VIDEO: 28 Seconds of Notable Moments During Health Care Vote

By GottaLaff



Talk about an emotional roller coaster:

During Thursday's vote Senate vote, Majority Leader Reid could be heard voting 'no' before correcting his vote to 'aye.'

Smiley face.

Sen. Byrd from West Virginia remembered his former colleague Ted Kennedy.

"This is for my friend Ted Kennedy: Aye!"

Tears.

Now on to the next, even crazier roller coaster ride.

Video- Tribute To Senator Byrd as Longest-Serving Lawmaker

Senator Byrd Will Set Another Record

Congrats to my favorite cranky Senator.

Senator Robert C. Byrd, Democrat of West Virginia, who is already the longest-serving senator in United States history, is set to cross yet another milestone of longevity in the legislative branch. On Wednesday, he’ll surpass Carl Hayden as the longest-serving member of Congress in history, combining terms in both the House and Senate.

Mr. Hayden, an Arizona Democrat, served in the House from 1912 to 1927 and in the Senate from 1927 to 1969 for a total of 56 years, 319 days.

Mr. Byrd served in the House from 1953 to 1959, and has been in the Senate ever since. He served as the Democratic leader from 1977 to 1989, about half of that time as the majority leader.

Video- Senator Byrd's tearful Kennedy tribute

Byrd wants health bill renamed for Kennedy

By GottaLaff

Every time I stop tearing up, someone on the Tee Vee Machine or Radio Machine tells another moving story, and there go the waterworks:

Byrd said he hoped healthcare reform legislation in the Senate would be renamed in memoriam of Kennedy.

"I had hoped and prayed that this day would never come," Byrd said in a statement. "My heart and soul weeps at the lost of my best friend in the Senate, my beloved friend, Ted Kennedy." [...]

"In his honor and as a tribute to his commitment to his ideals, let us stop the shouting and name calling and have a civilized debate on health care reform which I hope, when legislation has been signed into law, will bear his name for his commitment to insuring the health of every American," Byrd said. [...]

"God bless his wife Vicki, his family, and the institution that he served so ably, which will never be the same without his voice of eloquence and reason," Byrd said. "And God bless you Ted. I love you and will miss you terribly."

Sen. Robert Byrd Goes Home

By GottaLaff

Aww, have a happy Fourth, Sen. Byrd!

[T]he 91-year West Virginia Democrat was released from the hospital Tuesday after more than six weeks of treatment for various infections.

Senator Byrd remains hospitalized with staph infection

Not a good sign. Irreplaceable.

Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), the oldest and longest serving member of the Senate, remains hospitalized with a staph infection nearly three weeks after being admitted to the hospital.

Byrd's office has been releasing periodic updates on his health and is trying to make it clear that he is still actively engaged with Senate duties.

According to Byrd's office, "He is not expected to return to Capitol Hill this week but is in daily contact with his staff."

(snip)

Byrd was initially admitted to the hospital — his staff would not release where he is staying — on May 18 for a minor infection, but he suffered a staph infection during his treatment.

BREAKING: Sens. Byrd, Kennedy medical emergencies reported inside luncheon at capitol

By GottaLaff

Earlier today

UPDATE: Sen. Byrd was NOT sick. He was upset, and left, but was not sick.

Please note: I changed the blog title to reflect the update.

Keith Olbermann is reporting the incident did not involve any of the principles (President Obama and Vice President Biden and their families).

Hopefully, there is nothing too dire going on here, and Keith is saying the tone of the event is still light. Fingers crossed.

UPDATE: Sen. Ted Kennedy had to be removed from the luncheon. He was taken on a stretcher, but his condition is unknown.

UPDATE: Senator Byrd was stricken too. Byrd had trouble eating, was conscious, a minor event. Kennedy had convulsions.

UPDATE: At dessert, Byrd was pale, in pain or discomfort of some kind. Meds came in immediately and escorted him out, walked out. About a minute later, Kennedy began to convulse. Meds were called in immediately.

The people at the luncheon stood in silence.

His wheelchair was reclined back, and he was taken out of the room on a gurney.

UPDATE: Orrin Hatch said it was a seizure, that it was very upsetting to those around him. Kennedy appeared to be in pain, but was conscious. His impression was that Kennedy could communicate a little, and prayers were spoken by various dignitaries.

Obama offered comfort.

UPDATE: Kennedy was eating, taken out of the room. He was doing much better before he got into the ambulance, so some optimism here!

UPDATE: Sen. Dodd said Kennedy had a seizure BUT SEEMED FINE as he was put into the ambulance. He'll be fine.

Sen. Byrd's office says Byrd is fine, was not hospitalized, was in discomfort and it is nothing serious.

UPDATE from hospital: Kennedy is awake, alert, Obama has called him.

Byrd stepping down from Appropriations chair

By GottaLaff

Via CNN:

West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd is relinquishing his chairmanship of the Senate Appropriations Committee, he announced Friday.

Byrd, 91, has served in the Senate since 1959 and is the longest serving senator in the chamber's history. He has chaired the Appropriations Committee for the last 10 years.

“To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven.”

Those Biblical words from Ecclesiastes 3:1 express my feelings about this particular time in my life."

I have been blessed to have had the honor to represent the people of West Virginia in the United States Senate for 50 years. I have been honored to lead the Senate as its Majority Leader for 12 years.

"A new day has dawned in Washington, and that is a good thing. For my part, I believe that it is time for a new day at the top of the Senate Appropriations Committee," Byrd said in a statement. "I will step away from the Chairmanship of the Appropriations Committee effective January 6, 2009."

I want to stress that this is a decision I made only after much personal soul searching, and after being sure of the substantial Democratic pickup of seats in the Senate. I am now confident that stepping aside as Chairman will not adversely impact my home state of West Virginia.

God willing, I will continue to serve on the Appropriations Committee. I will continue to chair the Homeland Security Subcommittee, and I will work to help my state and the people of our great country in those roles."

Reason #84593874 Why I Love Senator Byrd

By Paddy

Oh, the full dialogue from the blogpost below according to WaPo's Paul Kane (and other reporters in the gallery) who heard the full shouting match between Sen. Robert C. Byrd and Sen. Jim Bunning, shouting from their seats across that aisle at each other:

Bunning: "Regular order!"

Byrd: "Who said that?"

Bunning: "I did."

Byrd: "Who are you?"

Bunning: "I'm a senator."

Byrd: "You're a great baseball man."

Bunning: "I'm a senator; I have the same rights as you."

Byrd: "Yeah, man, you're a senator." [Ends by laughing hysterically at Bunning.]

Back story here, via Taegan.

After third hospital stay, Byrd back to business

By Paddy


G-d bless every gray hair on his head.

MAKE WAY FOR LIBERTY!!!!

Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) was back to dealing with Senate Appropriations Committee business Wednesday after recovering from his third hospitalization of the year.


Byrd, who is 90 and the longest-serving senator in U.S. history, displayed some humor chairing his first hearing since returning from his respite. Byrd was hospitalized for an infection on June 2. He was kept for a few days of observation, then recuperated at his home.

Newsflash: Cheney knows how to apologize!

By GottaLaff

Will wonders never cease, and by that I'm not referring to the apology, but to the original statement:

Vice President Dick Cheney apologized Monday for what his spokeswoman called "an inappropriate attempt at humor" that implied that inbreeding is common among West Virginians, a remark that elicited outrage from the state's senior senator.

Asked during a question-and-answer session at the National Press Club about the fact that a search of his family tree found he is a distant relative of Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential front-runner, Cheney said the two politicians were unlikely to hold a family reunion.

He said that the Cheney line on his father's side of the family dates to 1630's, and a Cheney family line on his mother's side dates to the 1650's.

"So, I had Cheneys on both sides of the family — and we don't even live in West Virginia," Cheney cracked. After pausing for laughter from the crowd, Cheney added, "You can say those things when you're not running for re-election."

Afterward, West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd lashed out at Cheney for the "insult to all Americans." In a written statement, Byrd declared that Cheney showed "contempt and astounding ignorance toward his own countrymen" with the comments.

Get well soon, Senator Byrd. We need more like you to put the Nation of Dick in his place. And by putting him in his place, I mean in jail.

Breaking: Senator Byrd back in the hospital

By GottaLaffKeith Olbermann just broke the story that Senator Robert Byrd "was sluggish and had a fever" and is back in the hospital. [paraphrased]

UPDATE:

Sen. Robert C. Byrd's spokesman says the 90-year-old lawmaker was hospitalized Monday night at his doctor's urging after suffering from lethargy and sluggishness at his home.

Press secretary Jesse L. Jacobs says the West Virginia Democrat will be there overnight for observation.

Byrd, who is the longest-serving senator in history, voted during a 5:30 p.m. roll call Monday, then went home. Jacobs says that less than an hour later the senator began to feel ill.

He was found to have a fever, and at his doctor's request he was taken to a nearby hospital.

H/t: Paddy