Byrd seems to think he has a problem

His early ads betray a sense of vulnerability

It is barely August and already the ad war for the U.S. Senate campaign has begun. The election isn't until November.

Holy cow. A full 15 months before the election, the eight-term senator feels compelled to run ads to offset last week's ads by the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

The eyes of television sales managers across the state just lit up. Anyone want to help me open a Maserati dealership?

Not since Jay Rockefeller spent $12 million to get to the Senate 21 years ago has West Virginia had a hotly contested Senate race. Before that, voters had to go back to 1958 to find a true Senate race.

People know how I feel about Robert Byrd. I ain't going to waste the next 15 months' worth of columns on the subject.

Byrd has not had a good four years. After his re-election in 2000, Byrd feinted left rather than right.

Rather than work with the first Republican first-termer to win the state in 72 years, Byrd became the Bush administration's leading critic.

Five days into the Bush administration, Byrd was railing against a tax cut that frankly saved the economy following the Sept. 11th attack.

But there is nothing wrong with criticizing a senator either. The Republican ads were respectful and featured nice bluegrass music:

Announcer: "Nineteen fifty-two . . . War in Korea . . . and Robert Byrd went to Congress. Lot's changed since then . . . Byrd voted for soldiers in the fifties . . . Today, against body armor in the War on Terror. Back then, he stood with working families . . . Today he votes higher taxes for the middle class. Then, Byrd protected our flag . . . now he votes to allow flag burning. Senator Byrd . . . We agree he's changed. But is it good for West Virginia? The NRSC is responsible for the content of this ad."

Announcer: "Out of state special interests are running false attack ads against our Sen. Robert Byrd. Their agenda: Privatize social security and tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas."

Man in blue shirt: "I'm Sgt. Jared Towner and I served in Iraq. Sen. Byrd has provided for us, bringing jobs to West Virginia, funding schools and hospitals, protecting our jobs and supporting our troops."

Byrd: "I'm Robert Byrd. I approved this ad because the people of West Virginia deserve the truth."

That is smart politics. Byrd's support of Judge John Roberts indicates that he's listening to the feedback as never before.

How this will play out is uncertain. Out-of-state donors are lining up behind Byrd and whoever runs against him. Byrd's early ad shows it will be a contested race.

You want to know the truth? I don't care who wins. I am just glad we will have a choice.

For what it is worth, here is the NRSC response to the Byrd ad (from http://www.nrsc.org)

Byrd Can't Handle The "Truth”

Claiming ‘Lies’, And “Trickery” Robert Byrd Responds To The NRSC With His Own Ad – “Truth” – But Byrd Cannot Dispute The Facts

SENATOR ROBERT BYRD (D-WV) CLAIMS THE NRSC IS BEING “SLICK” AND USING “TRICKERY” TO “LIE” TO THE PEOPLE OF WEST VIRGINIA

Byrd Claims The NRSC Ad ‘Lies’ To West Virginians About Byrd’s Record. “‘These slick, out-of-state ads rely on falsehood and trickery. They do not tell the truth. These ads, coming so far away from the election and playing fast-and-loose with the facts, are some of the worst kind of campaign tricks,’ Byrd said. ‘I will not sit quietly and let these national Republican ads lie to the people of my state. False, misleading, and deceptive ads will not go unanswered.’” (Friends Of Robert C. Byrd Committee, Press Release, “Byrd Fights Back Against False Out-Of-State Ads – Senator Says ‘West Virginians Deserve The Truth,’” August 2, 2005)

BUT THE FACTS CANNOT BE DISPUTED: BYRD VOTED AGAINST BODY ARMOR, FOR HIGHER TAXES AND AGAINST PROTECTING THE AMERICAN FLAG

The NRSC Ad Says Byrd Voted “Against Body Armor In The War On Terror.” (National Republican Senatorial Committee, Ad, “Change,” July 29, 2005)

In 2003, Byrd Voted Against Senate Passage Of The $87 Billion Iraq/Afghanistan Reconstruction Package. “Passage of the bill that would appropriate $86.5 billion in fiscal 2004 supplemental spending for military operations and reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill would provide $10.3 billion as a grant to rebuild Iraq, including $5.1 billion for security and $5.2 billion for reconstruction costs. It also would provide $10 billion as a loan that would be converted to a grant if 90 percent of all bilateral debt incurred by the former Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein has been forgiven by other countries. Separate provisions limit reconstruction aid to $18.4 billion. It also would provide approximately $65.6 billion for military operations and maintenance and $1.3 billion for veterans medical care.” (S. 1689, CQ Vote #400: Passed 87-12: R 50-0; D 37-11; I 0-1, October 17, 2003, Byrd Voted Nay)
The $87 Billion Reconstruction Package Included “[E]xtra Money For Body Armor For Soldiers . . . .” (“Highlights Of Iraq, Afghanistan Measures,” The Associated Press, October 17, 2003)

The NRSC Ad Says Byrd Votes For “Higher Taxes For The Middle Class.” (National Republican Senatorial Committee, Ad, “Change,” July 29, 2005)

Byrd Voted Twice Against The 2003 Bush Tax Cuts. (H.R. 2, CQ Vote #179: Passed 51-49: R 48-3; D 3-45; I 0-1, May 15, 2003, Byrd Voted Nay; H.R. 2, CQ Vote #196: Adopted: 50-50: R 48-3; D 2-46; I 0-1, with Vice President Cheney casting a “yea” vote, May 23, 2003, Byrd Voted Nay)
Byrd Voted Twice Against The 2001 Bush Tax Cuts. (H.R. 1836, CQ Vote #165: Passed 62-38: R 50-0; D 12-38, May 23, 2001, Byrd Voted Nay; H.R. 1836, CQ Vote #170: Adopted 58-33: R 46-2; D 12-31, May 26, 2001, Byrd Voted Nay)
In 1993, Byrd Voted In Favor Of The Largest Tax Increase In U.S. History. (H.R. 2264, CQ Vote #247: Adopted 51-50: R 0-44; D 50-6, with Vice President Al Gore casting a “yea” vote, August 6, 1993, Byrd Voted Yea; H.R. 2264, CQ Vote #190: Passed 50-49: R 0-43; D 49-6, with Vice President Al Gore casting a “yea” vote, June 25, 1993, Byrd Voted Yea)
The Late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-NY) Called The Bill The “Largest Tax Increase In History.” Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-NY) described the 1993 tax hike as “the largest tax increase in the history of public finance in the United States or anywhere else in the world.” (Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Congressional Record, March 18, 1993)
In 2000, Senator Bob Kerrey (D-NE) Called The Clinton Plan The “Biggest Tax Increase In The History Of The Country.” (NBC’s “Meet The Press,” January 23, 2000)

The NRSC Ad Says Byrd “Votes To Allow Flag Burning.” (National Republican Senatorial Committee, Ad, “Change,” July 29, 2005)

In 2000, Byrd Voted Against Proposing A Constitutional Amendment To Prohibit Flag Desecration. “Passage of the joint resolution to propose a constitutional amendment to grant Congress the power to prohibit the physical desecration of the U.S. flag.” (S.J. Res. 14, CQ Vote #48: Rejected 63-37: R 51-4; D 12-33; March 29, 2000, Byrd Voted Nay)

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