Former President Barack Obama on Thursday remembered Dan Rooney as “a great friend of mine, but more importantly, he was a great friend to the people of Pittsburgh, a model citizen, and someone who represented the United States with dignity and grace on the world stage.”
The relationship between Mr. Rooney and Mr. Obama began late on a cold January night in 2008 when Mr. Rooney — a lifelong Republican — saw Mr. Obama deliver a speech following his victory in the Iowa caucuses.
“This is the greatest speech I’ve seen since John Kennedy,” Mr.