Torricelli's Anniversary: A Speech for the Ages

Washington Compost ^ | 10/1/08 | Chris "The Fix Is In For Obambi" Cillizza

[Nick Thimmesch]

It's been six years to the day since former New Jersey Democratic Sen. Bob Torricelli resigned his seat, delivering one of the most memorably bad speeches in modern American political history.

Thanks to the Post's Paul Kane, who observes this day each year by sending around the text of the Torch's resignation speech to a handful of folks who followed his career closely, we never forget to honor what is -- without question -- our favorite address in the decade or so we have been covering politics.

The New York Times -- bless them! -- still has the full speech online but we have excerpted the best of the best below for the consumption of Fixistas. It was tough to leave anything from this incredibly good/bad speech on the cutting room floor but that's why they pay The Fix the small bucks.

For those of you wondering what Torricelli is doing these days, he's a lobbyist and a blogger (who isn't?) at PolitickerNJ.

[Nick Thimmesch]

Like we really miss this actual (not some Soprano/tv character) New Jersey thug and want to read his "resignation speech" (did he jump or was he pushed?), but here's the best linefrom it:

Torch and Bubba: "President Clinton called several times today from Great Britain. We recalled all the fights that we were in together, all the times I went to the White House and told him in the darkest days that what I admired about him is that 'You never give up. You never compromise, you never stop, you never give up.' The phone connection wasn't the best, but I could hear his voice crack. I admire that man so much."

[Zeppo]

I suppose that Jim McGreevy's "I am a gay American" speech would have to be a close runner-up in the 'A Speech for the Ages' competition.

How strange (well, not really) that both of these corrupt guys were so popular in New Jersey. No wonder that Obama is doing well there, too...

[Nick Thimmesch]

True. Word. True. Don’t forget Senator “Seatbelts” Corzine and his gal pal!

[AHerald]

One day Governor Burns said to me, "Bob, why are you here first, and why do you leave last?" I said, "Governor, I'm going to do good things."

Hysterical. Thanks for this post. Wasn't aware of this gem of a speech until now. Just read the whole speech... Wow. In the history of self-aggrandizing political speeches this one certainly rates near the top. So over the top that it reads like excessive parody. A keeper.

[Renkluaf]

The man was truly one of the great pieces of garbage of the Congress.

[Leisler]

"I value that friendship as I value Jim McGreevey. We talk almost every day, about just about everything. He's the governor of the state, and I've had the honor to be its senior senator, though we talk like kids in college about just about everything. And I love him dearly."