in sanhe marina francisco there's a statue of phil burton on the edge. what was he like?> he was a force. in many ways. he was very loud and gregarious and pointed and direct. the politics, really understood trying to position issues and putting coalitions together. he put the coalition together. that school lunch program was one of the largest consumers of food in the nation, and many of them would support -- the urban people would support some of the programs. that coalition has come apart and really doesn't exist in any kind of cooperative fashion in congress, but at that time that was a remarkable thing he did with dawson mathis, that brokered those votes, the urban and rural votes. could really make people upset. he was very direct. >> how long ago did he die? >> you are talking to the wrong guy. i have never thought years, times, days. >> it has been a longtime. of two peopleideo that you know. this is 1984. tip o'neill and newt gingrich. [video clip] trying toson we are focus on the speaker is because it is the speaker, with the full majesty and weight of his posit