Remember When Senators And Congressmen Used To Be Human?
Me neither. But David Rosenbaum calls the retiring senator, Ernest Hollings, 82, "the last of a breed once prevalent in Congress: the quick-witted wielder of the folksy metaphor and aphorism. Here are a few samples:

To opponents of government regulation:

"Letting y'all regulate yourselves is like delivering lettuce by way of a rabbit."

On his marriage:

"People always wonder how Peatsy and I stay together, with so many divorces around us. And a friend of ours used to say, 'It's simple. They have a lot in common. They're both in love with the same fella.' "

[During her husband's campaign for his party's presidential nomination in 1984, a reporter called their hotel room and asked to speak to Senator Hollings. Mrs. Hollings held the phone away from her mouth and said, "Hey, mister, you Hollings?"]

Responding to a Republican challenger who dared him to take a drug test:

"I'll take a drug test if you take an I.Q. test."

While debating John Glenn, the former astronaut:

"But what have you done in this world."

And my personal favorite:

On President Bush's effort to distance himself from the Enron scandal:

"I did not have political relations with that man, Ken Lay."

Posted by aalkon at December 19, 2004 8:59 AM