Is Milbank's creative writing exercise meant to be an attack on Byrd's mental competence?

There seems to be an alarming report about Sen. Robert Byrd's state of mind disguised as one of Dana Milbank's knowingly cynical albeit weirdly loving blog on politics (in the weird way Washington insiders love politics and politicians). Milbank never uses the word "senile," but he clearly paints a picture to make one think of it. I remember seeing Strom Thurmond at a committee hearing in his last year or so of life, and he was basically a prop and seat filler. Clearly Byrd has not degraded so far. Still...


If Milbank isn't just being mean (which can't be ruled out), is there reason to worry about Byrd's mental longevity? Does anyone have any special knowledge about Byrd's mental state? Is the governor of WV a Republican? Will the Dems be forced to give Byrd the Thurmond treatment? Is it good for democracy when the people elect mental incompetents to represent their interests in the Congress? Believe me, I know they do that all the time with much younger representatives than Byrd. But isn't this an important question for a democracy?


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/12/AR2007041202101_pf.html

...

Dick Durbin (Ill.), the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, tried to establish dominance over the pack by raising a can of Alpo for the cameras -- but not before Byrd broke free of his leash. In a lengthy discourse, he informed the panel three times that he has a Shih Tzu, nine times that his late wife named the dog Trouble, and three times that he prefers to call it Baby.

"She sleeps on my bed," said Byrd, in his 90th year and prone to meandering. "She goes with me to the Senate, rides in the car with me. She stays in my office. When somebody comes into the office, she rises and comes over and greets them, goes on about her business and gets back on the couch."

...

But best-in-show honors went to Byrd, who, in a statement notable for its breadth, explained why his eyes had been closed ("I have what is called dry eyes") and why he has tremors in his hand ("I'm not scared or anything"), noted his friendship with the late Chicago mayor Richard Daley, mentioned his 49 years in the Senate, called himself "Popeye the Sailor Man," and demanded the witnesses be sworn in, even though the hearing had been going on for nearly an hour.

...


The senator was just beginning. "Dogs -- I could talk a lot about dogs. I can tell you about great dogs in history. Truman, Harry Truman, former president, said, 'If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog.' Or buy a dog. But I have a dog. Her name, by my wife Erma, is Trouble. Now, I call her Baby."

Muffled laughter rose from the audience; senators on the panel struggled to maintain their composure. Byrd became aware that he was spending too much time on his Shih Tzu. "This is not for a show. I don't often do this. I'm interested in a little dog," he explained.

His children need to get involved and perhaps make some decisions that he isn't capable of making. I was embarrassed for him.

Byrd has done a good job in the Senate for his state of West Virginia. He may need to leave a while for a rest. He may need his meds adjusted.

I wish him well and hope he will get some help and be able to stay on and make his 50 years in the Senate next year.

:applause: :patriot:

That could be key. I hope so.

anything their doctors give them without question. Not saying that is the case with Senator Byrd. But he does say he has essential tremors so I'm certain he is taking some medications. Some adjustment may be in order to reduce the confusion he seemed to be exhibiting yesterday at the hearing. God bless him!

:patriot:

As are (I believe) the majority of our elected officials, at least on the national and state level.

And I don't think there's anything wrong with Senator Byrd's mind. He has physical problems due to his age, but he's not senile.

That the gov is a Dem, I mean. Also, I'm relying on a report by a jaded sleazebag, but even so, I didn't get the sense that Byrd is a vegetable--which was the strong sense I got from seeing Thurmond up close.

Maybe I shouldn't say there's nothing wrong with his mind. I really don't know for certain. But I don't think he's senile, and you're right, he's no Strom Thurmond. I could easily believe he's got medication issues.

Just a side-note about West Virginia: people on DU generally consider us to be a red state, because the state went for Bush twice. But we're really pretty purple. The votes for for Bush notwithstanding, Democrats are still more popular in this state than Republicans.

Is it still? I hope so.

But, yes, he does definitely have bad days, and it is a problem. I think Milbank's perfectly fine in this sort of criticism — it's not nice, but neither is politics. To answer your question, West Virginia's governor, Joe Manchin, is a Democrat (as is, of course, the state's other senator, Jay Rockefeller). I don't expect Byrd to run for re-election in 2012, of course (assuming, God willing, he's still around). But W. Va.'s state congress is also dominated by Democrats (both houses of it), and I don't expect that a Republican will take Byrd's place then.

...that Robert Byrd is a bit worse for the wear.

He's one of the reasons we got stuck with the 2 supreme court justices without a fight.

He doesn't have the clarity of mind to debate with someone who is quick on their feet.