I PRESENT TO YOU JOSEPH BIDEN.
JOSEPH BIDEN.
>> SENIOR McINERNEY, GOVERNOR,
OLD FRIEND, OUR LEADER JIM
KLEIBER.
FRANCIS STAFF AND MOST OF ALL
HIS FAMILY.
I AM HONORED TO BE WITH YOU
TODAY.
MICHAEL ALLEN FRITZ, BARBARA,
ALAN, THE ENTIRE FAMILY I WANT
TO SAY THANK YOU.
IT IS A GENUINE HONOR AND I
WISH I DIDN'T HAVE THE HONOR.
I WISH WE WERE NOT HERE BUT IT
IS A GENUINE HONOR TO BE HERE
TODAY.
I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW YOU FEEL
TODAY.
HAVING BEEN THROUGH WHAT YOU
HAVE BEEN THROUGH NOT TOO LONG
AGO I CAN ASSURE YOU IT'S A
BOOK OF WHAT YOU THINK YOUR
DAD, YOUR GRANDPA AND YOUR
GREAT-GRANDFATHER.
A LOT OF YOU, THANK GOD, IN LOT
OF HOLLINGS (THE FIRST THING
THAT WILL COME IS A SMILE
RATHER THAN NATURE TO YOUR EYE.
I PROMISE IT WILL COME BUT IT
TAKES A WHILE.
IT IS MY PRAYER IT COME SOONER
THAN LATER FOR YOU.
NOT LONG AGO.
WELL, YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNOR
AND I BRIEFLY SPOKE ABOUT
FRITZ.
THERE ARE A LOT OF STORIES YOU
COULD TELL YOU ARE ALL FRIENDS
OF HIS.
IT IS AND GENTLEMEN, I AM JOE
BIDEN, I AM FROM DELAWARE BY
WAY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
AND BECAUSE OF FRITZ HOLLINGS
BY WAY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
WHEN I WAS 29 YEARS OLD I GOT
ELECTED TO THE UNITED STATES
SENATE.
AS A COUNTY COUNCILMAN AND I
WAS TRYING TO GET SOMEBODY TO
TAKE ME SERIOUSLY THAT I COULD
MAYBE WIN THE SEAT.
LET ALONE BE SWORN IN THE DAY I
WON.
I WAS TRYING TO CONVINCE PEOPLE
IN WASHINGTON IT WAS POSSIBLE I
MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO IT.
AND MAYOR RILEY I WENT DOWN TO
SEE AN IMPORTANT GUY.
HE WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE
DEMOCRATIC SENATORIAL CAMPAIGN
COMMITTEE.
THAT IS THE APPARATUS IN THE
SENATE ON WHO YOU WILL SUPPORT
AND NOT SUPPORTED AND HOW THEY
WILL SUPPORT THEM IF THEY DO.
I GOT A MEETING THROUGH A GUY
WHO IS ONE OF THE SEVEN MEALS
BUT THE FOUR HORSEMEN, OF NOTRE
DAME HE WORKED FOR FRITZ
HOLLINGS A BIG GUY NAMED NORI
YOU IN TO SEE SENATOR HOLLINGS.
THE RESPECTFUL, LOOK WHAT THE
HECK WAS I GOING TO DO.
I WAS SCARED TO DEATH TO SEE
THE SENATE OF THE JUDICIAL
COMMITTEE FRITZ HOLLINGS.
I REMEMBER SITTING THERE A
POWERFUL SENATOR GOVERNOR OF A
GREAT STATE MAKING THE CASE WHY
I COULD WIN.
AND I DON'T REMEMBER FOR SURE.
BUT I THINK THAT IS WHAT THEY
HANDED ME THE MONIKER HE ALWAYS
USED FOR ME IN THE SENATE.
HE CALLED THE JOLTING JOE, BIG
LIE FOLLOWED NORDY'S ADVICE TO
BE CONFIDENT.
MAYBE I OVERSTATED MY
CONFIDENCE.
HE ENDED UP TAKING A CHANCE ON
ME.
HE SAW SOMETHING IN ME THAT I
WASN'T SURE EXISTED.
BUT HE BELIEVED IN ME.
AND I CAN SAY WITHOUT FEAR OF
CONTRADICTION THAT MADE ME
BELIEVE MORE IN MYSELF.
THE FACT HE BELIEVED IN ME,
JOE.
I AM SURE HE DID THE SAME FOR A
LOT OF YOU IN THIS GREAT
STATE:HE BELIEVED IN THEM AND
GIVE THEM CONFIDENCE.
LOOKING BACK I THOUGHT IF THIS
POWERFUL SENATOR THAT I COULD
BE A SENATOR MAYBE I REALLY
CAN'T DO THIS.
MAYBE I REALLY HAVE A SHOT.
RUNNING AGAINST A POPULAR MAN.
AND GEORGE McGOVERN WAS OUR
CANDIDATE AND I THINK HE GOT 34
PERCENT OF THE VOTE IN MY
STATE.
BUT I WON BY A LANDSLIDE
BECAUSE OF FRITZ 3100 VOTES.
HOW MANY TIMES DID HE DO THE
SAME FOR YOU?
IF YOU CONFIDENCE YOU COULD DO
THINGS YOU WERE NOT SURE YOU
COULD DO?
THAT WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING.
HE CAME UP TO DELAWARE AND HE
CAMPAIGNED FOR ME.
WE WENT BACK AND HE WAS THE
FIRST PERSON I CALLED BEYOND MY
FAMILY WHO WAS NOT ABLE TO BE
THERE THAT NIGHT WHEN WE WON.
AND HE WAS THERE WHEN I WAS ON
TOP OF THE WORLD.
HE WAS ALSO THERE FOR ME WHEN I
WAS AT THE BOTTOM.
SIX WEEKS AFTER ELECTION I GOT
A PHONE CALL.
I WAS INTERVIEWING PEOPLE IN
WASHINGTON FOR STAFF.
FOR A FIRST RESPONDER, A YOUNG
WOMAN BLURTED OUT GET TO GO
HAVE BEEN KILLED IN A TRACTOR
TRAILER.
THEY BROADSIDED THEM AND YOUR
SON MAY NOT MAKE IT.
HE WAS THERE THEN.
BESIDES FOR MY FAMILY THE FIRST
PEOPLE TO BRING FEEDBACK FROM
THAT BLACKHOLE I FOUND MYSELF
IN WERE FRITZ AND PEACY, THAT
IS LITERALLY TRUE FOR THOSE OF
YOU WHO KNOW OUR RELATIONSHIP.
HE CONVINCED ME TO DO WHAT I
DID NOT WANT TO BE DUE TO COME
AND BE SWORN IN.
HE SAID ONLY 1702 PEOPLE OF THE
TORT INTO THE UNITED STATES
SENATE.
COME AND STAY SIX MONTHS.
JUST SIX MONTHS HELP US
ORGANIZE.
I WAS SO SLOW, GOVERNOR, AND
THE FIRST SENATOR, WE HAD 58
DEMOCRATIC SENATORS.
WE HAD A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR
WHO WOULD REPLACE ME WITH
ANOTHER DEMOCRAT BUT I SAID
OKAY.
I WOULD DO THAT SIX MONTHS.
AND HE CONVINCED ME TO BE SWORN
IN.
AND WHEN I GOT THERE I WANTED
TO STICK AROUND AND WANTED TO
GO HOME AND SEE MY POINTS.
I COMMUTED EVERY DAY 36 YEARS
TO GO HOME TO MY FAMILY.
AND HE CONVINCED ME TO STICK
AROUND.
HE SAID TO ME HE DID NOT WANT
ME TO MEET THE COLLEAGUES.
AND HE SAID HE WOULD HAVE A
DINNER.
HE ADVISED SENATORS WERE AT A
DINNER AND HE ROTATED HOMES.
THEY WOULD HAVE A DINNER AT A
DIFFERENT HOME ONCE A MONTH.
AND I WAS THE ONLY PERSON
ANYWHERE NEAR MY AGE BUT THE
WOULD SHOW UP.O WAS SINGLE -
BECAUSE PT ANTICIPATED FIVE
YEARS LATER WHEN I FOUND CHILL.
AND THE SANITY OF WHAT GOT ME
ENGAGED.
FIVE YEARS LATER WHEN I MET
JILL FRITZ AND PEATCY WERE
THERE.
HE INVITED THE ENTIRE SUPREME
COURT OF THE UNITED STATES.
HE INVITED THE ENTIRE SENATE
AND THEY PAID FOR IT BUT THEY
HAD THIS RECEPTION IN THE
CAUCUS ROOM THE FAMOUS ROOM IN
THE UNITED STATES SENATE AND
EVERYBODY CAME.
AND HE MADE CHILL, PEACY
BROUGHT INTO THE GROUP AND MADE
HER FEEL TOTALLY PART OF
WATCH HOW FRITZY AND PEACH,
FROM CHRISTOPHER MARLAND BUT HE
SAID COME LIVE WITH ME AND BE
MY LOVE.
AND WE SELL ALL THE PLEASURES
PROOF.
AND MICHAEL, HELEN, FRITZY YOU
AND YOUR FAMILY WERE ALWAYS
THERE WITH THE HIGHS AND LOWS
FOR ONE ANOTHER.
I CAME DOWN TO SEE YOU ONE
YEAR, SISTER SALLY.
FRITZ SHARED THE PAIN THAT NO
PARENT SHOULD EXPERIENCE.
AND FOR YOU NO SIBLING SHOULD
HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
WHEN WE LOST OUR BEAU, JILL
TOOK A QUOTE.
SHE SAID THE H SEASIN THE DARK.
AND I THINK IT DOES.
AND SO DOES FRIENDSHIP.
WILL REAL FRIENDSHIP SEES BEST
IN THE DARK WHEN YOU NEED
SOMEBODY TO BE THERE FOR YOU.
AND BEING THERE IN THIS REVERED
CHAPEL REMINDS ME OF ALL THE
STORIES HE WOULD SHARE WITH ME
IN THE DAYS WE SAT TOGETHER IN
THE SENATE.
ABOUT THE CITADEL.
HE TALKED ABOUT THE CITADEL THE
KEY WAS IN THE LITERAL SENSE.
EVERYTHING TO HIM.
I WAS TELLING THE COMMANDANT
THAT I LEARNED MORE ABOUT THE
CITADEL THAT YOU WOULD BE
AMAZED.
AND ONLY THE SECOND TIME I HAVE
BEEN ON THE CAMPUS.
BECAUSE WHEN THE CITADEL WAS
DEDICATED APRIL 10, 1938, 81
YEARS ALMOST TO THE WEEK.
OF THE TIME THAT FRITZ WALKED
ON CAMPUS AS A YOUNG CADET.
FOUR YEARS LATER HE JOINED HIS
FELLOW PATRIOTS.
THE GREATEST GENERATION OF OUR
HISTORY IN EUROPE AND NORTH
AFRICA AND WORLD WAR II.
LOOK AT THE GLASS WINDOW
SURROUNDING US.
READ THE MEDALLIONS AND
DESCRIPTIONS ON OUR WAR DEAD.
THE DUTY, HONOR.
BEING HERE TAKES ME BACK TO ONE
OF THE MOST MEANINGFUL TRIPS I
EVER TOOK WHEN I WAS A U.S.
ANNIVERSARY OF THE LANDING OF
NORMANDY.
AND WE WENT TO ALL THESE MEN
WHO SERVED WITH AT THE TIME WHO
HAD EITHER LANDED A COUPLE HAD
OR HAD FOUGHT IN THE EUROPEAN
THEATER.
LISTENING TO FRITZ ON THAT TRIP
WAS IN EDUCATION ALL BY ITSELF
IT THERE IN THAT HOLLOW GROUND
EVERY DAY FOR THOSE 32 YEARS I
SAT NEXT TO HIM.
ANOTHER HOLLOW SPACE THE UNITED
STATES SENATE.
32 YEARS WE SET NEXT TO ONE
ANOTHER EVERY DAY.
AND SAT IN SESSION.
I LEARNED NOT ONLY WHAT MADE
FRITZ STICK.
NOT JUST WHAT HE CARED ABOUT.
BUT I CAUGHT A GLIMPSE INSIDE A
MAN'S SOUL INTO HIS INTELLECT
THE LOVE OF HIS FAMILY THE LOVE
OF HIS STATE.
EVERY SENATOR REPRESENTS HIS
STATE BUT FEW EMBODY, I THINK
FRITZ EMBODIED SOUTH CAROLINA.
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE MOTTO IS
WELL.
IT WHICH IS WHILE I BREATHE I
HOPE.
WHILE I BREATHE, I HOPE.
I GOT TO SPEAK TO FRITZ SHORTLY
BEFORE HE DIED.
HE STILL HAD HOPE.
WANTING TO KNOW WHAT COLLEAGUES
WERE DOING IN WASHINGTON.
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS IT
WAS FRITZ.
HE WAS SOUTH CAROLINA.
WITH EVERY BREATH HE BROUGHT
HOPE.
TO SO MANY IN THE STATE AND
AROUND THE COUNTRY.
WHAT SET THEM APART WAS NOT
ONLY HIS BIG IDEAS BUT HE KNEW
HOW TO GET THINGS DONE.
HE KNEW HOW TO SUCCEED IN THE
UNITED STATES SENATE.
AS JIM CLIBURN COULD TELL YOU
HE KNEW HOW TO BUILD
COALITIONS.
EVEN HOW TO GET ALONG WITH
STROM WHEN HE NEEDED TO.
I SAT NEXT TO STROM HER
LONGTIME IN THE JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE.
HE KNEW HOW TO CHANGE AS WELL.
HE CHANGED.
HE LEARNED.
HE LEARNED:HE CHANGE.
IT IS NOT EASY TO SAY IS THAT A
BAYSTATE NETWORK.
IT IS NOT EASY TO SAY THAT A
TECHNICAL COLLEGE WHICH IS WHY
SOUTH CAROLINA IS ABLE TO
ATTRACT SO MANY WORLD-CLASS
BUSINESSES HERE.
BUT BACK THEN HE DID IT AS
GOVERNOR.
HE WAS AHEAD OF HIS TIME.
HE BECAME A WAVE THAT WENT
ACROSS THE NATION.
IN 1970 HE WROTE A POLICY BOOK
CALLED FRANK AND WILL TURN THE
CASE AGAINST HUNGER.
WE JUST GO THROUGH THE GREAT
SOCIETY PASSED INTO LAW.
BUT FRITZ TALKED ABOUT HUNGER
IS A PROBLEM NOT IN THE SAME
WAY.
HE TALKED ABOUT IT DIFFERENTLY
HE TALKED ABOUT IT IN TERMS OF
HUMAN IMPACT.
HE WAS AMONG THE FIRST IN THE
NATION'S POLITICAL LEADERS TO
MAKE CLEAR THAT NUTRITION AND
LEARNING WERE AS INSEPARABLE AS
THE BOND BETWEEN A MOTHER AND A
THIS WAS A NEW IDEA AT THE
TIME.
THAT BECAME ACTUAL POLICY TO
THE SO-CALLED WOMEN AND FOR
CHILDREN PROGRAM, CALLED THE
WIC PROGRAM.
AND IT SAVED UNTOLD NUMBER OF
SLIDES.
WHEN I WAS A COUNCILMAN TRYING
TO GET FIRST COASTAL SONY
LEGISLATION PASSED IN MY STATE.
TO STOP OR BE BUILT IN THE
COASTAL ZONE I WOULD REFER TO
FRITZ.
FRITZ COVERED THE ECOSYSTEM OF
DELAWARE AND DELAWARE A IS WHAT
IT IS TODAY IN LARGE PART
BECAUSE OF FRITZ.
THE ONLY REASON WE HAVE AN
OUTFIT CALLED NOVA FOR THE BEST
SCIENTISTS IN THE WORLD FOCUS
ON LAND, AIR AND WOODS IS
BECAUSE OF FRITZ HALLING.
HE STARTED A GREEN DEAL ANYWAY
LONG BEFORE ANYONE ELSE THOUGHT
OF IT.
HE DIDN'T.
I CAN GO ON AND ON.
IF YOU NOTICE ALL THESE
ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
ALL THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE
IN DIFFERENT FIELDS.
HE DIDN'T TRACK JUST ONE AREA
HE WENT WITH THE GREATEST NEED
WAS AND SPOKE UP.
HE HAD IDEAS PAID BUT IT IS ALL
FOR THE SAME PURPOSE.
TO GIVE PEOPLE A FIGHTING
CHANCE.
ORDINARY PEOPLE A FIGHTING
CHANCE.
THAT IS WHAT I THINK OF WHEN I
THINK OF FRITZ BUT HE DEVOTED
HIS ENTIRE LIFE TO BALANCING
BUDGET WITHOUT COMPROMISING
VALUES.
AND SOME WOULD SAY I TELL YOU
WHAT I VALUE?
MY DAD WAS A TOTALLY YOUR
BUDGET AND I CAN TELL YOU.
ENSURING PUBLIC EDUCATION AS A
BIRTHRIGHT FOR EVERY CHILD.
HE WORKED ON IT AND WORKED ON
IT IN-STATE AND OUT-OF-STATE.
CALLING OUT THE INFLUENCE OF
MONEY IN POLITICS.
HIS SUPPORTER OF THE
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
HE DIDN'T GET VERY FAR TO MAKE
PUBLIC FUNDING OF CAMPAIGNS THE
ONLY VEHICLE YOU COULD USE.
TO RAISE MONEY TO RAISE
CAMPAIGNS.
YOU WANT TO CHANGE AMERICAN
POLITICS WITH SOME OF FRITZ
SPEECHES.
IF THEY WERE EVER WRITTEN AND
COME INTO REALITY.
THINKING HARDER ABOUT HOW
GOVERNMENT CAN WORK BETTER AND
DELIVER BETTER FOR THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE.
THAT WAS YOUR FATHER.
RECOGNIZING PEOPLE CAN CHANGE.
WITH EVERY BREATH WE HAVE HOPE.
THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM THE PAST
AND BUILD GREATER FUTURE.
YOUR DAD LEARNED FROM THE PAST
AND BUILD A BETTER FUTURE
CONSTANTLY.
HE WAS CONSTANTLY EVOLVING.
ONE OF THE BEST TIMES WE SAW
FRITZ.
ONE OF THE LAST TIME I SAW HIM
WAS 2017 FOR THIS STATUE
CELEBRATION IN CHARLESTON.
WHERE HE ASKED, NO AND I
CHECKED IT OUT AT THE TIME.
NO ONE HAD DONE THIS BUT ASKED
FOR THE NAME TO BE TAKEN OFF
THE BUILDING OF HONOR.
AND SOMEONE ELSE HE THOUGHT
WERE WORTHIES NEED TO BE PUT ON
IT.
YOUR DAD DID THAT.
THAT IS RARE, THAT IS HIM.
THE WARRING FEDERAL COURTHOUSE
THAT IS WHAT IT IS NOW CALLED.
WE DEDICATED A STATUE TO FRITZ
TO MONUMENT BEHIND THE
COURTHOUSE.
IT REMINDED ALL OF US ON HOW HE
INSISTED ON RENAMING THE
COURTHOUSE FOR A JUDGE WHOSE
DECENT PROVIDING THE LOAN VOICE
OF THE SUMTER 60 AND CHANGE THE
COURSE OF HISTORY FOR SOUTH
CAROLINA.
IT CHANGE THE COURSE OF HISTORY
LEGACY GIVES PROOF TO THE
ASSERTION IS THE MOST
SIGNIFICANT FIGURE IN THE STATE
IN TERMS OF LENGTH, BREADTH OF
CAREER, AND WHAT HE HAS DONE
FOR THE STATE AND FOR THE
NATION IN MY HUMBLE OPINION.
AND WHAT ALWAYS STOOD OUT IS
WHAT HE WOULD OFTEN SAY.
HE WAS A WEATHERMAN WILL DO IN
PUBLIC OFFICE IS BEST TOLD BY
WHAT HE HAS DONE.
PERFORMANCE, PERFORMANCE IS
BETTER THAN PROMISE.
HE WOULD SIT THERE AND TELL ME
INTO ALL OF YOU AND EVERYONE
WHO WOULD LISTEN.
FRITZ ALWAYS PROMISED.
HE ALWAYS PERFORMED.
WHAT IS LIFE WHAT IS LEGACY.
IF YOU YEARS AGO WAS WITH THEM
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH
CAROLINA WHEN A SPECIAL
COLLECTIONS LIBRARY WAS NAMED
IN HIS HONOR.
FIRST EDITION OF PARADISE LOST
IS THERE.
JOHN JAMES AUDUBON ORIGINAL
ENGRAVINGS ARE THERE.
THE ORIGINAL HEMINGWAY FOR WHOM
THE BELL TOLLS IS THERE.
HEMINGWAY WROTE AND I QUOTE,
FOR A TRUE GREATER EACH BOOK
SHOULD BE A NEW BEGINNING.
WHERE HE TRIES AGAIN FOR
SOMETHING THAT IS BEYOND
ATTAINMENT.
HE SHOULD ALWAYS TRY FOR
SOMETHING THAT HAS NEVER BEEN
DONE.
AND THAT OTHERS HAVE TRIED.
OR OTHERS HAVE TRIED AND FAILED
TO DO.
THEN SOMETIMES WITH GREAT LUCK:
HE SUCCEEDS.
YOUR DAD EXCEEDED A HELL OF A
LOT MORE THAN THOSE OF US WHO
HAVE SERVED IN THE SENATE.
THAT WAS FRITZ HOLLINGS HE
MICHAEL, HELEN, FRITZY AND THE
ENTIRE FAMILY THAT IS HOW
HISTORY REMEMBERS HIM.
THAT IS HOW I WILL REMEMBER HIM
AS WELL.
ALWAYS, ALWAYS GOING BEYOND.
YOUR DAD WAS A DECENT AND
GRACIOUS MAN.
LIKE ANY PROUD PARENT WOULD DO
HE KEPT YOUR PICTURE:THE BEST
WAY TO TALK ABOUT THIS.
MY MOM AND DAD LOVED YOUR
FATHER.
AND MY MOM AND DAD HAVE
PICTURES OF WHEN I WAS SWORN IN
AS MOMS AND DADS WILL DO THEIR
SONS AND DAUGHTERS.
THE PICTURE ON MY MOTHER DIED
SHE STILL HAD IN HER HOUSE WAS
A PICTURE OF MY FIRST CAMPAIGN.
IT IS WITH YOUR DAD, MY MOM,
AND MY DAD.
WHEN HE CAME UP TO DELAWARE TO
CAMPAIGN FOR ME IN 1972.
HE KEPT THAT PICTURE.
OF ALL THE PICTURES THERE ARE
ONLY THREE OTHERS THEY HAD AND
MY MOM KEPT THAT ONE.
THAT WAS ONE OF THEM.
IT IS HIM, MY MOM, AND MY DAD.
WHEN MY PARENTS PASSED AWAY THE
PICTURE FAST TO BE AND IT HANGS
IN MY LIBRARY HOME AND HAS
SINCE HE PASSED AWAY.
CONTRIBUTED TO THE GIANT OF THE
STATE A TRIBUTE TO A GOOD
A GREAT STORY: WHERE THE
GREATEST STORY OF OUR TIME.
HE NEVER LOST HOPE.
IN MY ENCOUNTER WITH YOUR DAD.
GOD BLESS YOU, FRITZ.
WE SEND OUR LOVE TO PEACHY AND
SALLY AND ME GOD PROTECT OUR