Carper Praises World War II Vets, Celebrates Delaware Day, and Looks to Future in Senate Floor Speech on December 7, 2001

WASHINGTON, DC – On the 60th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor and the 214th anniversary of Delaware becoming the first state to ratify the Constitution, Senator Tom Carper spoke of both today in a speech from the floor of the United States Senate. Carper also spoke hopefully about the future and an American victory over terrorism. “When [World War II veterans] stood and entered the armed services six decades ago, they raised their right hand and took an oath to defend our constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. They participated in the war that brought us through the 20th century to become the great nation we are today. Sixty years ago today, Pearl Harbor was [fought]. Two hundred fourteen years ago today, the Constitution, which they took an oath to defend, was ratified [by the first] state in the United States of America. 214 years ago today, in a place called the Golden Fleece tavern in Dover, Delaware, about 30 delegates who had been there for 80 days decided that Delaware should be the first state to ratify the constitution and provide the foundation which has enabled our nation to survive World War I, World War II, the Korean war, the war in Vietnam, the war against communism, and to win the battle against the Great Depression. We’re fighting another war on terrorism today and around the world, here in this country and other places. And that constitution, which provides us with our three branches of government — the legislative branch, of which we’re one-half; the executive branch, the judicial branch — the constitution [is the] most enduring of any constitution in the world [and] provides the foundation for the longest living democracy in the history of the world. It was first ratified today 214 years ago [in Delaware]. And I would just say as I conclude, any country that can survive two World Wars and a Civil War and Great Depression and vanquish the communists, can certainly handle the terrorists [and any] issues that divide us today.”