It took a little doing, but thanks to some good luck (and quick hands) I was able find some discarded notes on the interview done with Senator Robert “Kleagle” Byrd by Sheryl Gay Stolberg of the New York Times.
While these notes are pretty raw, they do contain some interesting quotes from the Senate’s iconoclastic parliamentarian and sole remaining ex(?)-member of the Klu Klux Klan.
I thought it might be interesting to marry up quotes that were printed in the Times story with some additional verbiage that Ms. Stolberg failed to include. After reading some of these quotes, I think you’ll understand why Ms. Stolberg was reluctant to have them make the final edit. (The material in boldface was not included in the story)
“I’ve forgotten more about the rules and procedures,” Mr. Byrd said in an interview this week, “than most senators will ever know. I’ve also forgotten where the bathroom is which is why I miss Senator Daschle. He used to carry a bucket with him so I wouldn’t have to worry about wandering the halls looking for the head.
Christian conservatives and right-wing bloggers are unearthing his past as a one-time member of the Ku Klux Klan who filibustered the Civil Rights Act of 1964. “I’ve said time and time again that I was wrong about that and I apologize,” Mr. Byrd said. “And I’ve said time and time again I got nothin’ against them darkies jes as long as they knows their place and don’t get too uppity.”
Republicans say Mr. Byrd used procedures to limit debate on three other occasions, though he says he never once “deprived the minority” of “the right to freedom of speech.” “It’s not like ah treated ‘em like nig…like nigg…like commonists or somethin’.”
“These instant constitutional experts want to warp, want to bend, if you will, the Senate’s constitutional purpose with a witch’s brew of half truths, twisted logic and vicious attacks on freedom of speech,” the senator thundered. “I’ve already got the constitution so twisted up it looks like a West Virginia corndodger. Why do they need to get into the act?”
“How sad,” Mr. Byrd declared, lowering his eyes and dragging out his words for dramatic effect, “will be the legacy of those senators who vote to assassinate freedom of speech in the Senate of the United States. What a blotch upon the escutcheon of the great basic liberty of the people. How sad.” “If there’s one thing I can’t stand it’s a ‘blotchy escutcheon.’ I thought I had most of those removed when I went to see the proctologist.”
For the record, here’s Webster’s definition of “escutcheon”:
1 : a defined area on which armorial bearings are displayed and which usually consists of a shield
2 : a protective or ornamental plate or flange (as around a keyhole)
3 : the part of a ship’s stern on which the name is displayed
If he’s using the word in the context of #3, then we’re talking about “liberty’s ass” which given Senator Kleagle’s past history, explains in graphic imagery just what he’s been doing to his constituents and the Senate for so long.
6:08 pm
Hiya SuperDuper!
2:18 pm
Get your crazy racist quotes right here!
Check out some insane Kleagle Byrd quotes over at the Rightwing Nuthouse.
2:32 pm
Oh! Could you please delete my trackback? I accidentally sent a link for an edit-this-post post.