Gabby's courage, strength, and optimism

[kpete]

Without question the most touching moment at last night’s State of the Union was the heartfelt welcome given to Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who steps down today to continue her recovery from the gunshot wounds she sustained in Tucson, Ariz. last year. Not only was Giffords welcomed to the chamber with a whooping standing ovation, she was flanked throughout by colleagues whose ideologies could not be more different from her own. Explaining why he rose to help her stand for every ovation she offered President Obama during his speech, even when it meant he was the only Republican on his feet, Rep. Jeff Flake said that the optics just didn’t matter to him: “After sitting next to an empty seat last year, I couldn't be happier to have Gabby back in the House chamber for this year's State of the Union speech … Gabby's courage, strength, and optimism is able to cut through the partisanship and bring out the best in Congress."

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2012/01/gabby_giffords_and_jeff_flake_what_the_supreme_court_can_learn_from_their_touching_moment_at_the_state_of_the_union_.html

[niyad]

1. nice one, jeff. just one little quibble

"Gabby's courage, strength, and optimism is able to cut through the partisanship and bring out the best in Congress."

it should NOT require a colleague being shot and nearly dying for the rest of you to be at your best. and what, exactly, have YOU, jeff, done to "bring out the best in congress"???