Sen. Byrd praises Bush on nominee (Sheets bleats sweetly)

The Washington Times ^ | 07/22/05 | Charles Hurt

[smoothsailing]

Sen. Robert C. Byrd, one of President Bush's harshest critics, has become an unlikely ally on the Supreme Court nomination of Judge John G. Roberts Jr.

"I said to him, 'I am shouting your name from the steeple tops for reaching out, reaching across the aisle,' " the West Virginia Democrat reported after taking a phone call from Mr. Bush to discuss a replacement for retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

[k2blader]

If true, this is a little disturbing..

[Echo Talon]

Sheets just wants to feel like he is relevant.

[hsalaw]

Maybe this is the reason for Sheets Byrd's about-face: "Mr. Byrd is up for re-election next year in a state that Mr. Bush won last year by 13 percentage points despite heavy campaigning by Democrats."

[SDGOP]

Sheets is just worried because of that poll that put his potential republican opponent within 3% of him.

[Echo Talon]

Mr. Byrd embraced the same judicial philosophy as the president in his memoir, "Child of the Appalachian Coalfields," released earlier this summer. In the book, he repeatedly blamed "liberal judges" and "activist judges" for many of the nation's problems. "One's life is probably in no greater danger in the jungles of deepest Africa than in the jungles of America's large cities," he writes. "In my judgment, much of the problem has been brought about by the mollycoddling of criminals by some of the liberal judges who have been placed on the nation's courts in recent years."

Just DAMN...

[ncountylee]

Can be beaten.

[JohnLongIsland]

here is the answer:

" Mr. Byrd is up for re-election next year in a state that Mr. Bush won last year by 13 percentage points despite heavy campaigning by Democrats."

sheets might be KKK but he's not stupid

[k2blader]

Sure seems like it. I should've clicked the link.

[Echo Talon]

It's weird hearing that coming from 'ol sheets.

[smoothsailing]

the jungles of deepest Africa have obsessed Byrd since his Klan days.

[smoothsailing]

You nailed it JLI! Capito (the pubbie) hasn't even decided to run and she's tracking within the margin of error!

Byrd is scared!

[Echo Talon]

Strange article, hopefully he will lose his seat, he is to old for a makeover.

[BigSkyFreeper]

You hit the nail on the head. Sheets is running for re-election. The hardcore Liberal Byrd has been playing it down the middle since the Gang Of 14 formed.

[rmlew]

Is Sheets worried about Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito or Hiram Lewis.

[smoothsailing]

Capito. Personally,I prefer Hiram,but the RNC has ignored him.

[msnimje]

A poll conducted in May shows Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, West Virginia Republican, three points behind Mr. Byrd even though Mrs. Capito hasn't announced that she will run against the old-guard senator. "For Senator Byrd, desperate times require desperate measures," said Brian Nick, spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. "As recent polling shows him below 50 percent and in a dead heat against a prospective opponent, he'll apparently try anything."

They should have put this paragraph at the top of the article. I was fooled for a minute thinking he was being reasonable for reason's sake.

[smoothsailing]

He could take the easy way out and retire.My guess is he's weighing that against the shame of possible defeat.He's a very vain creature.

[smoothsailing]

LOL! It's a newspaper article,they're not gonna give it away in the first paragraph.

I know what you mean though,it would be nice if Byrd was sincere.He owes Bush that much kindness considering his vile behavior directed at the president in the past.

[Echo Talon]

He should retire, he has spent forever in the Senate, he should take a cue from Zell and pack it in. Although Zell is honorable and well sheets..... is a lunatic. :D