- [Narrator] Funding for this edition of One-On-One with Steve Adubato has been provided by PSE&G, committed to providing safe, reliable energy now and in the future.

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- This is One-On-One.

- I'm an equal American just like you are.

- The way we change Presidents in this country is by voting.

- A quartet is already a jawn, it's just The New Jawn.

- January 6th was not some sort of violent, crazy outlier.

- I don't care how good you are or how good you think you are, there is always something to learn.

- I mean what other country sends comedians over to embedded military to make them feel better.

- People call me 'cause they feel nobody's paying attention.

_ It's not all about memorizing and getting information, it's what you do with that information.

- (slowly) Start talking right now.

- That's a good question, high five.

(upbeat music) - Hi, everyone, Steve Adubato here for "Remember Them."

My colleague, Jacqui Tricarico.

Jacqui, today we remember, we honor and recognize the late-Governor of New Jersey, Brendan Byrne.

Set up what people are about to see 'cause it's not the typical "Remember Them."

- Yeah, you know, we just thought it was so important to re-air something that we did on Brendan Byrne, Governor Brendan Byrne, in 2013, with the unveiling of a statue of him in Newark that we covered.

We were able to talk to so many people there that day who really just gave their insight about Brendan Byrne the governor, about Brendan Byrne the person.

And, Steve, I feel like he had so many of these little nicknames too.

There was, you know, One-Term Byrne that he had at one point.

- How about the man in the mafia case- - Who couldn't be bought.

The man who couldn't be bought.

- Jacqui, I'm sorry, lemme put that in perspective.

He wasn't the governor at the time.

He was the prosecutor in Essex County.

And on the tapes in which the federal government was investigating organized crime in Newark, Hugh J. Addonizio, the mayor at the time, mid-late 1960s, in the tape, they're talking about political figures they might be able to buy off, the mob guys.

And they said, "That Brendan Byrne, he can't be bought."

- Yep.

- And that's the campaign slogan he ran on when he won in 19- - I know, and that says a lot about him, right?

- 1973 he got elected, and then again in '77.

Why One-Term Byrne?

- Because of his unpopular income tax.

He did go on to win a second term after that, right?

But at that point people were not happy with some things that he was doing.

- But, Jacqui, it's so interesting 'cause we did another "Remember Them" on Governor Jim Florio, and we talked about the fact that Florio led the effort to pass a $2.8 billion tax increase.

And what's so interesting is Byrne had a historic, think about this, we didn't even have an income tax!

He created the income tax!

He got the legislature to pass an income tax!

New Jersey was like Florida, no income tax.

One-Term Byrne, he went out there and he said, "Look, you may not want me to have an income tax, you may not wanna pay more income tax, but our schools are struggling.

Local property taxes can't pay for it.

There's not enough money in our schools.

We need state aid.

The only way to get state aid is to create an income tax."

People hated him for it.

But he went out and he explained it and he made it clear that the choice was a tough one.

And he accepted the people's decision, which was to reelect him in 1977, interesting.

- Yeah, and during that second term too, I know something significant that he did was oversee the opening of the first gambling casinos in Atlantic City, which was huge for the state of New Jersey at the time, bringing in so much revenue.

And, you know, somebody that we see a lot in this half-hour special is Tom Kean, Sr., who, him and Governor Byrne, were really close friends.

You interviewed them together on several accounts.

They did a lot of things together.

They wrote a "Star-Ledger" column for a while.

So it's fun hearing directly from him too about his buddy, Governor Brendan Byrne.

- Brendan Byrne had a great sense of humor and I'll finish this on this, he used to say to me, one of the things he didn't miss about when he was governor was that when he was governor, people would wave to him with only one finger.

And then, after he was governor, they waved with all five.

See you didn't know that, Jacqui, you didn't see that coming!

That's right, I like to surprise you, Jacqui.

For "Remember Them," Jacqui Tricarico and our terrific team behind the scenes.

We remember the honorable Governor Brendan Byrne.

THIS IS STEVE ADUBATO ON LOCATION AT THE BRENDAN T. BYRNE ESSEX COUNTY COURT PLAZA AND BEHIND ME YOU'LL SEE A 7 FOOT STATUE OF THE HONORABLE GOVERNOR BYRNE AND THAT IS GOVERNOR BYRNE RIGHT THERE THIS IS AFTER THE CEREMONY THERE WERE FOUR FIVE GOVERNORS WHO SPOKE ABOUT GOVERNOR BYRNE AND OTHER DIGNITARIES WHO SPOKE ABOUT GOVERNOR BYRNE THE ACCOLADES THE PRAISE JUST KEPT COMING ONE SPEAKER AFTER THE OTHER BUT IT CONCLUDED WITH GOVERNOR BYRNE WITH HIS IRISH WIT WITH HIS CHARM WITH HIS STRAIGHTFORWARD WAY OF CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS THIS WAS A GREAT DAY FOR ESSEX COUNTY A GREAT DAY FOR NEW JERSEY A GREAT DAY FOR THIS COUNTRY AND A GREAT DAY FOR THE HONORABLE BRENDAN T BYRNE AND I'M STEVE ADUBATO LET'S GO TO THE VIDEOTAPE AS MY FRIEND WARNER WOLF ALWAYS LIKED TO SAY [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] WE'RE HERE WITH JIM ZAZZALI WHO REALLY HAS A SENSE OF BRENDAN BYRNE IN A WAY THAT OTHERS DON'T WE'RE HERE ACTUALLY RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE STATUE THAT WILL BE UNVEILED VERY SOON TALK TO US JIM ABOUT BRENDAN BYRNE >>WELL WHAT CAN I SAY?

I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO WORK FOR HIM WHEN I WAS AN ASSISTANT PROSECUTOR AND THEN WHEN HE WAS GOVERNOR I... YOU KNOW WE'VE HAD SOME GREAT GOVERNORS IN FACT, MOST OF OUR GOVERNORS SINCE THE MODERN STATE CONSTITUTION WAS ADOPTED HAVE BEEN REALLY VERY FINE GOVERNORS AND THEY'VE ALL HAD TERRIFIC TRAITS.

MANY THINGS DISTINGUISH BRENDAN, BUT IN MY VIEW WHAT REALLY CHARACTERIZES HIS LIFE AND HIS CAREER THE MOST IS HIS COURAGE.

HE HAD TREMENDOUS COURAGE TO DO THE RIGHT THING REGARDLESS OF THE POLITICAL PRICE... >>ONE EXAMPLE?

>>...HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY.

WELL I THINK MANY COME TO MIND BUT THE INCOME TAX WHEN HE SUPPORTED THE INCOME TAX BACK IN 1976 OR SO OR WHATEVER THE YEAR WAS EVERYONE PREDICTED THAT THAT WOULD CAUSE HIS DEMISE AS GOVERNOR AND THAT HE COULD NEVER BE REELECTED AND THAT WAS THE PREDICTION HIS APPROVAL RATING AFTER THE INCOME TAX WAS 17 PERCENT OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY AND THAT WAS JUST NINE MONTHS BEFORE THE ELECTION THE PUBLIC RECOGNIZED WHAT A GREAT THING HE HAD DONE AND WHAT A FINE GOVERNOR HE WAS SHOWING INTELLECTUAL HONESTY AND INTEGRITY AND AGAIN COURAGE BUT ON SO MANY LEVELS HE DID THE UNPOPULAR THING REGARDLESS OF THE POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT LEGACY >>BOB MARINO FROM HORIZON ONE OF THE MAJOR SPONSORS ALLOWED FOR THIS TO HAPPEN AND SUPPORTED IT.

WHY?

>>WE WERE HONORED TO DO THIS WHEN JOE D. CALLED US GOVERNOR BYRNE IS AN OUTSTANDING ESSEX COUNTY CITIZEN HORIZON BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD HAS BEEN AN ESSEX COUNTY CITIZEN FOR 80 YEARS THIS WAS ONLY RIGHT AND PROPER THAT WE DO THIS AND ON A PERSONAL LEVEL AS AN ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENT MYSELF, I'M HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY TO BE PART OF THIS >>WE'RE HERE WITH TWO PEOPLE THAT ARE RECOGNIZABLE TO OUR AUDIENCE IT'S THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE IN ESSEX COUNTY JOE D. JOE DIVINCENZO AND OUR GOVERNOR OUR FORMER GOVERNOR BUT ALWAYS OUR GOVERNOR TOM KEAN JOE WHY TODAY THE STATUE OF GOVERNOR BYRNE WILL BE UNVEILED IN JUST A FEW MINUTES I'LL ASK THE GOVERNOR GOVERNOR KEAN WHY HE IS HERE BUT WHY TODAY?

WHY GOVERNOR BYRNE?

>>WELL FIRST OF ALL GOVERNOR BYRNE IS AN ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENT, BESIDES THAT HE WAS A SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE, HE WAS A PROSECUTOR, AND HE WAS THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE FOR EIGHT YEARS AND AFTER BEING THE GOVERNOR, HE'S ALSO BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN ISSUES CONCERNING THE STATE AND HE'S SOMEONE YOU KNOW WHO WENT THROUGH A DIFFICULT TIME WHEN HE WAS ELECTED NO ONE EVER THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA BE REELECTED AND HE GOT REELECTED HE MADE A TOUGH DECISION HE STOOD BY HIS PRINCIPLES AND HE GOT IT DONE AND HE TOLD ME ABOUT THE MEADOWLANDS IF IT WASN'T FOR GOVERNOR BYRNE WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE GIANTS AND JETS THERE RIGHT NOW I MEAN WHAT WE'VE DONE TO THIS COMPLEX WE MADE IT WHERE I WANT PEOPLE TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE IN THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTY SO NOW WHEN THEY COME HERE WALK IN THERE THEY SEE GOVERNOR BYRNE'S STATUE AND THEY KNOW HE WAS A PRESENCE, I WANT EVERYONE... >>BYRNE, THIS IS GOVERNOR BYRNE PLAZA?

>>THIS IS HIS PLAZA NOW WE HAVE A FULL STATUE OF HIM I BELIEVE IT'S THE FULL FIRST STATUE OF SEVEN FOOT STATUE OF ANY GOVERNOR I MEAN THAT'S WHAT HAS BEEN TOLD TO ME >>I'M LOOKING AT GOVERNOR KEAN WHO WAS GOVERNOR BYRNE'S TENNIS PARTNER >>YEAH [LAUGHTER] >>IS THERE ANY... DO YOU...

I JUST... A SEVEN FOOT STATUE FOR YOUR TENNIS PARTNER GOVERNOR?

>>[LAUGHTER] LISTEN, HE NEEDED IT IN TENNIS COURT >>[LAUGHTER] [LAUGHTER] >>NOW JOE D. PLAYS TENNIS TOO NOW YOU MIGHT NEED A NEW PARTNER BECAUSE I MEAN SEVEN FOOT >>I'M ALWAYS READY [LAUGHTER] >>WHAT DO YOU...?

WHAT...?

OTHER THAN PLAYING TENNIS WITH HIM WHICH YOU ALWAYS LOVED YOUR SENSE OF YOUR COLLEAGUE, YOU PREDECESSOR AS GOVERNOR?

>>HEY LOOK, HE'S UNIQUE IN SO MANY WAYS AND HE'S SUCH AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT A PUBLIC CITIZEN IS AND SHOULD BE AND WHAT A PUBLIC OFFICIAL SHOULD BE AND THE FACT THAT JOE D'S RECOGNIZED HIM THIS WAY IS TERRIFIC LOOK, I WAS A REPUBLICAN LEADER IN THE LEGISLATURE BRENDAN BYRNE WAS GOVERNOR, WE DISAGREED ON A LOT OF STUFF WE MET ALL THE TIME AND OUT OF THAT RELATIONSHIP WE BECAME THE CLOSEST OF FRIENDS THAT'S THE WAY POLITICS SHOULD BE, THAT'S THE WAY GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE THAT'S THE WAY BRENDAN BYRNE IS AND HIS WHOLE LIFE HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO TRYING TO MAKE NEW JERSEY A BETTER PLACE >>WE'RE HERE WITH JAY WARREN WHO IS THE SCULPTOR THE GUY WHO PUT TOGETHER THIS EXTRAORDINARY SEVEN FOOT STATUE OF THE HONORABLE BRENDAN T BYRNE I MEAN IT'S BEAUTIFUL EVERYONE LOVES IT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF BRENDAN BYRNE HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE IT?

>>LIKE, THE HUMOR COMES OUT A LOT, YOU KNOW VERY HUMOROUS, VERY SINCERE AND THOUGHTFUL IT'S, THE POSE I PUT HIM IN IS ONE I KEPT SEEING OVER AND OVER WITH HIS FINGERS LACED STANDING AND LISTENING TO SOMEONE SPEAKING TO HIM, IN A VERY THOUGHTFUL CONTEMPLATIVE POSE SO THAT'S WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO BRING FORWARD IN HIM >>IT'S BEAUTIFUL THANK YOU VERY MUCH >>THANK'S A LOT >>WE ARE HERE WITH HAROLD HODES IT WAS SAID BY I THINK GOVERNOR MCGREEVEY THAT BRENDAN BYRNE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT OF GREAT THINGS AS GOVERNOR BUT IT WAS SOMETIMES WITH HAROLD HODES' BLOOD NOW HAROLD HODES WAS THE CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE GOVERNOR WAS THERE THAT MUCH BLOOD?

I MEAN YOU GUYS HAD SOME TOUGH FIGHTS, THE INCOME TAX, SCHOOL FUNDING THE MEADOWLANDS, THE PINELANDS, WAS IT...?

WAS THERE A LOT OF BLOOD?

>>NO IT WAS A BIPARTISAN APPROACH BACK THEN BUT YOU NEEDED TO EXERT SOME INFLUENCE WITHIN THE LEGISLATURE AS YOU ALL KNOW AND THE GOVERNOR WAS A MAN OF PRINCIPLE AND INTEGRITY AND THAT'S WHAT WAS SAID TODAY >>YOU KNOW YOU'RE BEING SO DIGNIFIED AND POLITICAL ABOUT IT BUT HAROLD COME ON, SERIOUSLY WHEN PEOPLE ASK "HOW THE HECK DO YOU GET IT DONE WHEN SO FEW CAN GET IT DONE?"

IS THERE ONE SECRET THAT YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH FOLKS ABOUT HOW BIPARTISANSHIP COULD ACTUALLY WORK AND GET THINGS ACCOMPLISHED?

>>SURE, YOU... FIRST OF ALL, YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE DISTRICT YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE LEGISLATURE YOU KNOW YOU WOULD HAVE TO KNOW WHAT HE CAN DO AND WHAT HE CAN'T DO YOU SHOW HIM THE PROPER RESPECT, YOU KEEP YOUR WORD AND YOU HAVE INTEGRITY AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO WORK IT OUT AND YOU TAKE ONE ISSUE AT A TIME >>BUT WHAT WAS IT AND WHAT IS IT ABOUT BRENDAN BYRNE...?

AND AGAIN YOU GUYS WERE A TEAM BUT WHAT WAS IT ABOUT BRENDAN BYRNE DURING THOSE YEARS OF 1974 - 1981 THAT HAD HIM BE THE KIND OF LEADER THAT HE WAS?

AGAIN IN '77... HELP ME PEOPLE SAID "ONE TERM THAT'S IT NO WAY HE GETS REELECTED" WHAT DID YOU, AND WHAT DID BRENDAN BYRNE SEE AND KNOW, THAT YOU SAID "WAIT A MINUTE?

WE HAVE A SHOT HERE"?

THAT WAS AFTER THE INCOME TAX SO... HOW UNPOPULAR?

FIRST OF ALL?

>>WELL HE HAD IN THE PRIMARY HE HAD HIS CABINET RUN AGAINST HIM...

HE HAD... >>WOAH WOAH WOAH WOAH GIVE A LITTLE HISTORY PEOPLE HE APPOINTED IN HIS OWN CABINET SAID "WE'RE RUNNING AGAINST YOU"?

>>YES AND HE ALSO HAD TWO CONGRESSMEN RUN AGAINST HIM, PERSONALLY, IT WAS BOB ROW, AND JIM FLORIO >>HOLD ON, DEMOCRATS RAN AGAINST THE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR?

>>RIGHT >>OKAY >>AND THE MAYOR OF JERSEY CITY PAUL JORDAN A REFORMER RAN AGAINST HIM ALSO SO THEREFORE WE WENT INTO THE PRIMARY AND BRENDAN BYRNE CUT A COMMERCIAL ON THE STEPS OF THE STATEHOUSE AND SAID "I MADE A MISTAKE I TOLD YOU THERE WOULDN'T BE AN INCOME TAX, THERE NEEDS TO BE AN INCOME TAX, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY" AND THAT'S THE WHOLE CAMPAIGN AND IT WAS HIS INTEGRITY AND NO ONE ELSE CAME UP WITH A DIFFERENT TYPE OF PLAN THAT WOULD BALANCE THE BUDGET AS HE DID >>LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT SO I THINK WHAT HAROLD HODES IS SAYING IS BRENDAN BYRNE ACTUALLY TOLD THE TRUTH NO SPINNING, NO TRYING TO PLAY GAMES WITH WORDS HE SAID "I MADE A MISTAKE NOT WITH TRYING TO RAISE THE INCOME TAX BUT WITH NOT TELLING YOU I WAS GONNA RAISE THE INCOME TAX" THAT WAS THE MISTAKE?

>>YES >>AND PEOPLE BOUGHT IT?

>>YES BUT AT THE END PEOPLE STARTED TO SWITCH THEIR POSITIONS IN THE ELECTION AROUND SEPTEMBER AND MOMENTUM PICKED UP AND HE WON THE PRIMARY AND WE WENT ON FROM THERE WE STARTED OUT ABOUT 20 POINTS DOWN IN THE SUMMERTIME HE WORKED AT IT AND PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD WHAT BYRNE DID >>AND THE MORAL OF THIS SINCE I HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN MUCH OF THAT SINCE HAROLD IS WHAT?

>>INTEGRITY IS THE MORAL OF THE STORY KEEP YOUR WORD, BELIEVE THROUGH WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN DOING AND AT THE END OF THE DAY COME OUT... YOU'LL COME OUT A WINNER >>WE'RE HERE WITH ESSEX COUNTY SHERIFF ARMANDO FONTOURA THERE'S A CROWD THAT HAS GATHERED IN FRONT OF THE SEVEN FOOT STATUE OF THE HONORABLE BRENDAN BYRNE AN AMAZING OUTPOURING OF LOVE AND SUPPORT FOR A GUY THAT YOU'VE KNOWN FOR MANY MANY YEARS IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW HIM AS A PROSECUTOR RIGHT?

>>I KNEW HIM AS A PROSECUTOR I WAS DOWN IN NEWARK POLICE DEPARTMENT HE WAS A TOUGH PROSECUTOR AND WHEN I BECAME SHERIFF YOU NOW HE DIDN'T LIKE THE SHERIFF, AND HE MADE IT CLEAR THAT THE OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF SHOULD BE ELIMINATED >>[LAUGHTER] >>SO HE SAID BEFORE, HE SAYS, "NO OH I LOVE ARMANDO HE WAS THE BEST SHERIFF EVER BUT WE USED TO BE ENEMIES!"

I SAID "OH NO YOU WERE...

I WAS YOUR FRIEND I ALWAYS LOVED YOU!"

ALWAYS LOVED HIM HE'S A TERRIFIC GUY, HE'S A WONDERFUL PERSON HE'S A GREAT GREAT ESSEX COUNTY GUY, HE IS ESSEX COUNTY >>GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE AND TO ALL OF THE GOVERNORS I BELIEVE WHY HE IS A SUCH A POPULAR GOVERNOR, IS BECAUSE OF HIS HUMILITY I HAVE BEEN IN NEWARK AIRPORT AND SMILED AT SEEING BRENDAN BYRNE PULL ALONG HIS LITTLE SMALL PULLMAN SUITCASE NOT ALLOWING ANYONE TO HELP HIM I HAVE OBSERVED HIM ON MANY OCCASIONS AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE AND RUTHIE ARE GONNA DO BECAUSE PALS CABIN IS CLOSED >>[LAUGHTER] >>THAT I HAVE SEEN ON MANY OCCASIONS HIM ENJOYING A MEAL, FRATERNIZING, AND TALKING WITH ALL OF THE LOCAL PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY WHO COME IN FOR A BITE TO EAT BUT WHAT I LOVE MOST IS A PHOTO I COULDN'T BRING WITH ME TODAY, DURING THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION IN CHARLOTTE, EVERY DAY IN THE NEW JERSEY HOTEL THEY WOULD PUT OUT REFRESHMENTS FROM FIVE TO SEVEN, AND I HAVE A CLASSIC PHOTO OF BRENDAN BYRNE IN HIS BATHROBE >>[LAUGHTER] >>WITH A TOWEL WRAPPED AROUND HIS NECK >>[LAUGHTER] >>COMING DOWN FOR HIS DAILY REFRESHMENTS >>[LAUGHTER] >>BRENDAN BYRNE THAT'S WHY WE LOVE YOU >>[LAUGHTER] >>YOU ARE REAL PEOPLE TO THE ESSEX COUNTY TRADITION >>[LAUGHTER] >>CONGRATULATIONS, IT'S AN HONOR TO REPRESENT >>[APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] >>AND BRENDAN BYRNE IS A SUPPORTER OF THE ARTS?

>>OH YEAH, I MEAN... >>AS IS RUTHIE?

>>OH ABSOLUTELY I MEAN BRENDAN IS AS REGULAR A VISITOR... BRENDAN AND RUTHIE AT THE NJPAC AS ANYBODY THEY COME TO ALL SORTS OF THINGS, YOU KNOW CLASSICAL, POP, JAZZ, GREAT THEATER LOVERS, YOU KNOW HE, YOU KNOW, TOM KEAN AND BRENDAN, THESE ARE THE YOU KNOW, THE ORIGINAL ARTS GOVERNORS "HE'S A DEMOCRAT, YOU'RE A REPUBLICAN, HOW DID YOU GET TO BE SO CLOSE TO HIM?"

>>[LAUGHTER] >>IT WASN'T A JOKE I WAS A REPUBLICAN LEADER IN THE LEGISLATURE HE WAS A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR, HE DIDN'T HAVE TO CONSULT ME ON EVERYTHING HE CONSULTED ME ON MOST THINGS AND THE POLICIES, ALL OF THOSE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT HE DID IF YOU LOOK BACK AT THEM EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM WAS BIPARTISAN THE REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS AND THAT WAS PART OF THE WORK OF THIS GUY WHO BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER, HE SET THE KIND OF AN EXAMPLE THAT OF COURSE SOME OF OUR FRIENDS IN WASHINGTON SHOULD BE LOOKING AT TODAY HE DID ALL OF THESE GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS BUT TO ME YOU BUILD A 7 FOOT STATUE NOT JUST FOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS YOU BUILD IT BECAUSE OF WHO THAT GUY IS WHICH IS OF THE KIND OF EXAMPLE HE SETS TO US ALL ABOUT WHAT A PUBLIC SERVANT REALLY SHOULD BE IN THIS DEMOCRACY WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO BE THAT KIND OF A PUBLIC SERVANT IS HOW YOU BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER I USED TO CALL IT THE POLITICS OF INCLUSION HE IS A POLITICIAN OF INCLUSION HE BROUGHT EVERYBODY TOGETHER LEFT AND RIGHT TO FIND THINGS THAT WERE GOOD FOR THE STATE HE HAS NEVER IN HIS ENTIRE LIFE DONE SOMETHING THAT HE DIDN'T THINK WAS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE STATE THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE STATEMENT TO ME YOU KNOW, HE WAS WRONG ABOUT THOSE DAYS AS GOVERNOR BECAUSE HE'S WRONG IN THE LEDGER EVERY WEEK OR SO >>[LAUGHTER] [LAUGHTER] [LAUGHTER] >>BUT HE WAS WRONG BECAUSE OF FERVENTLY HELD BELIEFS AND WE'D ARGUE AND ARGUE AND YET WE'RE THE BEST OF FRIENDS AND THAT'S HOW YOU SHOULD BE IN GOVERNMENT THAT REALLY IS HOW YOU SHOULD BE IN GOVERNMENT YOU KNOW I THINK OF THE WORDS OF THE GREAT CHILEAN POET PABLO NERUDA BRENDAN, I COME HERE TODAY TO POUND ON YOUR HEART WITH LOVE YOU AND NEW JERSEY WILL ALWAYS BE PERFECT TOGETHER >>[LAUGHTER] IN ANTIQUITY STATUES WERE A MEANS BY WHICH THE EMPEROR WOULD CONTINUE TO PRESIDE WITH INFLUENCE THROUGHOUT THE REGION AND WHETHER IT WAS THE ANCIENT GREEKS AT OLYMPIA OR THE ROMANS WITH THE STATUE OF DIANA SCULPTURES SERVED A PURPOSE MANY TIMES, LARGER THAN ITS SUBJECT AND WE LEARN SO MUCH OF A CULTURE AND OF A PEOPLE BY EXAMINING THIER SCULPTURES TODAY WE HONOR A MAN WHO ALTHOUGH NOT FROM ANTIQUITY ALMOST 40 YEARS AGO TOOK THE OATH OF OFFICE OF THIS STATE'S GOVERNORSHIP AND I WOULD SUGGEST THAT GOVERNOR BYRNE'S LIFE ANSWERED THE QUESTION BY WHICH THE PROPHET MICHAEL POSED TO ALL OF US "AND WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE OF YOU?"

AND THE PROPHET RESPONDED "TO ACT JUSTLY, TO LOVE MERCY, AND TO WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD" GOVERNOR BYRNE WAS PART OF AMERICA'S GREATEST GENERATION AFTER SERVING IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY AIR CORPS HE RECEIVED, AS WAS NOTED, THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS AND FOUR AIR MEDALS HE PROCEEDED TO PRINCETON AND THEN TO HARVARD LAW SCHOOL SUBSEQUENTLY WORKING FOR GOVERNOR MEYNER AND THEN BEING APPOINTED ESSEX COUNTY PROSECUTOR BY GOVERNOR MEYNER AND AGAIN, REAPPOINTED BY GOVERNOR HUGHES IN 1964 HAVING SERVED ON THE SUPERIOR COURT HE WON THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY IN 1973 AND YET DESPITE THE POLITICAL PROCESS THE GIVE AND TAKE THE THRUST AND PARRY BRENDAN BYRNE ALWAYS REMAINED LOYAL AND ADHERED TO HIS PRINCIPLES AS RALPH WALDO EMERSON STATED "TO BE YOURSELF IN A WORLD THAT IS CONSTANTLY TRYING TO MAKE YOU SOMETHING ELSE IS THE GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT" >>THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND GOOD AFTERNOON I JUST THANKED JIM MCGREEVEY FOR LEAVING ME NOTHING LEFT TO SAY >>[LAUGHTER] [LAUGHTER] [LAUGHTER] >>I'M REALLY PLEASED TO HELP ALL OF US IN COMMEMORATING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF BRENDAN YOU CAN SENSE THE WARMTH IN THE AUDIENCE, YOU CAN SENSE THE FEELING OF ENTHUSIASM THAT'S SOMETHING'S IMPORTANT THAT'S THE ONLY THING I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO WHAT'S BEEN SAID MAYBE EVEN TO ADDRESS THE YOUNGER PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO KNOW BRENDAN AS SOMEONE WHO'S COLLEGIAL SOMEONE WHO'S FRIENDLY SOMEONE WHO HAS A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR BUT THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME KNOW THE OTHER SIDE OF BRENDAN WHICH IS A HARD DRIVING POLICY PERSON WHO WORKS VERY HARD ON THE THINGS THAT HE CARES ABOUT MOST >>TO MY FRIEND GOVERNOR BYRNE YOU KNOW I THINK FOR ALL OF US AND I THINK I'LL TAKE THE RISK OF SPEAKING FOR MY PREDECESSORS WHO ARE HERE AND EVEN FOR THE ONES WHO AREN'T HE HAS BEEN A VERY TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW IT IS DIFFICULT TO DO THIS JOB AND BE FUNNY AT THE SAME TIME >>[LAUGHTER] >>I HAVE OFTEN FOUND SITTING IN THAT OFFICE THAT THERE ARE AT TIMES FEW THINGS TO LAUGH ABOUT BUT ONE OF THE POWERS OF GOVERNOR BYRNE'S LEADERSHIP WAS NOT ONLY THAT HE DID ALL THE IMPORTANT THINGS THAT I AGREE WITH GOVERNOR FLORIO WHILE MCGREEVEY TOOK ALL OF IT HE TOOK EVERY LISTING >>[LAUGHTER] >>HE QUOTED EVERY PERSON HE COULD QUOTE EVERYBODY WHO WAS... AND EVERY ONE OF US WHO CAME AFTER WITHOUT THROWING AWAY OUR TALKING POINTS BECAUSE MCGREEVEY TOOK ALL OF IT >>[LAUGHTER] >>EXCEPT FOR "PERFECT TOGETHER" BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THAT THAT'S KEAN'S AND NONE OF US CAN TAKE THAT >>[LAUGHTER] >>BUT ONE OF THE POWERS OF HIS LEADERSHIP WAS NOT ONLY THAT HE ACCOMPLISHED GREAT THINGS ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE, THINGS THAT HAVE CREATED A LEGACY FOR HIM AND FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS STATE BUT ALSO THAT HE KEPT HIS OWN LEADERSHIP IN PERSPECTIVE THROUGH HIS SENSE OF HUMOR THROUGH HIS UNDERSTANDING OF THE FACT THAT HE WAS A TEMPORARY STEWARD OF THIS OFFICE AND THAT WHILE THE ISSUES WERE TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY HE NEVER HAS TAKEN HIMSELF TOO SERIOUSLY AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE PEOPLE OF THIS STATE RELATED TO HIM SO WELL, AND CONTINUE TO RELATE TO HIM SO WELL GOVERNOR MCGREEVEY ALLUDED TO THE FACT THAT THAT WASN'T ALWAYS THE CASE IT REMINDS ME OF ONE OF GOVERNOR BYRNE'S BITS OF ADVICE TO ME WHEN I BECAME GOVERNOR, HE SAID TO ME FROM MY EXPERIENCE HE SAID WHEN YOU'RE TRAVELING OUT AROUND THE STATE AS GOVERNOR WHEN PEOPLE ARE WAVING TO YOU WITH ALL FIVE FINGERS THINGS ARE GOING WELL >>[LAUGHTER] [LAUGHTER] [LAUGHTER] >>AND HE SEEMED TO TALK ABOUT THAT FROM EXPERIENCE, SO... >>[LAUGHTER] >>HE NEVER TOOK THE CHALLENGES LIGHTLY BUT HE ALWAYS UNDERSTOOD THAT THE HONOR AND THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING GOVERNOR WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS TO BE SAVORED AND ALL THE ADVICE AND COUNSEL THAT HE'S GIVEN TO ME OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INFUSED WITH THAT PERSPECTIVE THAT THE ISSUES ARE DIFFICULT AND THAT YOU NEED TO CONFRONT THEM HONESTLY AND IN A STRAIGHTFORWARD WAY BUT THAT YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO KEEP PERSPECTIVE OF THE FACT THAT AND FIRST AND FOREMOST YOU'RE THERE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE AND THAT WHILE THE OFFICE IS SERIOUS THAT YOU JUST CAN'T EVERY DAY TAKE YOURSELF TOO SERIOUSLY PEOPLE RELATE TO THAT TYPE OF LEADERSHIP IN A HUMAN WAY WHETHER THEY AGREED WITH HIM IN THE PAST OR THEY DISAGREED WITH HIM AND SO HE HAS SET A GREAT EXAMPLE FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US WHO HAS COME SINCE HIM TO THIS OFFICE SOMEONE WHO STROVE TO ACHIEVE GREAT THINGS BUT ALWAYS KEPT IN PERSPECTIVE THE FRIENDSHIPS, THE RELATIONSHIPS, THAT PERMITTED HIM TO BUILD THIS LEGACY >>HAVING A CHANCE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF NEW JERSEY AND THE PEOPLE OF ESSEX COUNTY WAS A GREAT PRIVILEGE >>[APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] - [Narrator] One on One with Steve Adubato has been a production of the Caucus Educational Corporation.

Funding has been provided by PSE&G, NJM Insurance Group.

RWJBarnabas Health.

Let's be healthy together.

The New Jersey Education Association.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

Prudential Financial.

New Jersey Institute of Technology.

And by The Russell Berrie Foundation.

Promotional support provided by The New Jersey Business & Industry Association.

And by BestofNJ.com.

(hands clapping) (drums banging) (fingers snapping)