by Lisa Mascaro
The man who spent a lifetime in the Senate will be memorialized there on Thursday, as the late Sen. Robert Byrd lies in repose in the chamber as the West Virginia Democrat had requested.
Members of Byrd's family will receive lawmakers from the House and Senate in the morning and the public galleries will be opened throughout the day to those who wish to pay their respects to the longest serving member of Congress.
It has been more than 50 years since a senator has lain in state in the chamber, a tradition that was common in an earlier era when lawmakers lived alone in Washington and modern travel did not yet allow for easy transit around the nation, said Betty Koed, the associate historian of the Senate.
More than 40 senators have lain in repose in the Senate, the most recent being Sen. William Langer (R-ND) in 1959 and Sen. Joseph McCarthy (R-WI) in 1957. Memorial services have also been held in the Capitol rotunda, where Sen. Henry Clay laid in state in 1852 and more recently Ronald Reagan and Rosa Parks were memorialized in repose.
The service for Byrd is scheduled from 10:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. on Thursday.
That evening, the senator's casket will be flown to Charleston, West Virginia. A public procession will be held from the Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse to the state Capitol, where viewing will be held in the rotunda.
A public memorial service is scheduled for Friday in Charleston, at the state capital, and the White House said both President Obama and Vice President Biden are expected to attend.
Public funeral services are scheduled for Tuesday at a Memorial Baptist Church in Arlington, Virginia.
Comments
Here's some raw meat for you flatliners - "The 100 Americans the Left Hates Mosts"
http://media.glennbeck.com/docs/100americans-pg1.pdf
FITZ - Missing anyone?
Back to Bobby Byrd - when is the Klan holding their memorial? Did you get an e-mail on that FITZ?
Posted by: Terry | June 29, 2010 10:18 PM
RIP Sir
Posted by: Crooks_In_ DC | June 29, 2010 11:10 PM
America has always championed as one of its goals, to allow, to foster, the opportunity for anyone to make his way in this world. I think that we can safely say that America lived up to its billing, in the case of Robert C. Byrd, who started out as a member of the working class. Soon, he went to college, married his high school sweetheart and strove for higher elected office. Unfortunately, all the while, Robert Byrd was a member of the Klu Klux Klan, an aberrant organization that had a profoundly twisted sense of what constituted an American. As to how that twisted sense manifested itself, history books can delineate their cowardly acts against other American citizens, better than I can.
As we all know, Senator Byrd, renounced his grossly mistaken past, repeatedly.He found those renunciations insufficient, though extremely necessary. So, he set about to become one of the leading authorities on our Constitution, both inside his, and our, beloved Senate. Along with that legal achievement, he became a leading proponent of issues and policies that had direct bearings on our African-American communities. The NAACP honored him with citations and awards for his efforts on behalf of a segment of our population that has, historically, been ignore, slighted and abused( that's murdered, for the not so feint of heart)! So, as he would say throughout his life: " I can't undo my past transgressions, but I can try to help those citizens, who were the victims of our hatred, by my apologies and by my efforts to improve their lives, in what ever way I can. "
Ladies and gentlemen of America, I give you, a real live American hero, who tried to right wrongs, in his own life and the life of our great nation, America.
I would like to thank the ladies and gentlemen of West Virginia, for allowing Senator Byrd to serve them, as their representative for those many years and in his serving them, he was able to serve our nation. make no mistake about it, we are a better nation because of Senator Byrd.
Thanks, Senator Byrd and may he rest in peace.
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | June 30, 2010 8:02 AM
Are they going to burn a cross in front of the Capitol Building in his honor?
Posted by: John E | June 30, 2010 8:53 AM
Flat Earth Terri,
Jeff Sessions should be able to get you the skinny on the Klan Memorial. Give him a shout. As for Senator Byrd, his career has been more distinguished and sucessful and he has been more of a patriotic American than some lout like yourself will ever be.
Posted by: Doug R. | June 30, 2010 9:05 AM
A true law icon,the nation pays tributes to Sen. Robert Byrd.May his soul rest in peace.
Posted by: Bustor | June 30, 2010 9:27 AM
There wasnt a dry white hooded sheet in the house.
Posted by: Libtard | June 30, 2010 9:49 AM
Posted by: Terry | June 29, 2010 10:18 PM
*
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Way to stay classy, Tinkled On Terry.
Posted by: BC | June 30, 2010 11:21 AM
Love you people that think "KKK" is an American hero. Here is what your hero did to avoid serving in the military in 1944:
In 1944, Byrd wrote to segregationist Mississippi Senator Theodore Bilbo:[17]
“ 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. ”
— Robert C. Byrd, in a letter to Sen. Theodore Bilbo (D-MS), 1944
"KKK" Byrd will always be known as a racist and as a senator who wasted taxpayer money on his pet projects in WV so he could get re-elected.
He is a disgrace!
Posted by: NAVYFLYER09 | June 30, 2010 4:43 PM
Libtard,
LMAO.
Before CommonSense,
I was just stating his resume qualifications and was wondering what his peers were doing for him.
Doogie,
Do you have any proof that Senator Sessions was ever a member of the KKK or any other racist organization or are you just flapping your gums as usual?
Posted by: Terry | June 30, 2010 8:38 PM
Hey, " Ferry ", Sessions couldn't even get into the kkk. He must belong to that same Boy Scout Troop you belong, because I see him wearing that same stupid badge you wear. Are you sure you two aren't retarded, I mean, related !!?
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | June 30, 2010 10:10 PM
Hey, " Ferry ", Sessions couldn't even get into the kkk. He must belong to that same Boy Scout Troop you belong, because I see him wearing that same stupid badge you wear. Are you sure you two aren't retarded, I mean, related !!?
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | June 30, 2010 10:10 PM
Let us not forget that Byrd filibustered the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act and prevent any legislation that made lynching a hate crime.
Yes, the epitome of American liberalism.
Posted by: Dan C | July 1, 2010 10:10 AM
Donny Dimwit
I bet you look up to Charlie Manson, Jeffery Dahlmer, Jim Jones and a whole host of other looney tunes.
If you think Byrd was a great american hero you are more warped than I ever dreamed you were.
MAY YOU REST IN PEACE
Posted by: Lost in Space Donny from Plainfield | July 1, 2010 10:24 AM
Bury obama's agenda with him. Thank GOD for doing the right thing and taking this self serving democrat to stop the democrats from having enough votes to pass more idiotic bills that weaken the nation.
Byrd is a perfect example of why we need term limits.
The United States is better off now that Byrd is burning in hell with teddy the murderer. So far it's been a great year!
Posted by: worsethanbefore | July 1, 2010 11:11 AM
Don Fitz, three years after "renouncing" his KKK affiliation, he wrote this in 1946 in a letter to the W. Virginia KKK, "The Klan is needed today as never before, and I am anxious to see its rebirth here in West Virginia." Then, 20 some years after supposedly renouncing his affiliation to the Klan, and during his 13+ hour filibuster of the Civil Rights Act, he had this doozy, "Men are not created equal today, and they were not created equal in 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was written. Men and races of men differ in appearance, ways, physical power, mental capacity, creativity and vision." (above quotes per the Eugene Robinson 6/29/2010 article - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/28/AR2010062803119.html)
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Do those quotes change your views at all? Especially the one 20 years after he supposedly renounced his racist past? Don't be a partisan hack, Don. The guy was not a "hero". He was a bigot who's views changed only when the political winds did.
Posted by: Herbie H. | July 1, 2010 12:38 PM
Tinkled On Terry, since you like resumes so much, here's one for you:
*
http://mindprod.com/politics/bushresume.html
*
Tell us again why you voted for this loser TWICE.
Posted by: BC | July 1, 2010 12:58 PM
BeforeCommonSense,
Becasue President Bush was better than Al "Massage Parlor" Gore and John "Have to Get PErmission from My Filthy Rick Wife" Kerry.
FITZ,
As for Senator Sessions, funny you mentioned Boy Scouts - Senator Sessions was an Eagle Scout. The only thing Bobby Byrd ever did Boy Scout related was learn how to tie a noose.
Still trying to figure out what I have to do with a boat that carries cars across a body of water.
Once again FITZ, your stupidity only needs to be posted once.
Posted by: Terry | July 1, 2010 8:32 PM
Bill Clinton on the reason why Byrd had a "fleeting association with the Klan: "He (Robert Byrd) was trying to get elected"
Some factual info - Byrd join the Klan in 1942 and ran for his first elected office in 1946. So Klansman Byrd had a four year plan inlcuiding joining theKlan to hold a seat in the WV House of Delegates? Did he quit the Klan after his 1946 victory? No. He was member of the Klan until he was for Congress. So that fleeting relationship lasted about 8 years.
Posted by: Terry | July 2, 2010 8:57 PM