Am I misremembering or has something gone down the memory hole?
I swear at one point during the run-up to the Clinton impeachment, Byrd was on TV and said that the President HAD committed high crimes and misdemeanors, but that he (Byrd) could get past that.
I thought at the time that those words being spoken by Byrd would get some attention, but they made no difference.
A quick Googling and I can’t find any stories about it.
” I swear at one point during the run-up to the Clinton impeachment, Byrd was on TV and said that the President HAD committed high crimes and misdemeanors, but that he (Byrd) could get past that.”
Nothing wrong with your memory. I saw Byrd state this on TV at the time.
(no link)
BYRD SAYS CLINTON IS GUILTY< BUT POWERFUL DEMOCRAT SENATOR MAY VOTE TO ACQUIT TO SPARE NATION
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (PA) - Monday, February 8, 1999
Author: JACK TORRY, POST-GAZETTE WASHINGTON BUREAU
Disclosing that he is torn about whether to convict President Clinton , Sen. Robert Byrd , D-W. Va., said he now believes that Clinton “lied under oath” about his sexual affair with Monica Lewinsky, and said there is “no doubt” in his mind that the president is guilty of “ high crimes and misdemeanors.
(snip)
With a vote on Clinton ‘s fate likely Thursday or Friday, Byrd said that “it would be very difficult to stand and say ` not guilty.’ Very difficult. Who’s kidding whom here? I have to live with myself. I have to live with my conscience. And I have to live with the Constitution. That Constitution is just like the Bible. You can’t write it over. But while suggesting that House Republican trial managers have persuaded him that the president committed impeachable offenses, Byrd said he may yet acquit the president because “of the best interest of the nation ... He has less than two years to serve, he has done a lot of good things, the American people don’t want him removed. And in the interests of our country, I may come to the conclusion that we should not remove him.
“His actions hurt me, you, all of the institutions of government ... The question is, ` Does this rise to the level of high crimes and misdemeanors?’ I say yes. No doubt about it in my mind. But the issue is: Should the president be removed. Byrd ‘s searing comments are a jarring setback to Clinton ‘s legal defense that twice last year he testified truthfully, that he never encouraged anyone to lie, and that he is a victim of a ruthlessly partisan investigation conducted by Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr and conservative House Republicans.
(snip)
Byrd also made abundantly clear that should he vote to acquit, it would be less of a favor for Clinton and more of a favor for the country.
“There has been such polarization, such a division among the American people, and to remove him, does that help that or does it make the wound deeper?” Byrd asked.
“No president will ever be removed, in my judgment, when the economy is at record highs. People are voting their wallets in answering the polls. They don’t want him removed. They know, as I know, about the wrongs that he has committed.
“We’ve all experienced a nightmare here. But in the interests of the future - and he has been hurt - he will not escape the judgment of history. He won’t be getting off scot-free. People 100 years from today will talk about this. I’m not going to be at all light in my excoriation of William Jefferson Clinton .
“What he did was deplorable. Inexcusable. A bad example. It undermined the system of justice, when he gave false testimony under oath. He lied under oath. But I can close that chapter. Byrd ‘s explosive interview, taped Saturday in his Senate office by ABC’s Cokie Roberts, was made public as senators yesterday wrestled with how to conclude the second presidential impeachment trial in history.
(snip)
I remember the same thing. Byrd was part of the Dem media damage cotrol solace team that included Madelin Albright.