then-congressman Claude Pepper, a fellow that had risen to the heights of political power in the 1930’s during the depression became a champion of the little people, and then as he transitioned to the House of Representatives became known as Mr. Senior Citizen and the protector of medicare and social security.
Many times in the Reagan administration he was the constant irritant to the presidential administration, and yet, those two Irishmen when they knew they had their differences but they knew when to set aside those differences for the sake of the country. That too was carried over by the then-Vice President who became President, President Bush.
An example of George Bush’s humanity was in the late 1980’s the Florida delegation got an emergency call to go to Walter Reed Army Hospital because it was in the final hours of Senator, then-Congressman, Claude Pepper.
By the time got to the hospital, they were proceeding to get Claude into a wheelchair. He had come out of a deep sleep, very possibly a coma, and he was being wheeled out into the waiting room, and who should appear because president George H.W. Bush and Mrs. Bush because the word had gotten to them that Claude Pepper was about to pass on from this life into the heavenly life.
The president decided to make that a real occasion. And so as he joined everybody gathered about Senator Pepper, as Claude was actually master of ceremonies of greeting everybody and introducing this one to the other one and Mr. President, this is so and so, it was an extraordinary scene.
And then President Bush, because he knew a fellow that was his political opponent but who had been such a substantial part of American political history said, Claude, I have something that I want to produce and I want to present to you on behalf of a grateful nation on behalf of your public service.
And President Bush bent down and put around Senator Pepper’s neck the Medal of Freedom. Naturally there wasn’t a dry eye among those of us that were there and it’s another little vignette in the life of George H.W. Bush that shows the humanity, the care, and the concern for his fellow mankind that was exhibited that day in Walter Reed Army Hospital.
So, Mr. President, I wanted to make that little vignette, which is appropriate today after such a moving service over at the National Cathedral.
