Daniel Inouye, Second-Longest Serving Senator, Dies

World War II hero served in Congress throughout Hawaii's time as a state

Sen. Daniel Inouye, the longest serving senator and fourth in line of presidential succession, has died. Inouye, a decorated World War II hero, was 88. According to his office, "His last words were, 'Aloha.'"

Inouye has been hospitalized since early December due to respiratory problems. His cause of death was "respiratory complications".

Inouye was first elected to the Senate in 1962, after three years in the House. He served in Congress throughout Hawaii's time as a state.

After a half-century in the Senate Inouye held an influential position as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. He was also president pro tem of the Senate, putting him in the line of presidential succession behind House Speaker John Boehner. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), will now hold that position.

A low-key lawmaker, Inouye commanded bipartisan respect. "Senator Daniel Inouye was an American hero. Read up on his WWII service. Incredible. He will be missed. #Aloha #RIP," tweeted Rory Cooper (@rorycooper), communications director for House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA).

What will Sen. Inouye's legacy be?

[DARSB]

A lifetime of public service, back when that meant service to the country, not the contributors.

[CATTLEPROD]

I hope he found what he was looking for, thats about the best I know to say when anyone dies. I am wondering what you said earlier that got removed from the SC senator site. Not sure if it was aimed at me but can you censor it and resend? Thats out of character for you darsb.

[Calfkiller]

@CATTLEPROD The great DARSB got out of line? I would like to have that framed.

[DARSB]

@CATTLEPROD I suspect it involved a certain noun Tea Party people used in their early days that, it later turned out, was also euphemism for a specific sex act. Your post had mentioned a "derogatory" term in a reply to another person's post and I was asking you if that, umm, "bi-defined" word was the one you found derogatory.

[CATTLEPROD]

@DARSB No, I am actually kind of naive about sexual referances. I knew that tea refferance was something in that realm but as usual, I was not in on the joke, but am also glad for it.

[Fishbone345]

Hero, Serviceman, Congressman. This mans life has been spent doing what others in Congress and the US itself only pay lip service to.
Rest in Peace Sir. I salute you.

[PNWest]

I remember him from the Senate Watergate investigations many years ago. RIP Senator.

[jessejaymes]

I respected the man and his image. I haven't hear much about him in the past 20 years but he was always someone I thought of early on as an American of value. R.I.P.

[Kptpredsfan]

His legacy will be that of an american hero! He will be truly missed on the beltway and around the country.

[Oneness3am_i]

May peace be with you, and the rest as well..

[FollowTheMoney]

Never met the man, so I don't really know anything about him. All I do know about him is had his senate seat 42 years too long.

[wild_turkey6]

You should also know that he dropped out of medical school when Pearl Harbor was attacked to enlist in the Army. At a time when Japanese fear put hundreds of families in Internment camps, he was in Europe fighting the Axis. He earned the Medal of Honor for destroying two machine gun nests. To destroy the second, he had to pry a grenade out of his right hand, because a sniper shot his arm off at the elbow.
He was an American Hero.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Inouye#Me...

[FollowTheMoney]

@wild_turkey6 Sounds like a great American. Still way too long in congress. About 42 years too long.

[wild_turkey6]

@FollowTheMoney if anyone earned the right, it was him. Regardless, the people of Hawaii kept sending him, they must had their reasons.

[FollowTheMoney]

@wild_turkey6 Whats good for one isn't necessarily good for all. Long term entrenched incumbents have too much power and influence over those without the tenure. The federal government is meant to serve the entire country, not one state. Term limits need to happen ASAP! It's the only way to move towards solving the nations problem. Career politicians are the single biggest obstacle keeping us from fixing the problems congress has created.

[wild_turkey6]

@FollowTheMoney I'm not disagreeing with you, just playing Devil's Advocate. But ultimately it is the job of the Congressman's job to represent his constituents. Traditionally this has been done by bringing in money and jobs to the state, (earmarks). I agree with you on career politicians, however.

[RoyFloyd]

He gave his arm for a country that questioned his patriotism. Godspeed, Senator.

[Dan_Tien]

I have long been an admirer of Senator Inouye. I knew a man who served with him in the 442nd Division. "Go For Broke!" He certainly did.

[Calfkiller]

Where was he a senator? I've never seen him before, that I recall.

[paperdragons81]

Hawaii, I havnt seen him before either I havnt been following politics for very long. Curious about what he did while in office, but he's gone now so, aloha and rest in peace.

[Mojave888]

Read up on how he won his Medal of Honor, and why it took so long to receive it. At one point he removed a live hand grenade from his own hand, which was laying on the ground along with his forearm, and took out the third of three German machine gun positions. All this after being shot in the abdomen.

Rest in Peace good sir.
Aloha

[Calfkiller]

@Mojave888 dang I'll definitely read up on that. I'm guessing he didn't get a PTSD check every month either. Sounds like a real hero.

[Speedieg]

He will be remembered as a strong supporter of equality. He will be missed.

[Sharpshooter]

A Medal of Honor Recipient who spent his life demonstrating how the word Honor can be lived.

I didn't always agree with his politics, but always found him to be a stand up guy.

I remember him chastising Lt.Col. North during the Iran Contra hearings... he was stern but still respectful when reminding Ollie something about "we always invoke God into our position during a war but need to remember the people on the other side are doing so as well."

Hell of a man and quite rare to see someone deserving of the title Senator.

Aloha Sir.... you're already missed