George Mitchell. whose wisdom. steady perseverance and total dedication to the cause of peace enabled the parties to find a way to put the years of hatred behind them and look to a new day. Senator Mitchell came from humble beginnings. Born to Lebanese and Irish immigrants in rural Maine. he worked his way through Bowdoin College and Georgetown Law School. As a Federal judge and from the time he joined the Senate in 1982. he demonstrated patience. evenhandedness and commitment to the public good. As majority leader. he served as an articulate national spokesman. a trusted colleague and a good friend. As the first serving U.S. President to visit Northern Ireland. President Clinton made a commitment to the peace process early on. courageously put his prestige on the line by granting a visa to Gerry Adams. and showed great foresight in his appointment of Senator Mitchell as chairman of the negotiations. As I said at that time. I could not have imagined a person better suited to bring the sides together and forge a common path to the future.
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