By David Cruz
NJ Today
After he announced his retirement in February, Frank Lautenberg became increasingly ill. He was a no show in the Senate chambers for weeks afterwards. But it is a testament to his fighting reputation that no one was surprised when he showed up for an important committee vote last month, in a wheelchair but still his spry self. Today, his colleague and friend Sen. Bob Menendez seemed caught off guard by the news of his passing.
“Even though I knew Sen. Lautenberg was ill, I’m still taken aback by his passing because I thought, having seen him two weeks ago, that he had a lot more time,” he said, fighting off tears. “I’m focused on remembering his legacy and his life and his commitment to New Jersey and to the country.”
Lautenberg had a tenacity borne of his roots in Paterson, growing up poor and struggling. He found opportunity in military service, getting a chance to go to college through the GI Bill, then building a company from scratch. His long-time friend and business partner Stephen Greenberg reiterated what Lautenberg was fond of saying, that you could take the kid out of Paterson but you could never take Paterson out of the kid.
“He never forgot the people who needed help and as a result he became the longest serving senator in the state’s history,” Greenberg said. “I think the state appropriately understands that and owes him a great debt of gratitude.”
In Paterson, Lautenberg’s hometown, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Barbara Buono talked with us after a campaign event. She called Lautenberg an inspiration.
“What I loved about him was that he always said what was on his mind,” said Buono. “He was very consistent about that. He never calibrated what he was gonna say as to what would go over best politically. He just said what was on his mind and I identify with that.”
Nearby another of Paterson’s favorite sons, long-time friend, Congressman Bill Pascrell called his friend a man of action.
“Frank was a pretty creative guy,” recalled Pascrell. “He took on tough issues. He didn’t take on Mickey Mouse issues. You could never say that. But he took them on to get a resolution to the problem. Not simply to debate it. He was results-oriented, unlike most politicians who are in the Congress today.”
Sen. Lautenberg is being remembered as a true Jersey guy who walked it like he talked it. He could be stubborn and prickly and could hold a grudge, but as one of his friends put it today, those are exactly the qualities that made him a successful senator.