I have seen in the Halls of Congress more idealism, more humanness, more compassion, more profiles of courage than in any other institution that I have ever known.

Humphrey’s remark is a defense of Congress as a moral and civic institution, countering the common cynicism that portrays legislators as merely partisan or self-interested. By listing “idealism,” “humanness,” “compassion,” and “profiles of courage,” he emphasizes the personal character and ethical choices he believed he witnessed among members—suggesting that public service can bring out principled action under pressure. The phrase also implicitly argues that democratic deliberation, however messy, can cultivate empathy and bravery because it forces leaders to confront real human consequences and to take visible, accountable stands.