“I, along with everyone who had the privilege to know him, will greatly miss Senator Danny Akaka. He was a dear friend and a great public servant. One of the highlights of my political career was being a part of the freshman class of the 95th United States Congress with Daniel Akaka. Danny was the embodiment of Hawaii’s treasured spirit of Aloha. He was soft-spoken, humble, and unfailingly polite – attributes that earned him admiration and respect, and that stand in stark contrast to the bitter, partisan atmosphere that permeates Capitol Hill today. He was also smart and hard-working — and totally dedicated to the public interest.
Later, we served together in the U.S. Senate, and as Vice President, I remained grateful for his support on important policies. Every time our nation needed Daniel Akaka, he was there. He defended our nation in World War II. He protected our natural resources every chance he got. And he spent decades making each day a bit better for the people he represented and loved."
###