Byrd backs Obama

Via Yahoo News:

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Democrat Barack Obama's White House bid Monday won support from the Senate's oldest and longest-serving member, Robert Byrd, who acclaimed his freshman colleague as a "shining young statesman."

Byrd, 90, was one of five Democratic "superdelegates" to endorse the Illinois senator Monday and add new momentum to his drive to capture the party's presidential nomination from Hillary Clinton.

Byrd's statement:

As people all across this great nation know, I have been one of the most outspoken opponents of the Bush Administration’s misguided war in Iraq and its saber rattling around the globe."

With the Bush Administration's latest request to fund this on-going war in Iraq without any attempt to start bringing our troops home, the issue of the upcoming presidential contest has been weighing heavily on my heart. The loss of life continues and the sons and daughters of tens of thousands of American families remain in harm’s way every day.

This Democratic primary campaign has been tough and competitive. I had no intention of involving myself in the Democratic campaign for President in the midst of West Virginia's primary election. But the stakes this November could not be higher."

After a great deal of thought, consideration and prayer over the situation in Iraq, I have decided that, as a superdelegate to the Democratic National Convention, I will cast my vote for Senator Barack Obama for President. Both Senators Clinton and Obama are extraordinary individuals, whose integrity, honor, love for this country and strong belief in our Constitution I deeply respect."

I believe that Barack Obama is a shining young statesman, who possesses the personal temperament and courage necessary to extricate our country from this costly misadventure in Iraq, and to lead our nation at this challenging time in history. Barack Obama is a noble-hearted patriot and humble Christian, and he has my full faith and support.

That's one more superdelegate for Obama.

Bringing the totals to:

Obama - 1,913
Clinton - 1,719
Needed to win: 2,025

Photo: AP

Manchin says he won't appoint himself senator

When asked by the Gazette about concerns regarding Byrd's health:

Asked if he would appoint himself to the U.S. Senate in the event that ailing Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., is unable to complete his term, Manchin said, "I will not appoint myself. I will not do that."

Manchin did not want to linger on questions of if or when he might face the prospect of having to appoint a successor for Byrd, whom he called the patriarch of West Virginia politics.

"Until that day comes, I'm not speculating on that," Manchin said.

Assuming he sticks by that pledge, who could get the nod in the hopefully unlikely event if Byrd has to step down?

Mollohan is probably out, seeing as how controversy led to him stepping down from the ethics committee in 2006. Could Rep. Nick Rahall be a possibility? There are probably a few contenders of the Manchin backers in the legislature.

Whoever it is, he or she would probably face the GOP's Shelley Moore Capito in the next election.

Sen. Byrd featured in Donahue's Iraq War film

Excerpted from Amy Goodman's latest:

Tomas Young was one of those injured, on April 4, 2004, in Sadr City. Young is the subject of a new feature documentary by legendary TV talk-show host Phil Donahue and filmmaker Ellen Spiro, called “Body of War.” In it, Young describes the incident that has left him paralyzed from the chest down:

[...]

The film documents his struggle, coping with severe paralysis and life in a wheelchair, its impact on his psyche, his wrecked marriage, his family and his political development from military enlistee into a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War.

Donahue has his own personal link to the anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. It was just weeks before the invasion that his nightly program, MSNBC’s top-rated show, was canceled. As revealed shortly thereafter in a leaked memo, Donahue presented a “difficult public face for NBC in a time of war. He seems to delight in presenting guests who are anti-war, anti-Bush and skeptical of the administration’s motives … at the same time that our competitors are waving the flag at every opportunity.”

[...]

“Body of War” depicts the personal cost of war. In one of the most moving scenes in the film, Young meets Sen. Robert Byrd, the longest-serving senator, with the most votes cast in Senate history (more than 18,000). Byrd said his “no” vote on the Iraq war resolution was the most important of his life. Young helps him read the names of the 23 senators who voted against the war resolution. Byrd reflects: “The immortal 23. Our founders would be so proud.” Turning to Young, he says: “Thank you for your service. Man, you’ve made a great sacrifice. You served your country well.” Young replies, “As have you, sir.”

Trailer:


"Body of War" Web site can be found by clicking here.

4,000

As the 4,000th American soldier dies in Iraq, Sen. Robert C. Byrd reflects on the war:

As we mark this painful milestone, we must ask ourselves: what is the moral
justification for allowing this war to continue? Can we honestly say that the
disastrous mission in Iraq warrants the sacrifice of more of our troops and the
heartache and loss that so many loved ones continue to suffer?

In March of 2003, just prior to the invasion of Iraq, I made a final plea to the
administration and my colleagues in Congress to avert a war that I believed
would reap sorrowful consequences for our nation. In a speech entitled "We Stand
Passively Mute", I expressed my outrage at the fact that the United States
Senate -- the world's greatest deliberative body -- stood "for the most
part-silent-ominously, dreadfully silent" on this monumental question.

Sadly, my worst fears have been realized. The decision to invade Iraq may go
down as one of the gravest foreign policy blunders in our nation's
history.