>> senate majority leader mike mansfield.was a -- had a different problem than most guests. his questions were -- his answers were too short, instead of too long. in fact, he really liked the yes or no answer. so you -- i was warned that i would run out of questions with senator mansfield, and i did. >> were you nervous? >> i was so scared. i can't tell you. this was really the big-time. actually, the column had started on may 15th, 1963, but i suddenly realized i was in the big-time when i was invited on to "meet the press." i've been watching "meet the press" since it started. and i just had to pinch myself to believe that i was on it. >> and on it, he was. more than 248 times. here's a look back at some highlights, starting with that first nervous appearance in 1964. >> senator, do you think there's any chance that the senate will, after all, enact some legislation requiring disclosure of senatorial income in the wake of the bobby baker case? senator, you repeatedly differentiate between the republican party and the commit

in those days, the majority of the leader was mike mansfield from montana and his number two was robertrginia. the number one in the senate now is harry reid from nevada and number one on the republican side is mitchell mcdonnell and his number two is robert bennett from utah. dick durbin from lynn's home state from illinois, it's actually unusual for a big state senator to actually have like a huge impact player in the senate because usually it's smaller and moderate size to get the power. >> sure. but does that variable play into a conversation about health care reform which is a 305 million person problem ultimately, particularly for both health care and the economics of providing that health care, does a model like this, is a model like this ill-suited to deal with a problem like health care, i guess? >> yes, this is when -- >> lynn, go ahead, first. >> when you have an each panel, it's hard to make a decision to get something done. i think it's asking for consensus troo early in the process by the small number of people when you have all of these issues swirling around you. that's

senate where he had somebody he disagreed with and he made some remarks about him and senator mike mansfieldsaid never question the guy's motive. we all have different views but never question his motives. i think that is the spirit people are talking about with regard to senator kennedy today. he may have opposing views but there was this reservoir of goodwill the way he would reach out and be there to people of all political per situations even if he couldn't vote for the bill. . we heard stories this morning, look, i'm going to vote against you. i can't do this for you but let me see if i can hook you up with this republican on this side. a constant dealmaker and somebody very principle but somebody who really tried to work and play well with others and i think that's why we're hearing these kind of tributes. >> obviously, you covered it but i wonder if that is part what have we lost today, a generation of and we have a few senators who are in that style, but he was really the constant dealmaker as you say and stylistic way of being a senator that we lost. >> norah o'donnell joins us. sen