he looks like a motto he inherited on alex haley, find e good and praise it. i myse have relied on his wisdom for many years but i prefer it just as much on his optimism, his can-do spirit, his ability to look on the bright side. and how hard work could make it brighter still. so i am going - i am going to miss our regular dinners even with our weeknights scheduling and official one drink limit. like i said we weren't exactly party animals. but he is something else that never changes,eassuring it is to see lamar alexander sitting across from you. you know, the senate can be all-consuming, spouses and loved ones into the family here. i am grateful it turned out mitch mcconnell was not the most important young person in washington, not by a mile. tony alexander is a remarkable woman, force of nature and important partner for lamar, for eight years, charmed and impressed more voters during various campaigns and devoted her own career to public health. they shared love and mutual respect, inspire every one, the finest in law the u.s. senate could ever have. withou

lamar really does look like the model that he inherited from the late author, alex haley. find the good in price them. and i myself leaned on his wisdom for anyears. my think i've earned just as much on his optimism. his can-do spirit and his ability to look in the right side. and more hard work to mak it brighter still. so i am going to. [silce]. [silence]. i am going to miss our regular dinners. even for weeknight schuling an official one trait limit. and like i said mr. president, we were not exactly party animals in her 20s either. but here is something else the never changes. how reassuring i is to be waiting a question. and see alexaer across the table. [silence]. [silence]. you know the senate can be often not or only our colleagues but our spouses and our loved ones that olga folded it into the extended family around here. and salute, i am grateful as it turned out mitch mcconnell was not the most important person. not by a mile. alexander is a remarkable woman, the force of nature an incredible partner for lamar. she raised a young family and the governor's mansio

does live by the motto he inherited from his good friend and fellow tennessean, the late author alex haley. find the good and praise it. i myself have leaned on the mars wisdom for many years -- on lamar's wisdom for many years. laid think -- i think i've on his candid spirit, his ability to look on the bright side. and how hard work can make it brighter still. -- i'm going to [clears throat] i'm going to miss our regular dinners. even with our weeknight scheduling, an official one drink limit. like i said, mr. president, we weren't exactly party animals in our 20's either. but here's something else that weighing aes, to be thorny question and sing lamar alexander sit across the table -- seeing lamar alexander sit across the table. [clears throat] you know, the senate can be all-consuming. it's not our only calling, but their spouses and loved ones can get folded into them around here. mr.grateful it turned out mcconnell is not the most special person in lamar alexander's life, not by a mile. she is a wonderful woman. she is a force of nature and an incredible partner for lamar. she raised

does live by the motto he inherited from his good friend and fellow ten indiana, the late author alex haley -- find the good and praise it. mr. mcconnell: i myself have leaned on lamar's wisdom for many years, but i think i have learned just as much on his optimism, his can-do spirit, his ability to look on the bright side. and then to discern how more hard work can make it brighter still. so i am going to -- i'm going to miss our regular dinners. even with our week-night scheduling and official one-drink limit. like i said, mr. president, we weren't exactly party animals in our 20's either. but here's something else that never changes, how reassuring it is to be weighing a thorny question and see lamar alexander sitting across the table. you know, the senate can be all-consuming. it's not our colleagues but our spouses and loved ones that all get folded into the extended family around here. so, look, i'm grateful that it turned out mitch mcconnell was not the most important young person that lamar alexander met during his first stint in washington, not by a mile. honey alexander is a remar

lamar was a great friend, as he mentioned today, of the writer alex haley, the author of "roots." mr. haley's personal motto was find the good and praise it. lamar quotes that often, and he lives by it. optimism and gratitude, effectiveness and skill are his defining characteristics. to lamar, the good isn't simply what is pleasant. it is what is worthwhile, what makes us better people, better citizens, a better nation. and if we follow the advice he gave us today, we will be a better senate. not long ago, i was interviewed by a journalist for a retrospective on lamar's service in the senate. she said that she happened to be in the senate dining room on december 17, 2018, the day that lamar announced his attention td that a room usually alive with chatter was unusually quiet and tinged with sadness. that somber atmosphere was genuine and bipartisan. lamar, i can't tell you how much personally i will miss serving with you. you're not only a great senator, an extraordinary legislator, but a wonderful friend. thank you so much for your many years of public service. i feel very honore

one came from alex haley, the author of roots, you heard him speak once and said may i make a suggestion? if when you begin a speech you would start by saying, let me tell you a story. and david broder who gave this advice to ruth marcus when she got this opinion for the washington post, one idea per column. so here is a story about my one idea for this speech. in august of 1968 senator baker was in the republican leader's office where senator mcconnell is today. he overheard this conversation. senator dirksen was saying no, mister president, i cannot come down and have a drink with you tonight and very unhappy with me. 30 minutes later there was commotion in the hall and in the republican leader's office came two big ones, three secret service men and the president of the united states, lyndon johnson said if you won't come down and have a drink with me i will have one with you and they disappeared into the back room. later that same year around a long cable in the same office the democratic president and the republican leader worked out the civil rights act of 1968. it took 67 votes to

one came from alex haley, the author of "roots" who heard me speak once and called me aside afterwards and said may i make a suggestion? he said if when you begin a speech, you would start by saying instead of making a speech, let me tell you a story, someone might actually listen to what you have to say. and then from david broder, who gave this advice to ruth marcus when she got her column for "the washington post," one idea per column, so here's my -- here's a story about my one idea for this speech. in august of 1968, senator baker was in the republican leader's office where senator mcconnell is today. he overheard this conversation. senator dirksen was saying no, mr. president, i cannot come down and have a drink with you tonight. i did that last night. and louella is very unhappy with me. about 30 minutes later there was a commotion out in the hall, and in the door of the republican leader's office came two beagles, three secret service men and the president of the united states, and lyndon johnson said to everett dirksen, if you won't come down and have a drink with me, i'm here

one came from alex haley, eheard me speak once called me aside "after words" and said man make a suggestion? is it if when you begin a speec speech, he would start by saying instead of making a speech let me tell you a story. someone might actually listen to what you hav to say. and then, from david broder he gave g thisdvice to ruth marcus whe she got her calm for the "washington post", one idea per column. so here is my -- here is a story about my one idea for th speech. in august of 1968 senator baker was in a republican leaders office for senate mcconnell isks today. he overheard this conversation. nator dirksen was saying no mr. present,h i cannot come down and have a dri with you tonight. i did that las night. and luella is very unhappy with me. now 30 minutes later thereas a commotion out in the hall. an in the door of the republican leade office came to beagles, three secret servicemen and the president of the united states. and lyndon johnson said everett ifksen, you not come a drink with me i'm having them with you. and they disappear into the back room. later that same year, arou

well, he talked about alex haley, his friend told how to give the speech i telling a story. aristotle had an idea about how to give a great speech. he basically took it down into three components to when is the logical argument. the other is the emotional argument, but the other is about establishing your authority but it's about the character of the speaker. when i think about lamar as these demonstrators begin here today, the thing that i appreciate about in the most is not just what he as accomplished here, but his incredible character and positive impact on our senate and on our country. and it's been because people know that his heart is in the right place. he is doing it for all the right reasons that we admire him so much. i would just point out as i told lamar previously, i was an admirer of lamar alexander long before ever met him, when i voted for him in the republican primary in 1996 for president. unfortunately, he dropped out of that race shortly thereafter settled in i wasted my vote, obviously. but i've been an admirer for a long time. well, lamar and i also s

(haley and alex gasp) what? (gasps)

alex: good morning, family. how are you all doing on this beautiful day? okay. what's this? haley's s.a.t.ble online. i hate you. oh! oh! today's the big day.