pulled me into this little bathroom because he didn t want landra to see him wasting $400 on the senate s worst dressed member. but when i asked harry about it later, he said to me he didn t want to embarrass me in front of landra. that was harry to a tee. it was no secret that harry didn t care for the decorum of public office, but he did know how to dress his part. he cut his hair regularly, he shined his shoes, he wore nice suits from clothiers like kicky freedman that i couldn t afford but a few years later i got the better of harry when i showed up to the senate wearing a freeman suit of my own. harry was surprised. he said, chuck, i thought you said you should never afford a freeman suit. i told him, i can t, so i visited the warehouse in rochester and bought one at a wholesale price. harry stopped slipping me money for clothes after that.
all excitedly and summoned me to his hotel room late at night. i knocked on the door, and harry let me in. i m not sure if landra remembers, but she was there. i thought we were going to discuss some important issue about the next day s convention, but before i could gather my thoughts, harry pulled me aside into the small little bathroom. we were virtually on top of each other, and he lowered his voice. chuck, i want you to take care of something important, he said. before pulling out a wad of cash out of his wallet and peeling off four $100 bills. you know, he said, you ve been working hard and doing a lot of the right things to be democratic leader, but you need to dress better. please buy some better shoes. now, at first, i thought halfry
you, his children, along with his many precious grandchildren, has darling great-grandchild, are his greatest pride, but hearing you speak about him shows us what a source of strength you were to him. of course, the love and happiness he shared with his adoring and beautiful wife, landra, was a source of joy to all of us who know them. all of us here today are here personally to celebrate the life of our dear friend, harry. some of us, including two presidents of the united states, the vice president, members of both the senate and house, are also here officially to salute a legendary statesman. i have the privilege as speaker of the house to bring the sympathy of the house of representatives where harry once served, chuck will say, not as long as he served in the senate, but i do lay claim to harry, because that s where i first met him.