USAs lengstsittende senator, Robert Byrd (D) fra West Virginia, er død. Han starta ytterst til høyre (bla i Ku Klux Klan), men beveget seg langt i det politiske spekteret. Han støtta feks Obama i primærvalgene før siste presidentvalg, selv om Hillary Clinton vant West Virginia.Men først og fremst var han den store konstitusjonelle politikeren. Det er en fryd å lese om Obamas møte med ham som fersk senator i "Audacity of Hope".
På mange måter var Byrd nærmest en konstitusjon i seg selv. I august ifjor døde en annen gigant; Edward Kennedy, så Det siste året har dermed USA og Demokratene mistet landets desidert tyngste senatorer.
Her er fra Obamas minneord:
"Senator Byrd’s story was uniquely American. He was born into wrenching poverty, but educated himself to become an authoritative scholar, respected leader, and unparalleled champion of our Constitution. He scaled the summit of power, but his mind never strayed from the people of his beloved West Virginia. He had the courage to stand firm in his principles, but also the courage to change over time."Robert Byrd satt som senator i over 51 år.
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2 kommentarer:
Byrd:
"I shall never fight in the armed forces with a Negro by my side ... Rather I should die a thousand times, and see Old Glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again, than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen from the wilds."
Stemte mot the Civil Rights Act of 1964 og personlig filibusteret den i 14 timer, stemte mot Voting Rights Act of 1965...
Ofte kalt king of pork
Ja for en flott mann...
Olds69
"I know now I was wrong. Intolerance had no place in America. I apologized a thousand times ... and I don't mind apologizing over and over again. I can't erase what happened.”
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