Mikulski mourns her mentor, Bob Byrd
Barbara A. Mikulski, who honed her style as a bring-home-the-bacon senator with wise advice from Sen. Robert C. Byrd, mourned her long-time mentor's death early today at age 92.
“Today is a sad day for America, for West Virginia and for the U.S. Senate. Senator Byrd was an icon who had five loves – for his country, for the Constitution, for the Senate, for the people of West Virginia and for his beloved wife Erma," said the Maryland Democrat. Byrd's wife of nearly 69 years died in 2006 at age 88.
“Senator Byrd was a mentor and a teacher. I was the first Democratic woman elected to the Senate in her own right. He took me under his wing and taught me the rules of the Senate. He knew the rules and he know how to rule," Mikulski continued in a prepared statement.
“He said to stay loyal to the country and to the Constitution. From the first day he wanted me to succeed. He had the style and the manner of another era. That could teach us a few lessons today. He stood for citizenship and for his country, not partisanship and petty politics. If you love the Senate, you love Bob Byrd.”
His death moves Mikulski up to 4th in seniority on the influential Appropriations committee, which oversees spending, and advances her to 16th in overall Senate length of service. She is running again this year and is a heavy favorite to win re-election.
It was not immediately clear whether there might be a major shuffling of Appropriations subcommittee chairmanships as a result of Byrd's demise. He headed the Homeland Security panel, on which Mikulski serves. She is third in seniority on that committee, behind Daniel Inouye, who chairs the full committee, and Patrick Leahy, who chairs the State, Foreign Operations subcommittee.
More likely any wholesale changes would await the outcome of the 2010 elections. Of course, speculation about musical subcommittee chairs among Appropriations Democrats would become pointless if Republicans regain control of the Senate in the 2010 midterms, which would put them in charge next January.
Comments
So Mikulski's mentor was a card carrying member of the KKK who filibustered against the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Good to know.
Posted by: NYT Byrd Obituary | June 28, 2010 2:54 PM
@NYT Byrd Obituary;
Yes, please point out that Byrd was once a Klansman (yet predticably fail to mention that Byrd apologized and repented ad nauseam). The same Robert Byrd who was awarded with an approval rating of 100 percent for favoring the NAACP's position in all 33 bills presented to the United States Senate regarding issues of their concern.
Posted by: Paul_D | June 28, 2010 3:29 PM
Much has been written & said of his orphan beginings, his long tenure in the Senate, his love of the Constitution, his former membership in the KKK, his reversal in thinking which resulted in a 100 % approval rating by the NAACP,and his unabashed acceptance of the title "King of Pork.".
But for me it was his humble beginings as a butcher & coal miner that he never forgot as he became Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and directed much needed highway, water & sewer, and school funding to WV and the surrounding Appalachian region that made him a great legislator to me.
He maintained that committment throughout his career as he maintained his committment to his wife, Erma to whom he was married for 68 years.
Rest easy Senator.
Rest in peace Mr. Chairman.
We will miss you.
Posted by: Dave | June 29, 2010 7:42 AM
Not only does Mikulski love a KKK member, but she's a liar too. Senator Caraway of Arkansas was elected both in 1932 and 1938 and Senator Neuberger of Oregon was elected in 1960.
Posted by: Erich | June 29, 2010 10:31 AM
Erich,
Hattie Caraway was elected after serving out the term of her dead husband.
Maurine Brown Neuberger was also elected following her husband's death. That's what she meant by "in her own right", not following in the footsteps of a deceased husband.
Posted by: skip | June 29, 2010 4:57 PM