Menendez believes a society is judged by how it treats its weakest.
Question: Do you have a political philosophy?
Robert Menendez: I do. My political philosophy is rooted in the belief that when one of us is left behind, all of us are diminished. And it probably can best be exemplified in the words of . . . I believe it was Hubert Humphrey who said a society is judged by how we treat those in the dawn of life – our children; how we treat those in the shadows of life – those who have some disability, or affliction, or other challenge; and how we treat those in the twilight of life – our parents and grandparents. And so that view that we move together as a nation, but when we leave people behind we are all diminished is one that instructs me – personally speaking – in terms of what I both believe that politics, and public policy, and government should be about.
Recorded on: 9/12/07