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Author Topic: conscience drove Byrd to leave Democrats  (Read 2710 times)

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Offline franksolich

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conscience drove Byrd to leave Democrats
« on: April 29, 2009, 08:02:14 AM »
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_622773.html

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When Arlen Specter became the 21st senator to switch parties while in office, he did so with considerably more flash than one predecessor.

"I basically tried to move about without notice," said former Sen. Harry F. Byrd Jr. of Virginia. Byrd, 94, switched from Democratic registration to independent in 1970. "Colleagues were cordial, but I did my best to avoid everyone."

Specter, 79, had little chance of repeating that feat Tuesday. His announcement kicked off a national frenzy of news stories and speculation about what it might mean for Pennsylvania politics, President Obama's agenda, the balance of power in the Senate and pending legislation.

Byrd waited three days before calling a news conference to explain his switch.

"The press wasn't particularly happy with me, and coming from a newspaper family I understood that," Byrd said. "Still, I thought it would only be right to wait a couple of days until everything calmed down, and I could give Virginians all of my reasons for switching......
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Offline thundley4

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Re: conscience drove Byrd to leave Democrats
« Reply #1 on: April 29, 2009, 08:11:00 AM »
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Byrd said he could offer Specter no advice.

"I switched for completely different reasons," Byrd said. "He wants to win. I did it because I could not in good conscience sign an oath to vote for people I had not even met yet."

Wow, a politician with principles .  You don't see that any more.
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Offline MrsSmith

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Re: conscience drove Byrd to leave Democrats
« Reply #2 on: April 29, 2009, 08:04:48 PM »
Quote from: thundley4 on April 29, 2009, 08:11:00 AM
Wow, a politician with principles .  You don't see that any more.
Pretty weird for a KKK guy.   :???:
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Offline Mike220

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Re: conscience drove Byrd to leave Democrats
« Reply #3 on: April 29, 2009, 08:22:06 PM »
Quote from: MrsSmith on April 29, 2009, 08:04:48 PM
Pretty weird for a KKK guy.   :???:

Different Byrd. Robert is the Klucker.
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Offline franksolich

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Re: conscience drove Byrd to leave Democrats
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2009, 08:53:40 PM »
Quote from: MrsSmith on April 29, 2009, 08:04:48 PM
Pretty weird for a KKK guy.   :???:

Yeah, there were two Senators Harry Byrd, father and son, of Virginia, not related to Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia.

Both were Democrats, but conservative.

I was surprised to learn that the second Harry is still alive, although 94 years old; these Byrds were a long time ago.
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apres moi, le deluge

Milo Yiannopoulos "It has been obvious since 2016 that Trump carries an anointing of some kind. My American friends, are you so blind to reason, and deaf to Heaven? Can he do all this, and cannot get a crown? This man is your King. Coronate him, and watch every devil shriek, and every demon howl."

Offline MrsSmith

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Re: conscience drove Byrd to leave Democrats
« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2009, 09:03:00 PM »
 :thatsright:  I need to read more carefully.   :( :(
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Offline Duke Nukum

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Re: conscience drove Byrd to leave Democrats
« Reply #6 on: April 29, 2009, 09:19:57 PM »
Quote from: MrsSmith on April 29, 2009, 08:04:48 PM
Pretty weird for a KKK guy.   :???:
If Robert Byrd of WV did become a Republican we would never hear the end of his KKK career.
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Offline Sam Adams

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Re: conscience drove Byrd to leave Democrats
« Reply #7 on: April 30, 2009, 05:38:55 AM »
Quote from: franksolich on April 29, 2009, 08:02:14 AM
"I basically tried to move about without notice," said former Sen. Harry F. Byrd Jr. of Virginia.


Senator Byrd represents WEST Virginia.
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Offline franksolich

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Re: conscience drove Byrd to leave Democrats
« Reply #8 on: April 30, 2009, 07:03:42 AM »
Quote from: Sam Adams on April 30, 2009, 05:38:55 AM
Senator Byrd represents WEST Virginia.

Wrong Byrd, sir.

They're not related, but for decades two Harry Byrds, from a prominent newspaper family in Virginia, represented that state in the U.S. Senate.

The elder Byrd was an especial foe of Franklin Roosevelt; the younger Byrd, the one described in this article, was an especial foe of liberalism.

We're talking circa 1910-1982 here.
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Milo Yiannopoulos "It has been obvious since 2016 that Trump carries an anointing of some kind. My American friends, are you so blind to reason, and deaf to Heaven? Can he do all this, and cannot get a crown? This man is your King. Coronate him, and watch every devil shriek, and every demon howl."

Offline VelvetElvis

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Re: conscience drove Byrd to leave Democrats
« Reply #9 on: April 30, 2009, 08:22:32 AM »
Quote from: Duke Nukum on April 29, 2009, 09:19:57 PM
If Robert Byrd of WV did become a Republican we would never hear the end of his KKK career.

Bullseye.
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Offline Sam Adams

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Re: conscience drove Byrd to leave Democrats
« Reply #10 on: April 30, 2009, 08:28:05 AM »
Quote from: franksolich on April 30, 2009, 07:03:42 AM
Wrong Byrd, sir.

They're not related, but for decades two Harry Byrds, from a prominent newspaper family in Virginia, represented that state in the U.S. Senate.

The elder Byrd was an especial foe of Franklin Roosevelt; the younger Byrd, the one described in this article, was an especial foe of liberalism.

We're talking circa 1910-1982 here.

Oops. My bad. Thanks Frank.
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Offline franksolich

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Re: conscience drove Byrd to leave Democrats
« Reply #11 on: April 30, 2009, 08:32:22 AM »
Quote from: Sam Adams on April 30, 2009, 08:28:05 AM
Oops. My bad. Thanks Frank.

It happens.

When I was a little lad, out of curiosity, I wrote one of the Senators Byrd--I forget which one--asking if they all were related.

At the same time, I wrote the then-Senator Jennings Randolph (D-Virginia), asking if he was related to the long ago Senator John Randoph (D-Virginia).

John Randolph, from the early 1800s, had caught my interest because I liked his politics--his avowed purpose in the Senate being the prevention of legislation.

I got very nice letters back--perhaps because I was just a kid--but alas there were no relationships among any of them.
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apres moi, le deluge

Milo Yiannopoulos "It has been obvious since 2016 that Trump carries an anointing of some kind. My American friends, are you so blind to reason, and deaf to Heaven? Can he do all this, and cannot get a crown? This man is your King. Coronate him, and watch every devil shriek, and every demon howl."

Offline JohnnyReb

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Re: conscience drove Byrd to leave Democrats
« Reply #12 on: April 30, 2009, 08:37:21 AM »
conscience : I thought all politicians had a deal with their consciences? They wouldn't bother it if it wouldn't bother them.
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