Posted on 06/28/2010 2:24:02 PM PDT by presidio9
Robert C. Byrd, the Senate's longest-serving member whose fierce reverence for the institution made him a living legend, has died at the age of 92.
The West Virginia Democrat, who was also legendary for using his seniority to steer billions of federal dollars to his state, died early Monday at a suburban Virginia hospital, a family spokesman said.
Flags at the Capitol, White House and other federal buildings were lowered to half-staff in tribute to Byrd, the Senate's president pro tem, who was third in line to the presidency after Vice President Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. His desk in the Senate chamber was draped in black and adorned with a bouquet of roses when the Senate went into session Monday.
"Sen. Byrd was the anchor of the Senate," said Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada. "There will never be another like him."
Byrd's death complicates passage of the landmark financial regulation reform bill President Obama hoped to sign before the Fourth of July congressional recess beginning Friday. Without Byrd's vote Democrats are at least one vote short of the 60 needed to thwart a Republican-led filibuster against the bill.
West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin, a Democrat, will appoint a successor, but it isn't clear how quickly that replacement will be seated or whether a special election will be held to fill out the remainder of Byrd's term, which ends Jan. 3, 2013.
Byrd began his public career as an unabashed conservative and was a member of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1940s. He renounced his brief KKK tenure as a youthful indiscretion, but in 1964 led a filibuster of the Civil Rights Act.
Over the years he moderated his political philosophy, becoming a close friend of such liberal lions as Sen. Edward Kennedy. He was a strong opponent of the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003.
A fiery orator, Constitutional scholar and self-professed "hillbilly," Byrd had been in failing health for several years and often appeared in a wheelchair in the Senate chamber to add to his record of more than 18,500 votes cast.
Elected to an unprecedented ninth consecutive Senate term in 2006, Byrd was not only the longest-serving senator but the longest-serving member in congressional history. Before his Senate service, he served three terms in the House of Representatives.
He was a senator longer than 10 of his colleagues or President Obama have been alive.
"He held the deepest respect of members of both parties, and he was generous with his time and advice, something I appreciated greatly as a young senator," Obama said in a statement.
New York Sen. Chuck Schumer eulogized Byrd as "one of the last and one of the best of the old school."
"I had the privilege to hear him at one of his last appearances when he came before the Senate Rules Committee to discourse on the filibuster just one month ago," Schumer added. "As always, his statement was passionate, erudite, balanced and electrified the room. It's a moment no one who was there will forget.
"No member knew the Senate rules better or loved the body more than Robert C. Byrd. We miss him already."
Secretary of State Clinton called Byrd "a man of surpassing eloquence and nobility" and recalled that after the 9/11 attacks, Byrd approached then-Sen. Clinton and told her, "Think of me as the third senator from New York."
Byrd was a parliamentary genius whose knowledge of the Senate's arcane and complex rules made him a powerful and effective majority leader for six years.
Later, his chairmanship of the powerful Appropriations Committee ensured a steady stream of federal pork to West Virginia. Dozens of those roads, courthouses, public works projects and federal centers bear his name.
Cute the way the author equates conservatism with Klan membership.
Can’t wait for this years state of the union address.
And politicians like him do untold damage to this Great Nation.
“Sen. Byrd was the anchor of the Senate,” said Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada. “There will never be another like him.”
Anchor, nice one Harry. This is the first time I actually believe Harry is telling the truth.
Byrd was always a Democrat this writer tries to lie his way through this!
His real name was Cornelius Calvin Sale and he was abandoned by his father who then devoted himself full time to trying to invent a perpetual motion machine. The boy was raised by relatives named Byrd.
His daughter Mona is married to Mohammed Fatemi.
Trivia for his obituary::
His real name was Cornelius Calvin Sale and he was abandoned by his father who then devoted himself full time to trying to invent a perpetual motion machine. The boy was raised by relatives named Byrd.
His daughter Mona is married to Mohammed Fatemi.
Also the longest-serving *parasite* living off tax dollars but the author couldn’t manage to get that part in.
“No member knew the Senate rules better or loved the body more than Robert C. Byrd. We miss him already.”
Like I miss my cancerous testicle...
Byrd began his public career as an unabashed racist democrat and was a member of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1940s. He renounced his KKK tenure a as a KLAN LEADER , but in 1964 led a filibuster of the Civil Rights Act.
Fixed it for them.
He was a knot tying wizard as well....at least at his night job.
I think Reverend Wright ought to give the sermon. He can praise the man who served in the senate and the “US KKK America”.
Dims sure have hypocrisy down to an art.
Yea a conservative that voted for the intolerable act of abomination(health-care). ROLF
I won't say I'm glad Robert Byrd is dead, but I'm sure glad I don't have to watch liberals hold their noses and kiss his ass anymore.
Gee, I wonder when the History Channel will present “Robert C. Byrd, the White Hood Years?”
I can't wait for November, when President Obama is thanking Senator Reid for his "service" to the nation.
The Fatemis have a lineage well established it seems.
Byrd had two children, Mona Byrd Fatemi and Marjorie Byrd Moore; two sons-in-law, Mohammad Fatemi and Jon Moore; five living grandchildren, Erik Byrd Fatemi, Darius Fatemi, and Fredrik Fatemi, Mona Moore, and Mary Anne Moore, and one deceased, Michael Moore; and six great-grandchildren, Caroline Byrd Fatemi, Kathryn James Fatemi, Anna Cristina Fatemi, Michael Yoo Fatemi, Emma James Clarkson, and Hannah Byrd Clarkson.[6]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Byrd
See post 14
Thanks, but I read post 7 so I already knew all of this.
I’ll say I’m glad he’s dead, my only regret is
that he wasn’t Hanged first.
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