Sen. Robert Byrd, one-time KKK member, backs Barack Obama

Sen. Robert Byrd's endorsement today of Barack Obama was both oddly timed and illustrative of the state of the Democratic presidential race.

Obama picked up the backing six days after he got flattened in the primary in Byrd's home state of West Virginia. Obama can be excused for thinking, "Thanks, but where were you a week ago?"

That said, a nod from Byrd -- who in 2006 passed the late Strom Thurmond of South Carolina as the longest-serving senator in U.S. history -- likely would have made only a negligible difference in the West Virginia vote (perhaps turning Obama's 41-percentage-point loss to Hillary Clinton into a 39-point one).

As venerable as the 90-year-old Byrd may be in the Mountain State, senatorial support generally offers presidential candidates little more than window dressing. These lawmakers rarely command a significant on-the-ground political apparatus, as distinct from some governors (whose endorsements, because of that, can carry clout). Obama, after all, was embraced by West Virginia's other senator, Jay Rockefeller, which obviously cut little ice.

Still, it is telling that Byrd would join the Obama camp after the candidate's West Virginia massacre -- and amid the probability that a presidential ticket ...

... Obama heads will not seriously compete for the state's five electoral votes.

Byrd, as an outspoken foe of the Iraq war from the start, was attracted by Obama's similar credential, as he mentions in his endorsement statement. But Byrd, having passed on active involvement in his state's primary, could have remained neutral; the fact that he chose not to is more evidence that, in the view of most Democratic bigwigs, Clinton's nomination hopes range from slim to none.

More than all this, though, Byrd's decision to stand with Obama deserves notice as a sign of one man's evolution.

As is noted in virtually every lengthy story about Byrd, as a young man he joined the Ku Klux Klan. There has been an ongoing dispute about the length of his membership and his commitment to the Klan's racist cause -- Byrd over the years has minimized his involvement; others have said that in doing so he ignores the facts.

The issue was examined by the Washington Post in a 2005 article headlined "A Senator's Shame."

What has not been in dispute is Byrd's mea culpas. The Post piece ended with this quote from him:

"I know now I was wrong. Intolerance had no place in America. I apologized a thousand times ... and I don't mind apologizing over and over again. I can't erase what happened."

-- Don Frederick

(UPDATE: Comic Jay Leno, during the monologue for his late night show Monday, broached the Byrd endorsement. "That's got to make Hillary feel good, huh? Even the Klan guy is going, 'I’m going with the black guy.'")

Photo credit: Getty Images

Comments

[gar]

Byrd must have run out of clean white sheets and Barrak has the only laundry in town.

[Ragtime]

> Byrd must have run out of clean white sheets and Barrak has the only laundry in town.

How dare Obama add to his shady associates a former KKK member! Obama must secretly hate black people!

[Charles J. Budde]

This headline is wildly inappropriate. Grow up or better yet evolve, Robert Byrd has.

[Jimmy Handcock]

This is just beautiful
Two Racists embracing in their love for hate.

America knows where the money is and there are billions to be made in racism. Look at Al Sharpton and Jessey Jackson they have made billions of dollars through race baiting. Look at all the News Organizations that made billions and nobodies had their careers made by OJ Simpson.

We can't accept hate ... We cant have it in God's House and we can't have it in the White House.

These two men Byrd and Obama had their careers made because the people that elected them were embracing something they shouldn't.

If you vote for either of these men you should be ashamed

[Barrie O. Ward The Canadian Geezer]

Robert Byrd redeemed his good name long ago with the brilliance of the speech that he gave in the United States Senate on Wednesday February 12th 2003 ...

All people are entitled to seek redemption and the honorable gentleman has certainly done so .. His endorsement is deeply meaningful and is an example of how a person can grow throughout a long lifetime ... HE IS AN EXAMPLE OF "THE CHANGE" that is the great strength of the Obama campaign!

[Sean]

Wasn't there two different KKKs? The one in Birth Of A Nation seemed OK. Just fighting for the rights of people in the south who were against northern imperialism. I'm not an American though, so i can't judge, but your anti-whitey attitude in the states is over the top sometimes. Maybe if you elect this Obama guy you can get over your white guilt and be normal again.

[AAAAANDRE]

OMG! Obama is supported by RACISTS!!!????
What shall we do now?

I guess it's about time we disregard any other Racist Smears and Guilt by Association against other candidates as well.

[shirl]

Senator Byrd is doing is an honorable act even as he approaches his mortal end--it is called healing the nation. We Democrats must heal our nation and get behind Senator Obama as Senator Byrd is calling us to do. The Hillary supporters who plan to give the race to McCain are coming from an ugly past and will lead us to an ungly future. As a senior citizen feminist, I say feminism works for human rights not just for women but for all humars, for men are also our sons, brothers, fathers and husbands. Enough with Ferraro and her mean bitter position.

[AAA]

Sen. Robert Byrd endorsement to Senator Obama is a sign of time of true reconciliation b/w races that brewing around the corner as one look at it in American context and experience but unlimited.

In other writing Sen. Byrd said calling Obama a “noble-hearted patriot and humble Christian” who “has my full faith and support.” Can u imagine this comes from the longest-serving senator in U.S. history and a one brief time KKK member?

So for all those of you out there willing to turn a solid humane page and ready to further human endeavour for peace, justice, understanding, cooperation and the harmonious but varied way of life for freedom and pursuit of happiness in global terms, Get ready

Honestly, I can't wait the day President Obama make another super - more perfect union speech – at the main gate of our KKK fellow dwelling, and try to remove the rancour and cool the bridge with them for good and for all of us. This time his Uncles needs him, did he needs them? U bet!!! Let us thank the heroic endorsement of Sen Byrd, truly it speaks volume.
Obama 08

[gaypastor]

ANYTHING to bring the "woman" down. Amazing....absolutely amazing! The "boys club" is alive and well, its more interracial now (which I guess is a good thing) but it's alive and well.

[brownish black]

its sad to see so many comments above that are stemmed by rascism, shall I say rascists??

Byrd like so many others has come to an open mind and heart. I cannot be 100 % sure of his acceptance, but I can see that the journalist who wrote this story was motivated by rascism! idiot

[Jodee]

Wow, guess Barack and the KKK have something in common, they both use racism as a main pillar of their organization. I mean really, if you don't vote for Barack throw-his-gramma-and-pastor-under-the-bus Obama, YOU ARE A RACIST!!!!!

Oh and don't walk around with a Hillary button on, cause the Blowbama supporters will suck their teeth at you RACIST!!!

The 2008 Democratic campaign - the only place where hard work and fighting for the working class gets rewarded with "she is clawing her way to the top", and "she goes negative", and "Mr. Obama is soooo holier than thou, even though he is a Liar"!!!

[Jefferson]

Hillary and your supporters... YOU ARE THE STRONG ONES!!!

While Obama supporters, AKA the "I'm doing the RIGHTEOUS THING" ones are walking around telling you to roll over and take it, you are instead STANDING UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN, THE SAME TYPE OF GUTS THAT BUILT THIS COUNTRY IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!

GO HILLARY!!!!

[dePaul Consiglio]

Is this full circle or end of the line?

Regarding

dePaul Consiglio

[concerned]

"Wasn't there two different KKKs? The one in Birth Of A Nation seemed OK. Just fighting for the rights of people in the south who were against northern imperialism. I'm not an American though, so i can't judge, but your anti-whitey attitude in the states is over the top sometimes. Maybe if you elect this Obama guy you can get over your white guilt and be normal again."

- this is the most ignorant post i've read in a long time... please, pick up a book... any book ... even dr. seuss or shel silverstein ... anything to help u advance beyond the general body of knowledge of a 3rd grade student

[dave]

How about the Rush Limbaughs, Shawn Hannities, etc etc...fox news...they all make their money spewing hate and intolerance of anyone that does not buy their warped way of thinking. They all have blood money on their hands.....

[Valoriek]

I think it's horrible that the press focuses on Robert Byrd's past. Anyone who has read The Audacity of Hope knows Obama wrote extensively about Senator Byrd's regrets for mistakes he made as a foolish young man. He deeply regrets those mistakes, Senator Byrd has served his country well. Before making any judgements about a good decent man, I suggest you look up his record in the senate ot better yet read Obama's book it really is brilliant and you will learn a lot of useful info about our next president.

[monica hurtado williams]

Please America stop bieng two colour code and smell the life in the beuty of gray instead.
Humanity is well off by compassion and clear minds of useless racist words.
The end of times is near so pray for kindness inside of each of us.
When the creator decided that you must go black or white he don't descriminate right?
Same in laife!

[MissClarity]

Karl Rove supports the decisions of the TriLateral Commission ie. Bush puppeteering. Bill Clinton is a member of the TriLateral commission whose only purpose is to expand the one world order whose first absolute action in the support the NAFTA which Clinton signed off one. 'They' are all part of the same, one in the same. Google it = TriLateral Commission.

[All I can say]

Is "wow". Now I have realized why people think our country is so stupid. I read the first two comments and I am sure that with people like that in our country, our economy will definitely go into a recession.

[Dark Wraith]

The headline reference to Sen. Robert Byrd's past membership in the Ku Klux Klan certainly has some grab value, and it is most assuredly the case that LA Times reporters need some personal mojo to avoid the next round of hatch-job layoffs from their corporate masters, but it seems just a bit disingenuous that the article spends almost as much time bleating about Byrd's past as it does about the nation's prospective future president.

Not only was Sen. Byrd "an outspoken foe of the Iraq war from the start," as the writer concedes, but he was also stunningly eloquent and eerily prescient in his anti-war speeches on the floor of the Senate. Fortunately, when the history of this miserable presidency and its awful wars is written, far more note will be made of men like Byrd for their vociferous opposition to the outrages of our time than to their lack of judgment in their earlier lives.

I am hopeful that the next time the writer of this article, Don Frederick, mentions Pope Benedict XVI, his headline will expend the necessary copy space to include the qualifier, "Former Nazi Youth Member." Boy, that'll get a few laughs on the late-night comedy circuit, too.

[Tom in California]

Robert Byrd serves fifty years in the Senate and is recognized as the preeminent advocate of a Constitutional position on the war powers of Congress. And your headline refers to him only as a "one-time KKK member"? Jeez, what a cheap shot! The man really deserves better than this!

[mavricovich]

I dont get it. Outside of 2 comments I've read I wonder if a computer random retarded statement generator created the rest of these posts. I don't understand how the Hillary as working class hero concept has unfolded unless you just listen to how she paints the story. How many of you look into anything? Really. People who make their mizpeld point ALL IN CAPS!!!? And the Byrd KKK what? It's a thing and all sure, noted by author. Done deal, interesting but not actually current. Do you know who Byrd is? RACIST JOINS RACIST!!! What the hell? I just googled cuz I heard about Byrd's support. I know it doesn't really matter but I was stoked cuz I like Byrd. As a young person I only first took notice of Byrd pre-Iraq as he took floor in his "sleep walking through history" speech. Look it up if ya don't know... research is good. I was impressed by his candor and what I believe to be sincerity that Congress was silent in what should be a last resort, war, simply jumping on the train. I have since found him intriguing as he waves his copy of the Constitution like a bible when griping at Congress giving away their powers to the Executive branch under duress or Corporations through trade agreements like NAFTA that close the doors to public influence. I feel these things lead Byrd to see Obama as an ally who will shake things up a little in what is now the status quot. He must know his time is short anywho. Maybe he'd like to know he can pass a torch or two. Byrd is pretty much about the Constitution. If you just say KKK Blah blah then what are you? ask yourself? did I research anything or just freak out. None of us know much. But at least try. The process is worth a lot.

[concerned mother]

Hillary Clinton supporters really have lost their minds huh? Do you seriously not remember Hillary playing the sexist card like a million times? She thinks we should vote for her just because she is a woman that is married to a former president. I would vote for a woman that had legitimate experience and didn't feel entitled to the presidency. Its not a crown! If we wanted monarchy we certainly wouldn't want it to be with the Clintons!

[Alfonse]

Byrd is 90 years old and he's from West Virginia. I'd surprised if he wasn't somehow related to the KKK back then. The important thing is he has since redeemed homself and in doing so hugely honored the country's civil right movements. We'll know many died for the cause. Byrd's transformation is a poinant and touching story in itself. So I think it's natural that two honorable, reflective and thinking persons should come together.