The United States Senate
Feb 10, 2006
Section 10
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In This Section...
 | Sen. Durbin [D-IL]: Mr. President, my colleague in the Senate, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, is carrying on a grand Illinois tradition. In the history of the United States of America,... |
Record Text
Sen. Richard Durbin [D-IL]:
Mr. President, my colleague in the Senate, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, is carrying on a grand Illinois tradition. In the history of the United States of America, only two U.S. Senators have ever won a Grammy award. The first was Senator Everett McKinley Dirksen from Pekin, IL for his album "Gallant Men," which many of us can still recall, his deep baritone voice intoning those great patriotic verses that inspired so many.
Now another Senator from Illinois became the second Senator in history to win a Grammy award in the best spoken word category at Wednesday's Grammy Awards ceremony. Senator Obama won his Grammy for recording his autobiographical book "Dreams for My Father." The book was first published in 1995. It is an inspirational book, telling the story of not only Barack's life but also of his quest to understand his heritage, returning to Kenya to the tribe where his father was raised, to meet the people, to learn the stories about his origins and his family's roots. It is a wonderful book. It has become a best seller. I was given a copy by Barack long before he announced his candidacy to the Senate and value it as a great story about a great American with whom I am honored to serve.
There was stiff competition in that category for the spoken word. Barack Obama prevailed. But others in the finals included Garrison Keillor, Al Franken, Sean Penn, and George Carlin. Who came out on top? The junior Senator from Illinois, Barack Obama.
I understand that Senator Hillary Clinton won a Grammy when she was First Lady. Now, of course, she is a distinguished Senator from New York. But she won one for recording "It Takes a Village." Her husband, former President Bill Clinton, won a Grammy for the reading of his autobiography "My Life."
So far it is a clean sweep for Illinois Senators at the Grammies. With this distinguished record, many people will want to continue to follow the career of my junior colleague, Senator Barack Obama.
