What did Byrd himself say about his yes vote?

[senseandsensibility]

He must have a reason. I can't believe that the great senator who had me in tears when he took to the senate floor on the eve of the Iraq invasion would do this. What did he say? Anybody?

[Shortyfuse]

1. I cannot help it . I love that old man.

I chringe every time I hear the right wing media put him down and try to smear him. However I did email him today and express doubts about his vote.

[senseandsensibility]

2. Did he release a statement of any kind?

I haven't heard anything about his justification, but I was at work all day.

[Hissyspit]

3. I just emailed him:

SEN. BYRD -
As you are a hero of mine for your speeches against the illegal and absurd adventurism of the Iraq War, I would hope that you will respectfully consider my request that you vote NO on the Judge Alito nomination. Please stand up against the authoritarian takeover of every branch of the U.S. government, and support Sen. Kerry's filibuster. Thank you.

[Just Me]

8. Thanks, Hissy. He'll listen. Trust me on this.

I'm not sure what's happening behind closed doors but I SWEAR he is a good man. I've just been in touch with an associate and he's not sure what's going on, either. I can only suggest we continue to contact him, IN A RESPECTFUL AND RATIONAL WAY, and tell him our perspective about how Alito may be the neoconsters' "checkmate" in destroying this nation.

:hug:

[Hissyspit]

9. Thanks. He is a good man.

He has strong opinions on Senate tradition. I think that may be influencing him.

[Hissyspit]

4. Here's his statement:

http://byrd.senate.gov/newsroom/news_jan/alito.html

In advance of the Senate’s vote on the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to the United States Supreme Court, Senator Byrd criticized the politicized, media-driven nature of the judicial nomination process and announced his decision to support Judge Alito.

The text of Senator Byrd's speech follows.

I would like to take this opportunity to offer a few observations on the manner in which the Senate has conducted its inquiry into the qualifications of Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr., to serve on the United States Supreme Court.

Regardless of any Senator’s particular view of Judge Alito, I think we can all agree that there is room for improvement in the way in which the Senate – and, indeed, the nation, have undertaken the examination of this nominee. And let me be clear, I mean no criticism of the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee or any particular member of the Committee.

I feel compelled to address this issue, not to point fingers, to scold, or to assign blame, but to address specific, sincere, and heartfelt concerns that have been brought to my attention by the people of West Virginia. Many people, including foremost the people of West Virginia in no uncertain terms were, frankly, appalled by the Alito hearings. I don’t want to say it; but I must. They were appalled.

In the reams of correspondence that I received during the Alito hearings, West Virginians who wrote to criticize the way in which the hearings were conducted used the same two words. People with no connection to one another, of different faiths, views, and opinions independently and respectively used the same two words to describe the hearings: they called them an “outrage” and a “disgrace.”

And these were not form letters ginned up by special interest groups on either the right or the left. These were hand-written, contemplative, old-fashioned letters written on lined paper and personal stationery. They were the sort of letters that people write while watching television in the comfort of their living rooms, or sitting at the kitchen table.

MORE

[senseandsensibility]

6. Thanks for that

Although it leaves me more puzzled than not. I don't understand how he could have received all these letters about the "outrage" and "disgrace" of the hearings. These letters came from people who did not support Alito? He seems to have realy fallen heavily for Mrs. Alito's waterworks, which, even if real, were not justified. Our side did NOT go over the line, and he is buying the lie that we did.x(

[MelissaB]

5. Read post #4

here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x253846

[senseandsensibility]

7. Thanks

I just did, but it's not clearing it up for me. Am I missing something? He seems to have bought the repuke line, hook and sinker.