Spokesman says Sen. Robert C. Byrd hospitalized

WASHINGTON — Sen. Robert C. Byrd was hospitalized Monday night at his doctor's urging after suffering from lethargy and sluggishness at the Capitol and, later, at his home, a spokesman for the 90-year-old Democrat said.

Press secretary Jesse L. Jacobs said the West Virginia senator would be in the hospital overnight for observation.

Byrd, who is the longest-serving senator in history, voted during a 5:30 p.m. roll call Monday, then went home. Jacobs said the senator began to feel ill less than an hour later.

He was found to have a fever, and at his doctor's request he was taken to a nearby hospital.

Jacobs added that he didn't know which hospital Byrd was taken to.

Byrd was hospitalized March 5 for tests after a reaction to antibiotics. A week earlier he was hospitalized at Walter Reed Army Medical Center after a fall at home.

Last month, Byrd gave an emotional speech on the Senate floor after hearing the news that Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., had a malignant brain tumor. Kennedy, 76, underwent 3 1/2 hours of risky brain surgery at Duke University Medical Center on Monday, an operation his surgeon pronounced a success.

Byrd has become significantly more frail _ and sometimes prone to emotional outbursts _ since Erma, his wife of almost 69 years, died two years ago. Earlier this year, rumors swirled that fellow Democrats thought Byrd was too feeble to remain at the helm of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Byrd silenced the whispering campaign with a strong performance at a hearing in April.

Comments

[ianmcc]

Generally speaking of him being a fellow human being, I hope he gets better. But as a politician I could give a damn about a homophobic bigot who legislates his hate to deny equal rights under the Constitution to fellow Americans who also happen to be LGBT.

[LorettaSingbiel]

"I could give a damn about a homophobic bigot who legislates his hate to deny equal rights under the Constitution to fellow Americans who also happen to be LGBT."

Of that, I was unaware. HOPEfully it's not too late for him to CHANGE the mindset that he was most probably taught.

I'm an Obama girl, but realize that Obama isn't quite where he SHOULD BE in recognizing that The GLBT Community SHOULD BE created EQUAL with life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But, as is with Edwards, HOPEfully his wife and/or children will set him straight on that score REAL SOON!!!

OBAMA '08!
HOPE & CHANGE!

Stay safe, healthy and happy,
Love, Loretta

[DFDoerr]

I, for one, am glad the will be no Congressional legislation passed for the remainder of this year.
Good-bye global warming legislation.
Good-bye NOPEC legislation.
Good-bye Congress.

[WilliePilgrim]

If we loose him, who will there be to defend both mountaintop coal mining AND an international cap and trade program to "controll" global warming? Woe is us.

[Raymondf]

Oh! we're grooming our present Governor to take his place, but more of an Independant than a Democrat.

[SouthpawSass]

October 8, 2002

AUTHORIZATION OF THE USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES AGAINST IRAQ


Senator Byrd: "...Obviously, the American people are far from convinced that we must attack Iraq. I think as time goes on, if this matter is fully debated, we will find a reverse in the polls from what we have been seeing lately. We are going to find that the American people are not all that ready to invade Iraq all by themselves; not all that ready to put the U.N. aside and say we will go it alone--if you do not do it, we will-- and not all that ready to send their boys and girls, their men and women, their loved ones, to war in a foreign land without leaving it up to Congress as to when war should be declared.

I yield the floor."

[amanda85]

And even for that only, he deserves the highest respect from every progressive in the world!

[FADUTA]

Tell you what - you respect him and I will not. He has fleeced the American taxpayer out of billions of dollars for his pet pork projects for WV. I already have the bottle of wine picked out for when he is gone!

[butchie65]

As I read some of these comments, I see exactly what they mean by ignorant ! It's no wonder we have the divide in the Democratic party.

[piper1233]

GODSPEED TO SENATOR BYRD, A GREAT DEFENDER OF THE CONSTITUTION AND A TRUE BY PARTISAN.

[Raymondf]

He's as far left as you can get.

[lakat]

He's exactly who piper1233 said he was. Your comment is nonsensical. God bless Senator Byrd.

[Big0725]

You bet he is. Kinda balances out the Kyl-Coburn-Hatch ilk in the senate.

[rwe]

Byrd is 29 years older than McCain .,,,, seems he has also changed his views over the years.... Any criticism for that Arianna?

[Skepticat]

I guess it depends on how one changes.
Byrd eventually repudiated the klan and after typical dixicrat filibustering behavior later voted for the civil rights voting act of 1968 and later against invading Iraq. He was one of the few Democrats who recommended censure for Clinton's escapades - and is now one of the few senate defenders of the constitution for all. As Yogi Berra said some improvements are for the better.
McCain on the other hand has dropped his previous maverick mode, ditched faithful wife to marry rich heiress, voted consistently against the well being of the troops, for big oil, embraced fundementalist nutbars, let the neocons slime him and adopted daughter - then sucked up to them - and has become more Bush like than Bush.
Some changes are better than others.

[PAposter]

My prayers and best wishes are with you Senator Byrd. I wish you Godspeed.

[bethinCary]

warm wishes Sen Byrd..
Get well soon.

[Clairvaux]

During the darkest days of Dubya's rule, Byrd carried a copy of the constitution in his pocket.

Get well senator

[Mygirl]

God Bless you Senator Byrd.

[XFilesTheTruthIsOutThere]

I wish Sen. Byrd a speedy recovery.

[Lucille]

I did not realize a Ku Klux Klan member (who joined in 1942 to approximately 1952) could elicit such a show of sympathy from the posters.

As found in Wikipedia: “When Byrd was twenty eight years old, he wrote about the 1945 racial integration of the military to segregationist Mississippi Senator Theodore Bilbo:

"I shall never fight in the armed forces with a Negro by my side... Rather I should die a thousand times, and see Old Glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again, than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen from the wilds."

Now Senator Byrd is a changed man? I wonder.

[danoj]

Yet another relic of the dem parties Racist past is almost at an end.

[SouthpawSass]

A poor choice of a young man who, as a much wiser man, had written that he suffered from "tunnel vision" and has as he described, "...has emerged throughout my life to haunt and embarrass me and has taught me in a very graphic way what one major mistake can do to one's life, career, and reputation."

I take his shame as genuine as I do his endorsement of Obama.

[1differentdrummer]

Why would you wonder? Are your beliefs today exactly the same as they were when you were in your twenties? I hope not. Don't we all expect to grow up?

[thebeerdoctor]

You wonder? No you speculate. The fact is, the West Virginia Senator tried to stop all the troops from being killed in this immoral war.

[StillAmused]

Some men begin their lives headed in the wrong direction, come to realize it and repent by spending their remaining time on Earth shining a light for the rest of us.

Byrd is one of the few unwavering voices of conscience in the Senate. I hope he has a few more years in him.

Some men begin their lives headed in the wrong direction and just keep going, pedal to the metal.

(See: George W. Bush)

[Kishadawn]

He was for segregation in the 60's..when a lot of people were. You didn't see the race riots? He changes his tune about 30 years ago (1982 according to Wickepedia).

On May 19, 2008, Byrd released a statement endorsing Barack Obama (D-Illinois) for President of the United States. One week after the West Virginia Democratic Primary, in which Hillary Clinton defeated Obama by 41.32%,[49] Byrd said, "Barack Obama is a noble-hearted patriot and humble Christian, and he has my full faith and support."[50] In a written statement, Byrd called Obama "a shining young statesman, who possesses the personal temperament and courage necessary to extricate our country from this costly misadventure in Iraq."

[Krikkit]

Our prayers are with you as always, Senator Byrd. Rest. Be well.

[Raymondf]

Piper1233 that's only because he hates Hillary, He was one of the Senators that voted to impeach Bill.

[marc1antony]

my prayers for him and his family.

[Raymondf]

He is the family.