Nelson says Byrd was his Senate tutor
by Michael C. Bender | June 28th, 2010
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., says U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.V., taught him and other newly-elected senators about proper debate decorum in the chamber. Byrd died today at age 92.
“In a hot political crucible, where there are sharp differences of opinion, you have to keep an atmosphere by which you can build consensus to govern a very large and complicated and diverse country,” Nelson said. “Sen. Byrd was the embodiment of that.”
Nelson’s comment came during an interview this morning with Rich Jones, the morning news host of WOKV AM 690 & 106.5 FM. The radio station, along with The Palm Beach Post, is owned by Cox Enterprises.
Incidentally, Byrd doesn’t appear to have deep ties to Florida, according to a search of our news archive.
The late Sen. Lawton Chiles, D-Fla., unsuccessfully attempted to unseat Byrd as the Senate minority leader in 1984
In 2002, Byrd, as Appropriations Committee chairman, sponsored an amendment to let government condemn about 10 residential properties in Miami-Dade County in the name of Everglades restoration. The amendment, intended to overturn a federal judge’s ruling, was sponsored at the request of Nelson and then-Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla.
Graham told the Post in 2001 that both he and Nelson had a good relationship with Byrd, which Graham hoped would translate into money from the appropriations committee for Everglades restoration.
Tags: Bill Nelson, Robert Byrd
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June 28th, 2010 at 12:34 pm
Florida’s astronaut democrat senator Bill Nelson FAILED MISERABLY in keeping the space jobs in FLorida.
NOTHING, the guy did NOTHING to sustain Cape Canaveral and the Space Agency.
And Nelson SUPPORTED all Obama spending and ObamaCare. While HE keeps HIS federal healthcare and FORCES ObamaCare on us.
Hey, Bill get some skimmers to the west coast and did you forget that Robert Byrd was in the KKK? Democrats conveniently ‘forget’ that part of Byrd’s history.
Loser=Bill Nelson
June 28th, 2010 at 7:40 pm
No wonder the greatest country ever on this planet is going into the dumps!
Great Patriot robert Byrd:
Re-elected over and over by the inbred West By God Virginia Democraps!
Former KKK leader!
14 hours of filibuster in 1964 in an effort to stop the civil rights bill!
Statement concerning white niggers! Which I suppose was the welfare people he was supposed to serve!
But he brought home the bacon! Billions and Billions to welfare fraud inbred’s t keep this patriot in office for over 50 years! Was this a great cvountry or what?
June 29th, 2010 at 8:29 am
I didn’t know Bill Nelson ever was a KKK member?
Nelson did sell privileges as FL Ins. Commish. He made you put on campaign cocktail fundraisers to get an official audience – two if the item was significant…or you happened to be Jewish.
Try writing Bill “Byrd” Nelson on most anything…you get the auto response, then nothing else…ever again. He must be checking voter registration files and deciding what he owes you – nothing!!
Similar to Byrd, Nelson has his name on many things — seven local offices with how large a staff of enablers and fixers??
June 29th, 2010 at 11:13 am
Wow- after reading the above comments I am reminded that what is wrong with this country is the hateful angry people who are never happy with anything and have no respect for their fellow man. I’ll bet that you are the same people who are still screaming drill baby drill (since you can’t remember any slogan that doesn’t rhyme) while blaming the government- that you claim is too big- for not having a better response.
Senator Nelson has been a hero for Florida and his comments about the late Senator Byrd (who like any other human being deserves respect upon his passing) reflect a smart recognition that you cannot win battles for what is right by screaming alone. You have to compromise and work together, and that is the lesson of this piece.
June 30th, 2010 at 3:41 am
This is John Galt speaking,
Oh good, a career politician who was trained by another career politician. Hopefully we can get rid of the pesky patriots like Ron Paul, and have more Ben Nelsons. Well, IF you people elect Crist, you’ll get that wish.