Posted on 05/22/2005 6:15:10 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
``He's always trying to help us out,'' said Shawn Stines, a 26-year-old mechanic, as he stuffed a dryer at the Sophia Laundromat. ``I like him. He's a good guy.''
Outside Priddy's Hardware Store, 64-year-old Frances Meredith is even more emphatic.
``I love him,'' Meredith said. ``I dread the day when he passes away.''
It's hard to forget Byrd in Sophia. After all, the main road into town was christened Robert C. Byrd Drive in 1991 after he helped secure the money to build it.
The 17-mile stretch of four-lane highway is one of at least 32 monuments to West Virginia's senior senator. Others include a high school, two federal courthouses, a radio telescope complex and buildings on at least eight college campuses across the state.
I absolutely hate and despise these good-ole-boy "yellow dog" Democrats--politicians and voters alike!
Our country is flushing down the drain of a sewer and they're still living in 1933 and placing "pork" above all other considerations.
Bill Roth was swimming against a political tide in Delaware, which has very abruptly shifted the state from the ultimate tossup into solid leftist. As importantly, he was faced with a high-profile and very popular opponent. Jacob Javits lost when he was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease. He was also swimming against the tides as well since the NY gypsy moths were abandoning the GOP in droves at the time.
Exactly. Many of us in CA sent our money to SD in the 2004 campaign to nail Tiny Tommie rather than waste it in the Boxer-Jones contest. Sounds like WV will be a good target for 2006.
Looks like we will have to wait for tertiary senile dementia to get rid of this useless fossil.
He's worth too much money to the state. He'll die or decide to retire before he gets beaten. Regardless of who is successor is, West Virginia won't see the money his seniority gets for them.
I too have a hard time believing he's really vulnerable. And while I agree that other contests deserve more attention and resources, I wonder if running a viable candidate may be a good move even if the candidate loses this particular round. Maybe it could make that candidate's chances for a future victory greater.
Senator Ensign lost a nail-biter against Sen Reid in 1998, then came back to win an open seat two years later. Thune lost to Johnson, then beat the even greater prize in Daschle.
You have NO idea just how "ingrained" this pathetic Klansman is. In Beckley, (and Sophia) WV Route 16 is Robert C. Byrd Drive. In Charleston, Corridor "G" (US 119) is the Robert C. Byrd Appalachian Highway. I believe there is a street or 2 named for him in Charleston as well. In Montgomery, Charleston, Huntington, and just about anywhere there is a college campus, at least one building, street, sidewalk, garbage dumpster, etc., is named for him....
ALL HAIL LENNIN, er BYRD!
Sheet Bird will be defeated in 2006.
``He's always trying to help us out,'' said Shawn Stines, a 26-year-old mechanic, as he stuffed a dryer at the Sophia Laundromat. ``I like him. He's a good guy.''
After 52 years and billions of dollars funneled back to Ol' West Virginny there's still only 1,301 people in Sophia and they still need help. In fact I'm sure they're still mostly dirt poor as is the rest of WV. Yeahhhh, great guy! /sarcasm
From what I've seen over the past few years, it will be a short wait...
Would it be too tacky of me to say "I hope the old goat kicks the bucket before the next election?" IF so, I won't say it. LOL
Good points. It should be noted that West Virginia is probably in its earlier stages of political realignment and may take a while to get to a point where more Republicans get elected down ballot. By then I think Byrd will have retired.
(By the way, what is a "gypsy moth?")
I believe WV is one of the few states that have lost population between census...
(I helped my moving my beautiful bride and her 3 sons out in 2002..)
I doubt it. He'll get elected and die in office.
We really need comprehensive term limits in this country.
Does this little town really deserve a four lane highway into it? I bet there's never a traffic jam on that road! The really sad part is that Byrd projects in West Va. are really defacto welfare programs and jobs programs for it's citizens. And we're all paying for them.
A total waste of money. The RNC should keep the funds for tight, winnable contests
some folks said the same about daschle
WV's own self glorifying Saddam.
Remind me to try to explain this to you. It is a VA thing.
I agree that West Virginia is realigning, but the problem is that Byrd is mainly thought of as a money machine and no one hates money..
A "gypsy moth" is a liberal Republican. Jacob Javits was their icon before Al D'amoto beat him in the 1980 primary.
Make that Al D'Amato!
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