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The end of a session of Congress can be a very, very strange time. The combination of stress, strong differences of opinion, massive egos, and a desire to get home for the holidays, can be a combustible mixture. Which makes covering Congress at this time of year enormously entertaining.
Virginia Senator John Warner was reminiscing recently about the time a number of years ago when two "respected Republicans" got into fisticuffs during a tense Christmas Eve session. I did a little research and found out that the gentlemen were none other than Jesse Helms and Alan Simpson. Not clear if any blows were landed, but my guess is not much damage was done.
During the last few days no punches were thrown, as far as we know, but two of the Senate's super-heavyweights did have a wild, arms flailing, verbal brawl on the floor of the Senate.
Alaska Republican Ted Stevens and West Virginia Democrat Robert Byrd, both in their eighties, are dear friends who share a mutual worship of the Senate. They actually call the Senate -- I'm serious -- the Temple.
But when they disagree it can be as ugly as their friendship is beautiful. When Stevens tried to attach his treasured Arctic National Wildlife Refuge provision to the DOD spending bill this week Byrd had, well, a bird. "I abhor this idea. Shame!" he bellowed. "I love my friend from Alaska... I feel that my blood in my veins is with his blood. But I love the Senate more!"
Those remarks clearly wounded Stevens, as did remarks by other Democrats suggesting that Stevens had been less than honest in how he went about attaching the ANWR drilling provision to the DoD bill. Stevens is well-known for his emotional outbursts -- he angrily threatened to quit the Senate recently if he didn't get his way on some big Alaska pork projects -- and after ANWR was defeated he launched into one of the best tirades I've heard since first coming to the Senate (I've been here off and on since 1982).
"(N)o one's ever questioned my integrity before this year" he said, then lashing out at some of his Democratic critics: "(M)any of you have spoken here and said things that are not true and you know they're not true. As I said, and one Senator said something so bad I asked for an apology. I wouldn't accept his apology now. Mr. president, I'm going to go home and I'm going to think about this and I'm going to try to figure out what to do next... this has been the saddest day of my life. It's a day I don't want to remember and I'm sorry to see it come to an end. Because I am drawing the line now with a lot of people I've worked with before. I really am. I really am, because I can't put in my mind the amount of time, the days I've spent with you working on your problems, and to know you've said about me the things you've said inside the last two months."
Stevens then concluded with this: "I say goodbye to the Senate tonight. Thank you very much."
Reporters looked at each other, stunned. "Is he resigning?" someone asked. We tracked him down later and asked him is he was staying in the Senate. "I don't know" was his reply.
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Thank you to the Senate for refusing to cave in to Ted stevens and his underhanded, self-serving push to drill ANWR. It is time for Alaskans to realize that ANWR belongs to all Americans, not to the Alaskan Republican Majority, and we must abide by the decisions that have been consistently reinforced for over twenty years - Americans want ANWR preserved. We Alaskans need to recognize ANWR for what it is, a national treasure.
Kimberly Rice, Anchorage, AK (Sent Dec 29, 2005 4:49:41 PM)
Whateve your opinion of the merits of developing ANWR, the bigger issue for me is the methods used by the politicians to get the legislation passed. Typical of the breed, the hypocritical, self-serving, egotistical posturing and abuse of the rules by the politicians is the major reason they enjoy such a low rating in the minds of most Americans.
Hopefully one of these election days the voters will do the right thing and vote these horrible creatures out of office. I won't hold my breath though because the locals always go after the almight dollar above all else.
Kevin Bond, Tucson, AZ (Sent Dec 28, 2005 8:36:07 PM)
I am curious if there is a decent return on investment for the supposed oil that is under ANWR, let alone if the United States can utilize the expected high sulfur content that is supposed to comprise this petroleum. In other words, is all this oil going to go to Japan because it is unsuitable to be utilized in the States? What this amounts to then is merely a taking for the oil industry which does little to offset the current energy needs but only offsets the current imbalance of trade with Japan by giving Japan this oil, to the destruction of a valued wildlife preserve! This is not a winning hand for us in any event but a total giving away of our assets with little in return!
Dave Van Grunsven (Sent Dec 27, 2005 2:52:17 PM)
Remember the North Slope Pipeline folks? Same BS,different day.
Ron Hunter,Piedmont,MO (Sent Dec 23, 2005 11:36:58 PM)
Sen. Ted Steven's bullying, threats, rudness to others and attempt to circumvent the Senate Rules hurts Alaskans most. Alaskans are not like this. There are many of us who are not oil, fishery or native corporations.
Ted Stevens was appointed to the Senator position in about 1965. As an incumbent, he was re-elected. Ted Stevens only lived consistently in Alaska for about 5 years during his lifetime. As he said to the Senate, I have canceled my vacation plans. His vacation plans means coming to Alaska. Then the next day, he stated Good Night to the Senate and that he was going home. His home is the Washington D.C. area. If you ever read his biography on his website he has spent almost 50 years right there.
He comes to Alaska to campaign, summer vacation with invited Senators going on annual Fishing trip which he hosts,he comes for awards, he comes to have the airport named after him.(no one voted for that). It was just done.
If Democrats are asked to serve on a Board, he will call the organization and tell them not to put that person on the board. Companies are afraid for him to see their names on contributions to anything other than his campaign.
Alaskans are so far from Washington D.C. that we believe what he says. Now that news is constant and the internet blogs are available, Alaskans that are tired of his behavior can have a venue for expressing their opinions without retailiation.
Thank you for listening. Ms. Jerry Fuller
Jerry Fuller, Anchorage, Ak. (Sent Dec 23, 2005 5:05:42 AM)
OUR CHURCH HAS CLOSED SUNDAY SERVICES THIS YEAR. I THINK THIS IS A TOTAL DISGRACE. CHRISTMAS IS OUR MOST RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY BESIDES EASTER OF THE YEAR. I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO ATTENDING CHURCH ON SUNDAY, HOW APPROPRIATE SINCE IN THIS COUNTRY CHRISTMAS IS ABOUT THE BIRTH OF CHRIST. COMMERCIALISM HAS TAKEN OVER THIS RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY TO AN EXTREME AND YEAR AFTER YEAR IT SEEMS TO GET WORSE. I WAS REALLY SURPRISED THIS YEAR AT ALL THE CHURCH CLOSINGS. I HAVE GRANDCHILDREN AND WE ALL LOVE "SANTA CLAUS" BUT OUT FAMILY LOVES CHRIST MORE....THAT'S JUST MY 2 CENTS AS THEY SAY
SUSAN WINEINGER (Sent Dec 23, 2005 12:25:11 AM)
This is very sad. I watched your segment tonight and was shocked to see the feeding of "it's about me" from the mega churches. This continues to feed the dumbing of America--missing the meaning and purpose of Christmas. It's about the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ, not a tree, presents, etc. Too much commercialism. It's very sad.
Mark A. Isabelli (Sent Dec 22, 2005 7:50:10 PM)
The American citizens are being misled about ANWR by "conservationists". The ANWR coastal plain is a desolate, frozen wasteland. There are no people, no forests, no musk ox, no animals except lemming (mice like animals), rarely a fox, polar bear or raven, no mountains, no anything but ice for 10 1/2 months a year. Some animals migrate there only to bear young during the 6 week summer. As soon as the young can travel, they are gone. I have worked there and I know. Lets tell the truth about ANWR.
Carl Norman, Seward, Alaska (Sent Dec 22, 2005 7:27:43 PM)
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