Senate Dems May Pull Duties From Aging Robert Byrd

The Hill:

Senate Democrats said Tuesday they have considered the idea of shifting the workload of ailing Appropriations Committee Chairman Robert Byrd.

Byrd's health and ability to lead the powerful panel was discussed at a regular weekly meeting of top Democrats. The 90-year-old West Virginia Democrat has been present for several recent votes, but earlier this year was in and out of the hospital for short stays.

Many participants of the closed-door meeting wouldn't discuss the details, noting the sensitivity of aByrd's situation.

Read the whole story: The Hill

Comments

[ObGyn]

Byrd is the epitome of what is wrong with our system. These idiots get into office and then stay there forever. The voters are just simply very stupid.

On the good side, Byrd was just about the only democratic senator who took the podium and called going to war in Iraq an idiotic idea. At the same time, Hi-Liar-y was voting for it, and Biden was also voting for it. They now claim that they were deceived. Obviously, senile Byrd was smarter than Hi-Liar-y, Biden and the other 30 or so democratic senators who voted for this insanity called Iraq war.

[Mabo]

This guy is almost gone as it is. When he dies, they will pull the sheet over his face...just one without the eyeholes this time.

[Zhonni]

That cheapshot of yours is uncalled for! I have the grestest respect for Sen. Byrd and don't forget, people change and change he has.

I am not comparing him to Stromthurman but he changed too! He went from his hate to hiring black aides and even having a "Black" child. People change! The past is the past and I respect the man for who he is now.

Have you seen the speech he gave on the senate floor before the Iraq war? I believe that is one of the greatest speeches in American history, the passion, the vigour, and the eloquence he exudes in thst speech could not have been matched by someone half his age.

[ObGyn]

Change my foot. It is always easy to hire blacks as aides. That has been the role to which they are relegated. Aides and entertainers. Byrd was a klan member as an adult. That is forever unforgivable.

[ObGyn]

Strum Thurmond did not go on to have a black child. He always did. He raped a black femal house maid when he was twenty. He went on in his racist way and never acknowledged the daughter, though he visited her at school as a "family friend."

George "segregation now, segregation (n)omorrah, segregation fah evah" Wallace also had black aides toward the end of his miserable life too.

All three men led a miserable life. At the end of the day, all we are, are the memories we leave behind. All three were and are hideous monsters.

[Mabo]

There's always someone to defend people like him. He can barely spit out a sentence. Too old to serve on a committee means too old to be holding a seat that someone useful could be filling.

I have zero respect for the senator.

[anthonylee]

I hope your acrimony towards Strom Thurmond (in office at 101) was equally disrespectful; anything less would be hypocritical on your part, no?

[OpusIsUnderTheBed]

We all age. Nothing we have is infinite. It's time for this man to leave the Senate. Sorry, but it's way past time.

[Grannysue]

Good God it's about time!

[endtyranny]

Well, as entertaining as a good half conscious Byrd floor speech is, it may be time for the old man to step aside.

[atila]

Maybe he is preparing himself to be Mccain VP???.....

[SCharb]

Whose bright idea was it to give an octogenarian Klansman the seat third in line for the presidency, anyway?

[robXdion]

Its WV. Nuff said.

[drkazmd65]

Well - technically he is a former Klansman,... but why on earth hasn't this man long since retired to elder statesman status?

Senator Byrd needs to turn in his resignation effective this next election cycle, endorse a decent Democrat under the age of 50 to replace him, and relax for the years he has remaining.

Term limits,... damn we need term limits for elected office.