Officials, diverse groups remember Sen. Byrd fondly
Share with others:
The death of U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd prompted an outpouring of condolences, admiration and gratitude for the man who was remembered for his love of his state and for the legislative body that he served for a half-century.
Condolences from Washington poured in alongside remarks from private organizations whose work intersected with Mr. Byrd's efforts.
Vice President Joe Biden called Mr. Byrd a dear friend and remembered how the senator attended the funeral of his wife and daughter in 1972.
"Robert C. Byrd was a tough, compassionate and outspoken leader, and dedicated above all else to making life better for the people of the Mountain State -- his state, the state of West Virginia," Mr. Biden said. "He never lost sight of home. ... And we shall not, to paraphrase the poet ... see his like again. And the Senate is a lesser place for his going."
Those from his home state also expressed their fondness for the senator, including U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R -W.Va.; former Gov. Gaston Caperton; and U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., who served as Mr. Byrd's staff assistant before his election to Congress.
Mr. Rahall remembered the senator's contributions to West Virginia and the nation in a statement on his website.
"Over the next several days, the pundits will try to sum up in limited words the life of Senator Byrd. They will fall far short. We will hear about structures that bear his name, about records he set, about votes he cast. And none of those measures will come close to capturing the enormity that was Robert C. Byrd," Mr. Rahall wrote. " I do not know how to begin trying to calculate his immense influence on the people of this nation and the people of West Virginia; perhaps because so much of what he gave to us is beyond measure -- wisdom, reason, hope. We will not see the likes of a Robert C. Byrd pass our way again."
First Published June 29, 2010 12:00 am
