Age doesn't faze 'Big Daddy' Byrd in Senate race

AP via CNN ^ | 11:56 a.m. EST, October 30, 2006 | unknown scribe shackled in AP's sweatshop

[james500]

CHARLESTON, West Virginia (AP) -- Leaning on two canes, Sen. Robert C. Byrd hardly looks like a billion-dollar industry -- or "Big Daddy," as the 88-year-old Democrat calls himself.

No matter: Voters once again are looking beyond Byrd's age to his political guile -- and the truckloads of federal dollars he's steered to West Virginia -- as they consider whether to give him a record ninth term in the Senate.

"It's not that we deserve more money than other states, but if he wasn't there, we probably wouldn't get as much as we should," said Ally Hagsett, a Marshall University sophomore and Republican. "While he's alive, we'd better get as much as we can."

[james500]

ends with: Byrd has repeatedly apologized for his prior acts of racial intolerance. In memoirs published last year, he called his time in the Klan "an extraordinarily foolish mistake." Supporters say they believe him.

"I think his views on race have changed over time," said James Butcher, a Fairmont State University staffer.

How wonderful! Spiritual growth.

[nothingnew]

"It's not that we deserve more money than other states, but if he wasn't there, we probably wouldn't get as much as we should," said Ally Hagsett, a Marshall University sophomore and Republican. "While he's alive, we'd better get as much as we can."

Yeah....Okiedokie.....

Hahahahaha!!

FMCDH(BITS)

[Puppage]

[Cicero]

Racisim, corruption, pork gobbling, and senility are OK, as long as you're a Democrat.

AP says so.

[Enchante]

"In memoirs published last year"

I hope this tome full of the "wisdom" (sic) of this vicious socialist dinosaur was called "Byrd Droppings"

[edcoil]

He's 88 folks, let him retire. Don't send him back.

[Niteranger68]

I know several good people from "West By-God" and they can't stand Byrd or Rockefeller. They're convinced that the voting system in WV is rigged.

[linda_22003]

Hell, Strom was 100. That would be two more full terms for Byrd. :)

[TampaDude]

Damn...that guy just keeps hangin' on, doesn't he...he keeps coming back like a bad penny...

[The KG9 Kid]

WHROANG!

[camle]

he may call himself "big daddy" but he'll always be "grand wizard" tome.

[HarleyD]

I think his views on race have changed over time

Hey, his views does change over time. He said if Bill Clinton did lie, he would vote to impeach him. He changed his mind.

[italianquaker]

if he was republican, the story would of been that he is too old to serve

[Barte45]

His pork spending is quite bad. There is a scholarship named in his honor...for Western Illinois University.

[Molly Pitcher]

Yes, but if you're a southern Republican like Jesse Helms....forget it! Condemnation is deep and unrelenting.

[billhilly]

"It's not that we deserve more money than other states, but if he wasn't there, we probably wouldn't get as much as we should," said Ally Hagsett, a Marshall University sophomore and Republican. "While he's alive, we'd better get as much as we can."

If this kid is a republican she certainly isn't my kind of republican.

[oblomov]

"I think his views on race have changed over time," said James Butcher, a Fairmont State University staffer.

Suuuure he does.....

[RockinRight]

"It's not that we deserve more money than other states, but if he wasn't there, we probably wouldn't get as much as we should," said Ally Hagsett, a Marshall University sophomore and Republican. "While he's alive, we'd better get as much as we can."

Some Republican.

Why can't we defeat this idiot Byrd, anyway?

[billhilly]

He keeps coming back like a bad $billion dollars.

[RobbyS]

Is he a hypocritical windbag? yes. To give Byrd due credit,however, he has focused on opening West Virginia to the world by bringing in federal money for roads. Unlike most states, West Virginia got almost no money from DoD. No useless/redundant military bases there. Furthermore he has to fight the environmentalists and aging hippies tooth and nail to get what he wanted. When I first visited West Virginia in the '60s, it was a huge rural slum, and all those (inclkuding my wife-to-be) with ambition and talent were leaving the state as fast as they could. That is slowly changing.