Brenden sings his Senate goodbye

HELENA -- One of the most colorful characters at the Montana Legislature, Sen. John Brenden, R-Scobey, said goodbye to the Senate recently in a speech that ended in song. One of his last pieces of legislation is Senate Bill 284, which would require approval from county commissioners for bison relocation. It passed the Senate 32-18 and House 59-40.

He said…

I really was looking forward to this being a great day, but you just took a vote on my bison bill and you didn't give me a 50-0 vote. I mean, that would have been my going-away present.

In all reality, I don't know where the time has gone. I don't know how I got involved in politics, either, but I do remember going back to 1948 as a very pivotal year. That's when Dewey and Truman were running for president.

My dad had a furniture store, and we had a very fancy radio but not a very good radio station. I remember laying on the floor, and I'm sure I must have heard my folks say, "Go, Dewey, go!" so I'm on the floor and I'm going, "Go, Dewey, go!"

That's my first memory of politics. And my folk weren't real active in politics, but I suppose that's maybe where I got my start. They were farmers and business folks.

And then I also remember 1948 when John Bonner was governor, from '48-'52 and I remember in "Life" or "Look" magazine, there was a national governors conference and Bonner had a little too much fun one night and he got thrown in jail.

And he said, "You can't do that to me! I'm the governor of Montana!" And they said, "Oh yes we can, and you're not the governor of Montana." Well, here's the front page of the governor behind bars.

That's when I started. I've seen personally, shaken hands with every president since (Dwight) Eisenhower, shook (presidents) Kennedy and Nixon's hands. When Ronald Reagan and George Bush were presidents, I was state chairman during that time. Really a lot of neat things I've gotten to do.

And of course, I've known every governor since 1948.

I've been very fortunate. I've been involved in the executive and the legislative parts of government. And with one exception, I've been everywhere in this Capitol over 50 years.

Now I'm a pilot. I used to fly a lot. It never used to bother me to fly an airplane with the heights, but I get over two steps high on a step ladder and it kinda bothers me. And you know, as tall as I am, that really bothers me. There's one place I haven't gone, and I don't know if I dare go up there, but I might, and that's up to the Capitol dome.

When I was on the fish and game commission, the last two years the Democrats were in control and they said, "Well, Brenden, goodbye, you're gone." And I didn't say anything until one meeting. I said, "I know I'm gone, but you never know where I'm going to show up next." So the next meeting they said, "Are you running for governor?" Well, I had to keep them guessing, and I have.

I'm kind of like a basketball. I've bounced back and forth all my life in government. It's a labor of love, and I love doing it.

And you know, the finest people I've met are people in politics. When I was state chairman, I had several people come up and say, "Well, what are you going to do about the Democrats?" I said, "I'm not going to do anything." "You're not going to do anything? You're the state party chair! You're not going to do anything about the Democrats?" I said, "No. You think Jimmy Keane (D-Butte) or (Jon) Sesso (D-Butte) are going to invite me to address the Democratic party?" I said, "I have a bigger problem rounding up all these independent-minded Republicans to get them herded in one direction."

Then another person said, "Well you know all politicians are corrupt." And I said, "That is wrong. That is totally wrong." Some of the nicest people I've ever met and some of my best friends are in politics. It doesn't matter whether they're mayors or federal congressmen or in this body or in the House or whatever job they're in.

I said, "Politicians are nothing but an extension of society. And that's true. You get a lot of good ones. You get some there just for the ride. And once in a while it's like a good barrel of apples with one or two bad apples. But that's life."

And you know, like Sen. (Jonathan) Windy Boy (D-Box Elder) said, "I'll be back," what (Arnold) Schwarzenegger said. Well, that's what I'm going to do.

Since I haven't been able to serve in the (Montana) Supreme Court (laughter) – I tried as a public member and none of you voted for that, thank you not very much – so as soon as I get out of here I'm going to law school and I'm going to get on the Supreme Court. So, I'll be back, too.

All the thank yous have been given to our staff and to everybody and to our president and what have you. All I can say is, I echo that. I especially want to thank my wife and family, who put up with me. And you know, Carol and I have done a lot of singing in our lives. You've heard of Rodgers and Hammerstein, well we've got a Brenden and Brendenstein.

(Brenden sings – see video)