West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd dead at 92

WASHINGTON — Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia, a fiery orator versed in the classics and a hard-charging power broker who steered billions of federal dollars to the state of his Depression-era upbringing, died Monday. He was 92.

A spokesman for the family, Jesse Jacobs said Byrd died peacefully at about 3 a.m. at Inova Hospital in Fairfax, Va. His health had been failing for several years.

Byrd, a Democrat, was the longest-serving senator in history, holding his seat for more than 50 years. He was the Senate's majority leader for six of those years and was third in the line of succession to the presidency, behind House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

In comportment and style, Byrd often seemed a Senate throwback to a courtlier 19th century. He could recite poetry, quote the Bible, discuss the Constitutional Convention and detail the Peloponnesian Wars – and frequently did in Senate debates.

Yet there was nothing particularly courtly about Byrd's pursuit or exercise of power.

Byrd was a master of the Senate's bewildering rules and longtime chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, which controls a third of the $3 trillion federal budget. He was willing to use both to reward friends and punish those he viewed as having slighted him.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

WASHINGTON (AP) – Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia, the longest-serving senator in U.S. history, has died at age 92.

Spokesman Jesse Jacobs says Byrd died peacefully at about 3 a.m. Monday at Inova Hospital in Fairfax, Va.

Byrd was elected to the Senate in 1958, after spending six years in the House. He was the Senate majority leader for six years during the late 1970s and 1980s and was third in the line of succession for the presidency. As either chairman or the senior Democrat on the Appropriations Committee for 20 years, he steered billions of dollars in federal spending to West Virginia.

Byrd became more frail after the death of his wife, Erma, in 2006. By 2009, aides were wheeling him to and from the Senate floor in a wheelchair.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-w.../us-obit-byrd/

very sad. as for DREAM, is a wash. he is anti-immigrant and was one of those dems that would join a filibuster unless he gets tons of stuff like a mew bridge and tons of enforcement and perhaps an age limit of 21. been at it since 2003 and never trusted this man for anything as he was an obstacle. if i remember correctly, he voted against the 1986 law.

This will make me sound like a sob, but Sen. Byrd, rot in peace.

I guess he can accompany all of my dreams, which are also dead thanks to him.

But I don't think we should be speaking ill of the members of the dead. After all, what would that say about us? He's paid his dues, he's free from his sins. The ultimate price is death and he's paid it. I think it's time we leave him alone and move forward.

Remember how right wing nutjobs celebrated the death of Ted Kennedy?

I know I am going to hell so, just from MY personal point of view, GOOD RIDDANCE!

Don't let the coffin hit you in the ass!

Not even the worms will want to eat his rotten ass

I know it's rather gauche to speak ill of the ones who've just taken a one-way trip to heaven hell, but I'm as crass as they come so here's my take on this whole mess: Goodbye, and good riddance. It will be much easier to persuade whoever is appointed to his seat to support the Dream Act.

Good riddance, and i mean it..This ones for Teddy

About damn time. I'm sure the KKK will mourn him, no sympathy from me though...

Here's my totally inappropriate reaction to this: LOL

May he find peace with the border patrol horses.