Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), the longest-serving member of Congress in American history, died Monday at the age of 92. Byrd was the president pro tempore of the Senate and third in line to the presidency.
In all, Byrd's congressional career spanned 12 presidencies, numerous wars, countless political movements, and nearly the full arc of the civil rights movement. Once a staunch segregationist and a member of the Ku Klux Klan, Byrd endorsed Barack Obama for president in 2008 and praised his fellow Democrat as a "good Christian."
In addition to serving the most years in Congress -- 57 -- Byrd also cast the most votes of any U.S. senator -- more than 18,500. He also held the records for being elected to the most full terms in Senate history, with nine; of being the longest-serving member on any Senate committee; and of holding the most Senate leadership positions, including Senate majority leader (twice) and Senate minority leader.
Here are some quotes from Senator Byrd:
“..at the White House, the subject of terrorism now means the subject of our invasion of Iraq. The President waves the bloody shirt of 9-11 and then subtly shifts the conversation to Iraq. The only problem is that the President’s attempts to tie Saddam Hussein to the 9-11 attacks have no basis in fact. By speaking of al Qaeda in one breath, and Iraq in the next, he has devised a construct for confusing the American people about the real threat to our country. And his strategy has worked: according to a recent Washington Post poll, seven in ten Americans believe that Saddam Hussein is behind the September 11 attacks.” September 10th, 2003
“Our emperor says that we are not occupiers, yet we show no inclination to relinquish the country of Iraq to its people. Those who have dared to expose the nakedness of the Administration’s policies in Iraq have been subjected to scorn. Those who have noticed the elephant in the room — that is, the fact that this war was based on falsehoods – have had our patriotism questioned. Those who have spoken aloud the thought shared by hundreds of thousands of military families across this country, that our troops should return quickly and safely from the dangers half a world away, have been accused of cowardice. We have then seen the untruths, the dissembling, the fabrication, the misleading inferences surrounding this rush to war in Iraq wrapped quickly in the flag.” October 17, 03
My thoughts and prayers go out to his family. May he rest in peace.
Source: PoliticsDaily.com
No comments:
Post a Comment