In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman praised his colleague Pete Domenici, and in a later interview he said he has seen nothing that might indicate
Domenici is announcing his retirement today because he has frontotemporal lobar degeneration, which can lead to frontotemporal dementia and affect parts of the brain important for organization, decision-making and mood and behavior control.
“Senator Domenici called me yesterday afternoon to tell me of his decision,” Bingaman said today during the speech. “My reaction was one of surprise, which gave way to admiration and appreciation for this man’s decision to conclude his distinguished career of public service on his own terms.”
Bingaman said when he arrived in the Senate in 1983 that Domenici was “here to welcome me,” and said the senator has “earned a reputation as a fierce and effective champion for
“Today, and during his entire Senate career, Pete has achieved what all of us try to achieve – that is to be effective in getting results in Washington while also staying close to the people who have sent us here to represent them,” Bingaman said. “He has assured me that he expects the remaining fifteen months of his service to be productive. Knowing Pete, I am sure that it will.”
In an interview after the speech, Bingaman reiterated the last point. He said it has been obvious that Domenici has suffered from health problems, but he hasn’t seen anything to make him believe the senior senator can’t continue to serve. Bingaman noted that he flew with Domenici from
“He has more difficulty getting around now than he did a year or two ago, but I saw no evidence that he could not continue to be effective,” Bingaman said.
Bingaman did say that Domenici’s health “has not been good in recent months, and he would be the first to acknowledge that,” but said he understood that to be the result of “the aches and pains that come with getting older and the medicine he was on for those problems.”
He said he has seen nothing to indicate some of the mental problems that can accompany Domenici’s condition, particularly in its later stages.
Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., also praised Domenici today in a speech, calling him a “great friend” who would be sorely missed. And Gov. Bill Richardson declared today “Senator Pete V. Domenici Day.” Read the proclamation by clicking here.
Here is video of Bingaman’s speech: