Kennedy Center Tomorrow to open the ireland 100 festival which centerpiece of our sentration abroad our 1916 narrow. Sent we felt it had to be in the ennedy center this living memorial to president kennedy. But there are reasons why i here tely wanted to be this evening and just let me first it are with you is our tremendous sense of and respect for senator edward kennedy. The s of course as we know lion of the senate but he was a u. S. Irish s of relationships, i think we all know that. There with the role to understand and explain and interests andrish to work for peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland. I was very proud to be there in arch of last year at the opening of the institute. T was such a moving moment and i loved seeing the recreation of the study. T has an irish flag and signpost and many other signs of his affection for ireland. Reason is that we are remendous supporters of and believers in the mission of the institute. In addition to the emphasis on the senate there is that on nsely important emphasis ncouraging participation patch story democracy and invigorating civil discourse. All of our rtant in ountries at all times and as a diplomat i choose my words carefully. But in the midst of where we are president ial Election Campaign in this country, with o many people expressing concerns about the impoverishment of civil to civil and risk discourse, never has in seemed more relevant and more important to have an institute with the has. Ate that it third, of course, as we know this event is situated in the the oral history proje project. 280 or treasure trove of so interviews including interviews with colleagues from department. As oral history, it is so important. Visit, it is ontemporary, it is human and multifacetted and enriches our sense of history and history. Ding of the fourth reason is tonight is Northern Ireland, and we have here senator mitchell and all of whom played heir part in shaping the history and events in northern jean said would help understand not just how we how we go e are but forward. And just now in the aftermath of elections in Northern Ireland as we think of how to go forward and how to meet the so lenges ahead it is important that we have the enrichment of their insights and evening. His so it will be a great aoerpbg. Im looking evening. Forward to it. Thank you for including me. [applause] to havee very fortunate with us tonight the first secretary of the northern stewart matthews. Fewd you join us and have a . Ords yourself for ank you, dr. Mccormick your warm introduction. Rs. Kennedy, senator mitchell, ambassador anderson and distinguished panelists an uests it is an honor to represent the Northern Ireland in the presence 6 resence of so many who supported Northern Ireland and those that have done so much. Have been in washington just over three years and i continue to be humbled by the number of an interestake such in our Little Corner of the world and have done so much to progress. O tonight i. To pay tribute to the most definitely was it in for the long game with Northern Ireland. A our office we have wonderful photograph of the was first done fiveyear 2007 after a break and the front row are canada. Kennedy and mrs. If he were still with us today i hope he would be pleased we have actions to ed his the Northern Ireland assembly hat mark the completion of two mandates of the assembly since that photograph was taken or out any suspensions breaks. A significant achievement. Not an election cycle dominated as they once were totally by the constitutional orange versus politics but by real politics. By the economy. Education. By social welfare and health care. That are ar issues featured in politics in the u. S. And world over. Is also welcome news ur keynote speaker senator mitchell. I enjoyed the documentary in your son thentook 14 to see the assembly working every day proceed sake matters and i believe this continued and is very welcome. The parties are currently egotiating a new program for government for the next mandate and at the center of that will rebalancing and the economy as it has been the last few years. Political support we have enjoyed from you theres been so much support on the economic front. Theres 175 u. S. Businesses operating across northern employing over 24,000 people. The quality of our workforce is like any good d relationship the situation is two waeulgs. Cutting edge and indigenous Northern Ireland firms are inroads in u. S. With over 1 billion of goods purchased year. St that is a staggering increase of year. Er the previous the relationship between our part of the world and u. S. Goes back a long way. Week may 27 the consulate in belfast will celebrate its anniversary. It was president george signed the order to establish it. Oldest u. S. Consulate. It is not all about the past. Future. Ooking to the we know the u. S. Will continue to walk with us work with us work through the conflicts that need to be addressed and i withne can look forward to confidence to my children born situation in 2007 growing up in Northern Ireland that is a lot different and up hter than the one i grew in the 1970s and 1980s. Look forward to a wonderful evening and look forward to being with you this evening. Thank you. [applause] at the institute we make a would f not saying what senator kennedys say although we ave great imitations some of his more roaring speeches by some of the staff. And wewould not be there do look often to Vicky Kennedy us are we on the right track for the spirit and values things that the senator cared about. O im pleased to introduce the founding president of our board of trustees Vicky Kennedy. Thank you, jean. You for your leadership. Ambassador anderson, first ecretary matthews, thank you for joining us. We are tkpwraeufl for presence. Or your a are delighted to have such stellar panel to participate in our panel of peace an of northern n ireland. Senator mitchell whom i will soderburg,ambassador joined later nd after votes which all of us in ashington understand by congressman neal and congressman king, our moderator Kelly Odonnell will be with us. We will have a very lively and interesting discussion. Mentioned, this is our second conversation as part of kennedy which is 280 candid interviews with officials from this nation and abroad. And y members, friends those who have worked with the trenches on the most important facing our nation and the world. 29 interviews with teddy himself. This material to historians and for the education is really tions unparalleled. The truly teddys gift to ages. We discuss this evening issues Northern Ireland, the conflict there, the role the in helping s played to resolve the troubles, and, of ted kennedyole that himself played. Oral history en interviews were specifically issues. On irish and many others touched on them. Be discussion could not timelier because we also mark centenary of the east step inthe first bloody a selfyear process it toeralyear process that led the independence of the republic Northern Ireland. And they remained separated there was unrest. There remained deep kevin for hat was happening on the emerald isle. Shortly after the troubles began my husband began deeply se himself more and focus in earnest on the ossibility for peace and refreshi reconciliation in Northern Ireland. Jean Kennedy Smith who is unable to be with evening son this believed in the possibility of reconciliation in Northern Ireland. She played a key role bringing together. I encourage you after the program to reads the trips that website at e emkinstitute. Org. I believe that getting an inside work to the the mostcess is one of fascinating insights of the edward m. Kennedy oral history one of the indispensable figures is our next speaker. Look at his career is to look a public eer of servant and a leader. Attorney, a federal , dge, a United States senator a majority leader in the united selected six years in a row by a bipartisan as the most tors respected senator in that august body. For most people, that would be of than a Lifetime Achievement but not for our speaker. After he retired from the senate the call to serve as chairman of the International Disarmament in Northern Ireland and later as chairman of the subsequent peace negotiation as it culminated in the Historic Good friday agreement. Been awarded the philadelphia liberty medal, the prize, nstitute peace the german peace prize, the unesco peace prize and president ial medal of freedom. Could keep going but i think you get the message. He has shown by witness of his life that Public Service is one le profession and that man can indeed make a difference. Gentlemen, please join me in welcoming him now. Teddys friends, a true american patriot, senator mitchell. [applause] you very much, vicky, or that really overly generous introduction. Ambassador anderson and colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for being here and thank you for your warm reception. Twooin in a recollection of great events, Northern Ireland kennedy. Ted was a force of nature as say, a truly great public ervant and a wonderful, wonderful colleague and friend to me during my entire time in senate. I want to begin with a few stories stories, because ted, while hes tremendous or his legislative record, his advancement to the of our society, in particular to justice pts of equal and equal opportunity for all america mericans, ted was also a great storytell er, a ller, joke tell i cant tellr, and some of the jokes he told. I do want to tell a kucouple. First is how i met ted kennedy. Serving as a federal judge muskie wasen senator appointed secretary of state creating a vacancy in the senate. Maine, a good joe american man named brennen, announced that since it was in the middle of the year session he in didnt want the senate to be underrepresented so he was going make a decision and he scheduled a press conference later on a ays machine noon to a monday noon to announce his decision. There was a lot of speculation. My name was not included among had been se i appointed a federal judge just the year before. Evening nday before the Governors Press conference, i went to bed early. Go to bed early in maine ing cially sun nights wonder ing what the governor was going to do. It t 11 00 the phone rang, was the governor. He said i would like you to come down to the State Capitol so i can t noon announce that im going to appoint you to the senate. Governor, really a big surprise and big decision, i less een a federal judge than a year. I have to think about it. He said i will give one hour. Protested he insisted. So when we hung up i immediately called my family i have three older brothers. A very small town in maine. Y three brothers were very famous athletes. Very prominent in our community i around new england and came along and i was not as good an athlete as my brothers. I very early in my life became known as johnny itchells kid brother the one who isnt any good. As you might expect i developed inferiority cop mechanics and highly complex competitive at attitude toward my brothers. Ostensibly to m seek their advice but i confess note of triumphantal inch. I said the governor called and ants to appoint me to the u. S. Senate. What do you think . Their reactions much predictably negative. My brother johnny said you should stay where you are because Everybody Knows you are couldnt er, you possibly win a statewide election. Fancies brother who it to use ability t first ask arent the people of maven spwaeulted entitled to intain have a qualified person in the senate and isnt it obvious that you are not one of them. Hung up and called the governor and said i dont need an hour. Received all the assurance of my ability to serve in this job. Went to the State Capitol the next day. And i flew to washington and the swearing in was scheduled for tuesday morning. Landed at National Airport i had nothing to do and cab whim i said to the driver take me to the senate side of the capital. Come up and ould finds the majority leader and introduce myself. To the senate and i was taken in, the senate was in bill. On debating a and i was taken down to the well meet the then majority leader robert byrd. A vague idea who i was. He said ok young man we will swear you in right now. Prevented because i had flown down thinking i wonder if all three networks would be covering live. I knew for sure all the major newspapers much holding a edition. We are going to swear you in now. Sir. Id yes, so i was sworn in. They interrupted the debate, and almost immediately thereafter the senate resumed session and the occurred. For those interested in political trivia and nobody they were not f interested, i hold the alltime American History for having cast a vote the shortest time after entering the senate. Two minutes. That was the first of many informed judgments i made on of you and all the other American People. Then senator byrd said you around because theres going to be a filibuster it ght and you can see how works. Not knowing better i knew othing about what was happening. I took my seat. Number 100 way in the back orner and the whole senate emptied and i was alone wondering what was going to lap. Happen. Another senator got the attention of the presiding officer and said i would like to a few words and spoke for six hours. I was the only other senator me for six spoke to hours. After about three or four i learning was not anythi anything. I wanted to go about doing the business. And i had thoughts of leaving. He must have sensed it because walked over and stood in front of me and directed his remarks toward me. After six hours there was a quorum called, how they keep it many of you know when a et occurs the lights flash and vote occurs lights flash and and cast 98 poured in votes signifying their presence, really. Filibuster resumed. Another guy came on and the others left and this guy spoke six hours. So i stayed up all night sitting in the senate serving as an audience. Finally, i was very tired and hungry and i went over it a standing by the side door and i asked him, look, im sorry you. Ther im new here. He said senator, that is obvious to everyone. I said im here thinking im serving the nation and im other ng all these senators, they are not here. What do they do . Go . E do they he said i will show you. I took me around to a room senate chamber, theres a big, looks like a called the reading room and like a library in back place where o a senators sleep during the filibusters. Hey bring in narrow folding cots the type you see in emergency shelters and he took there lying there were guys of old mostly white snoring way. E said theres a cot in the middle. You better grab it. I had to climb over other senators to get there. Who was the first person i had to climb over . Ted kennedy. You know, vicky, he was not a slight fellow. Him to me atg over the time felt like i was everest without equipment. I used all the athletic skill my said i dont have and got over him without disturbing him. Nd before i was able to tkpwra ongratulate myself i looked on the next cot was senator jesse north carolina. I had not been there long but i was aware of his reputation as a defender of heterosexual rights. So, i was really worried. Climbing over him. Imagining the controversy if i top my balance and fell on of him right in the presence of a lot of famous people. So i made it across. Without disturbing either of them. Got on this cot and started to a huge mistake i made. Had been a federal judge a distinguished person with a robe, people came in and sat and got up when i left the room. Here i was just one more of snoring away overnight and i wallowed in selfpity. Over on this cot and i looked just inches away face of the senator on the next cot and it was john virginia. At that time he was married to taylor. H i thought to myself, who am i to for myself. Here is a guy who could be home, legally in bed with Elizabeth Taylor and he is spending the me. T with so, i realized then that no matter how bad off you have it some guy who has it worse. I resolved not to feel sorry for myself. The bells rang and lights flashed it was by then a ly morning and i made it point when i got up to walk around, stand by the door so teddy got himself up and assembled i introduced myself to in the chamber where we slept. Was my first meeting with ted kennedys. Unforgettable for me. For ure he didnt remember a very long time. I do want to tell another story teddy favorite. E got to be good friends and i ayed many appearances at boston with ted and john kerry and sometimes with the two of them together. And i told this story which is true, that they got a teddy got a kick out of. The reasons you will understand in a moment. To boston teddy would say you are going to tell that tonight,out the big dig arent you . I said i dont know. John kerry would say you are not damn desire that about the big dig. We have heard enough of that. E are sick of t. Teddy would say, no, no, you tell the story. I insist. I would tell ory about teddy and kerry and the big dig. Tip in the senate and oneill in the house got included in the authorization on one of what we call the highway bill, the transportation bill the big dig in boston. Reduce effort to traffic by building an underground network of roads understood the city. Controversial, very expensive. A ore they started there was change in the administration in massachusetts and the newly governor didnt want the project to be retained. He got in touch with president reagan and asked him his budget, withdraw support authorization for the big dig. So, teddy and john and the werechusetts house members upset and they were deeply oncerned and wanted to fight hard to make sure the effort to remove the funding authorization did not succeed. It turned out that neither ted john kerry were on the authorizing committee but i was john chiafee. Of we got to the