John Glenn gave this incredible response when a political opponent said he 'never held a job'

John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, a former US senator, and former Marine aviator who saw combat in World War II and Korea, has died at 95.

Glenn is known for a number of accolades throughout his life of service, from the military to the astronaut program and eventually, into politics. So it's worth looking back on his entry into politics, when he first ran for office against an incumbent named Howard Metzenbaum.

In 1974, Glenn's military record offered an opening for criticism by his opponent, who was mindful of Americans' anti-war fervor during the Vietnam War. Metzenbaum began calling him "Col. Glenn" to highlight his time in the Marine Corps, and later told him that he "had never met a payroll," which Glenn perceived as being told that his military record and service with NASA didn't qualify as "having held a job."

His response during the debate was remarkable, and at the end of it, he received more than 20 seconds of sustained applause, according to PBS. Here's what he said:

Glenn went on to defeat Metzenbaum in the primary and win the general election. He served in the Senate from 1974 to 1999. His speech was also used to motivate a group of US Marines before they went into combat in Marjah, Afghanistan in 2010.

Watch the video:

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