Roberts, Sen. Byrd hit it off

[davidinalameda]

http://www.dailymail.com/news/News/2005080222/

U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd says he feels a kindred spirit in Supreme Court nominee John G. Roberts, who shares Byrd's interests in the Constitution, Cicero and John Marshall.

"I was favorably impressed," Byrd told reporters after meeting Roberts. "I like him."

Although Byrd, D-W.Va., has tangled notably with President Bush over the past several years, an initial validation of the president's conservative Supreme Court nominee isn't astonishing, said West Virginia University political scientist Richard Brisbin.

[geek tragedy]

1. Et tu Robert?

Another one of the Gang of Seven DINO's endorses Bork II.

Time for Byrd to retire.

[WhiteTara]

8. yep, I got a plea for money for him and I have to say

that I didn't even for one second think to give a penny. Now, if he would retire and give a real democrat an opening, well, I am sure that would be different story.

[Totally Committed]

2. You can take the old man out of Dixie,

But you can't take Dixie out of the old man. Once a Dixicrat, always a Dixicrat.

Byrd gives a good speech, though.

[mattclearing]

3. Maybe Roberts promised to rename it the Robert C. Byrd Supreme Court.

nt

[iamjoy]

4. Interesting Juxtaposion

When I saw this thread title, on the other side of the screen was and advertisement that Byrd is in a tough re-election fight and needs money.

[CubsFan1982]

5. Gee, it was only a matter of time.

What will happen if Barbara Boxer decides Roberts isn't the devil incarnate? There'll be no one left to claim as a "hero"! :sarcasm:

[geek tragedy]

6. Byrd just endorsed a rabid rightwing activist for the court--because

Bush kissed his ass.

Pffft to Byrd and his ego.

I don't think Boxer would endorse someone more rightwing than Ted Olson.

[wtmusic]

23. Roberts is a 'rabid rightwing activist' is he?

Good one. :eyes:

[Rose Siding]

7. "To use an old quotation, the jury is still out"

So says Senator Byrd. ;)

[bunkerbuster1]

9. I just had lunch

having a hard time keeping it down, now.

Guess Byrd was attracted to the whiteness of the whale. Or something.

[saigon68]

33. Or the "WHITENESS " of the HOOD and SHEET

[expatriot]

10. damned country club gentry.... *sigh*

[MasonJar]

11. I cannot believe I'm reading this deliberate disparagement of

Robert Byrd. He has been a stalwart against the war and the Bush cabal for four long years...too often the lone voice. So soon you forget? All he said was that initially he liked Roberts, which does not mean that he will vote for him when all the info is in. Even if he chooses to, it is no reason to bash him. Byrd has the country's interests deep in his heart; if he makes a poor judgement occasionally, do not stone him. We all do.

[rinsd]

12. Don't you understand....

...most of DU is so kneejerk reactionary that ANY disagreement is treated as treason. See any litany of threads on Jon Stewart of all people.

[davidinalameda]

14. Byrd is no liberal

and has never pretended to be

he's pretty much a conservative--take a look at his voting record

the only thing he's "liberal" at is getting funds for West Virginia

[rinsd]

16. No Byrd is no liberal....

...but he became a celebrated hero for his stands against Bush.

Byrd never changed just people's impression of him.

[davidinalameda]

17. he became a "hero" for his anti-war stance

for people who have lived in West Virginia, like myself, and who have been dissappointed with his votes throughout the years, standing up to Bush on the war doesn't come close to making up for his other votes

[rinsd]

19. Understandable...

...my post wasn't so much a defense of Byrd as it was an explanation of the fickleness that DU sometimes exhibits.

[davidinalameda]

24. I agree

and that's what just sickened me to see people fawning over Byrd in the first place

[merwin]

15. I agree with you 100%

Don't judge what our congressmen do until the entire process is over. What may sound stupid right now might end up being a very good move.

For example, they're not going to get ANY cooperation by saying they hate the guy. The administration has already proven that they can get away with stonewalling the dems. If the dems say 'Hey, he's a nice guy', then that removes their 'we won't cooperate because dems hate roberts' arguement.

[H5N1]

13. You are correct. How soon they forget.

[theHandpuppet]

20. Thanks...

How soon so many forget who stood up -- often alone -- against the Bushreich on the floor of the Senate.

I'm ashamed to read some of the comments on this thread.

[geek tragedy]

21. Byrd practically slobbered over him--it was practically an endorsement.

<snip>
"He showed a great interest in the history of our country, the history of the Constitution, a great interest in classical history," Byrd said. "He spoke of Cicero, he spoke of the framers, and we seemed to have a kindred spirit as we talked along these lines."

Byrd added in a later interview with reporters, "We seemed to share kindred thoughts about the early generation and where we get our heroes. He seems to get his heroes from John Marshall, Webster, Clay, Washington -- and so do I."
<snip>

<snip>
"I'm not disinclined," he said. "To use an old quotation, the jury is still out. He had a fair hearing here. He was appreciative of it. He acquitted himself admirably."

He said he admires Roberts' independent thought, a trait he says they share.

"He demonstrates an independence as I think I feel an independence - I have views of my own," Byrd said. "I am a member of the Democratic Party, but I don't necessarily go along with the party."
<snip>

:puke:

John Roberts is about as independent from the Republican party as Karl Rove.

[Kelvin Mace]

22. Sorry

When you start publicly kissing the ass of a BushCo aparatchik you are sending a message to the rank and file.

Folks love to argue that this is all part of the "game". I would like to point out that it stopped being a "game" when the Supreme Court appointed Bush occupation president.

[Voltaire99]

31. "Do not stone him." Wrong: stone away.

Byrd's positives are no defense against his foolish and revealing embrace of the extremist Rogers.

If Byrd can't think critically about what Rogers represents, it's a demerit. In the face of this failure, appealing to us to think about his positions on executive power or the war is a red herring. Those merits aren't up for debate; what's under review is his nutty position on Rogers, whose philosophy represents anti-environmental, pro-corporate, and theocratic excess.

Get real, please. Our relationship to pols is not meant to be romanticized, as you do yours to Byrd, but to be exercised as unsparingly as possible. When you write, "Even if he chooses to (vote for Rogers), it is no reason to bash him" you reduce the matter of judging our representatives to the level of a teenage crush.

Yes, of course, voting for an extremist to sit on the bench is "a reason to bash" someone! It might be the best reason there is.

[ToeBot]

32. Agreed,

It's only appropriate to stone them after they turn on the party. Like after he voted for Priscilla Owen, toss a rock or two. The Bankruptcy Bill, there's a big rock, and so on and so on.

[Kelvin Mace]

18. And people were piling on me for criticizing

our "Democratic reps" who are doing ALL they can to fight BushCo.

The Vichy Democrats strike again.

[MasonJar]

25. There was nothing in the quotes listed which says what Byrd will

do in the future. He enjoyed talking about Cicero and Marshall and etc. with someone knowledgeable on those subjects. Big deal. Hey, you W. Virginians, who are demeaning Byrd, come on over to Kentucky and get a good whiff of what (and I do mean what in the most negative sense) you could have representing you, namely Fletcher (the wartime pilot who almost managed to get shot down going to the inauguration) or McConnell (a venal political hack if there ever was one) or charming (not) (former baseball star, present mental deficient.) Bunning...or come on up to Louisville and let rubber stamp Anne Northrup be your rep. Boy, if I could switch reps I would. Robert Byrd is the man!

[Saboburns]

26. Could it be that Byrd id actually telling the truth.

How about the fact the Sen Byrd actually likes and respects Roberts? As do I. Not that I agree with him, or some of his stances on the issues.

Sorry, I'm not convinced Roberts is a "Bork" clone.

[geek tragedy]

27. Can you name three issues where Roberts is NOT in lock-step with the RNC

platform?

I can't think of one.

[NNN0LHI]

28. I don't care if they had a circle jerk with one another

As long as he doesn't vote for him

Don

[wli]

29. we need to be able to recall reps

i.e. you vote wrong (e.g. CAFTA, Roberts, etc.), you're fired!

[Kelvin Mace]

30. Drop his fundraiseers a line

[e-mail]

And let them know how displeased you are about his love affair with Roberts.