Byrds passing should be an opp

THE "C" stood for Carlyle, and 19th century Scottish poet Thomas Carlyle penned an appropriate verse to fit this occasion:

"Out of Eternity

This new Day is born;

Into Eternity,

At night, will return."

The tributes to Robert Carlyle Byrd, 1917-2010, are numerous and reflect for the most part a genuine love of the man.

There is much to admire about a man who came from the Depression- era backwaters of West Virginia to lead the Democrats in the U.S. Senate for 12 years.

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As Booker T. Washington once said: "I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has had to overcome while trying to succeed."

Both men are wisely honored at our state Capitol. There is a statue inside of the senator, and a plaque outside for the freed slave who was the first leader of the new Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.

Yet as admirable as Byrd's rise was, quite a few West Virginians - a third of the electorate in his last election - were not following where he was leading.

We, too, have a duty to state our case.

My take is that Byrd's rise to power was all about him and not his home state.

Byrd turned favors into chits and cashed them in to become first the majority whip and then the majority leader, besting Ted Kennedy.

And then he curried favor with Kennedy.

It was only after his own party rose and ousted him from power, at age 71, that Byrd assumed the role Jennings Randolph had as the procurer of federal funds for the homeland.

Byrd did well. He was always an over-achiever.

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But again, it seemed to be more about him than his constituents. A modest man would not have allowed 40 things to be named in his honor back home.

His passing provides an opportunity for change. He died in time to add his unexpired term to the offices to be decided in November's general election.

Democrat Natalie Tennant, secretary of state, ruled basically that it's too late to have a special election this year.

How convenient.

In 1958, Byrd swept into office in one of the biggest reversals in Senate fortunes in U.S. history.

Democrats gained 16 Senate seats, including both of West Virginia's.

This year could see Republicans make major gains.

Democrats do not wish to add West Virginia to the states flipping from blue to red. And so Tennant ruled out an election in November.

Her decision enhances the chances of Gov. Joe Manchin's election to the seat in 2012, which could help boost Tennant's chances for governor if that indeed is her goal.

The argument that there is no time to hold a primary is laughable. The parties have the ability to appoint candidates as well as elect them.

But that might mean a Sen. Nick Joe Rahall or Sen. John Raese seeking re-election in 2012.

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