Ifeltlikeafool.Hethenwentontosay,Joe,it’salwaysappropriatetoquestionanotherman’sjudgment,butneverappropriatetoquestionhismotivesbecauseyousimplydon'tknowhismotives.
Ithappenedearlyinmycareerfortunately.Fromthatmomenton,Itriedtolookpastthecaricaturesofmycolleaguesandtrytoseethewholeperson.NeveroncehaveIquestionedanotherman’sorwoman’smotive.Andsomethingstartedtochange.Ifyounotice,everytimethere’sacrisisintheCongressthelasteightyears,IgetsenttotheHilltodealwithit.It’sbecauseeveryoneofthosemenandwomenupthere--whethertheylikemeornot--knowthatIdon'tjudgethemforwhatIthinkthey'rethinking.
Becausewhenyouquestionaman’smotive,whenyousaythey'reactingoutofgreed,they'reinthepocketofaninterestgroup,etcetera,it’sawfulhardtoreachconsensus.It’sawfulhardhavingtoreachacrossthetableandshakehands.Nomatterhowbitterlyyoudisagree,though,itisalwayspossibleifyouquestionjudgmentandnotmotive.
SenatorHelmsandIcontinuedtohaveprofoundpoliticaldifferences,butearlyonwebothbecamethemostpowerfulmembersoftheSenaterunningtheForeignRelationsCommittee,asChairmenandRankingMembers.Butsomethinghappened,themutualdefensivenessbegantodissipate.Andasaresult,webegantobeabletoworktogetherintheinterestsofthecountry.AndasChairmanandRankingMember,wepassedsomeofthemostsignificantlegislationpassedinthelast40years.