• He said: ‘There are things I regretted in my youth; you may – you may know that.’ And I said: ‘None of us are absent some regrets, senator. That’s why we enjoy and seek the grace of God.’
• President Barack Obama • Giving the eulogy at Sen. Robert Byrd’s funeral in Charleston, West Virginia on Friday. He further noted that his indiscretions were made up for over time. “As I reflect on the full sweep of his 92 years, it seems to me that his life bent towards justice,” he said. Bill Clinton also spoke a little too, noting his KKK affiliation directly – he was the only speaker that did. But then again, a black president spoke at his funeral. So that’s definitely something to be said about the power of redemption. source

• Say what you will about Robert Byrd – career politician bar none, former KKK member – but he made it through health care. It probably took a lot out of him to make sure health care had his 60th vote, but he made it. Despite certain GOP members suggesting they hoped he missed the vote, he still made it. In a lot of ways, the endeavor speaks more of his career than anything else – a fighter, a guy who got beyond his racist past to have a heck of a second act. Some highlights:

• 9number of times he was re-elected to the Senate (totally unprecedented)

• a racist past, moderatedMaybe in another era, Byrd’s early association with the KKK may have been a career-killer, but many (many) apologies and the passage of time ultimately moderated his views on civil rights. It wasn’t instant – he famously filibustered the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – but the effect was lasting.
• Propping up West VirginiaByrd used his power in the Senate to help build jobs and infrastructure in a state that had little of both when he first started. To some, he earned the nickname “the prince of pork,” but to West Virginians, he was seen as a savior who was voted to both chambers of both the state and federal legislatures.
• A senate leaderByrd ultimately became much more than simply a West Virgina senator – first chairing the Appropriations committee, then later becoming Majority Whip, and spending two separate spans as Majority leader. “A leadership role is different,” he said, “and one does represent a broader constituency.”

Robert Byrd, in his own words

• It has been my constant desire to improve the lives of the people who have sent me to Washington time and time again.
• Sen. Robert Byrd • From his 2005 autobiography, “Robert C. Byrd: Child of the Appalachian Coalfields.” Say what one will about Byrd, but he’s always held up this part of the bargain for West Virginia. West Virginia has responded in kind, naming 30 federal projects after the senator. The state also voted him back into office by wide margins. If anything, he’s proof that a man with a controversial past can be moderated. He’ll be missed. source

• NO and Artur Davis’ loss tonight was downright brutal source

• 65% challenger Ron Sparks’ polling
  results so far tonight
• 35% Davis’ result with 58 percent of precincts reporting

• And the saddest news of the night: Dale “Thugs and Criminals” Peterson, who is running for Alabama Agriculture Commissioner on the back of an awesome commercial, came in third in a field of three for the Republican nomination. That sucks.

• 47% of primary voters plan on voting for our boy Arlen
• 39% prefer Joe Sestak in May 18th’s Pennsylvania Democratic primary
• 14% of voters are ready to give
  Arlen Specter fits source

• Moving forward on immigration — in this hurried, panicked manner — is nothing more than a cynical political ploy. I know from my own personal experience the tremendous amounts of time, energy and effort that must be devoted to this issue to make even limited progress.
• South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham • On why he’s pulling his support for the climate change bill. Simply put, with the new restrictive Arizona law fresh in people’s minds, Democrats seem to want to push immigration ahead of climate change, and it’s making Graham pretty angry. Just a note, though: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has not made a decision one way or the other.  He just hasn’t firmly said that climate change will go first, and that’s what has Graham so angry (understandably). source

• 11 states plan to sue the
  government over health care,
  ten in a class-action suit
• 36 states have pending lawsuits,
  bills or legislation against the
  health care bill source

• Listen, we’re not giving either side credit here. The Republicans just had some dude (Texas Rep. Randy Neugebauer) use the words “baby killer” in reference to Bart Stupak (or the bill, depending on what you believe). However, we get the feeling the Democrats aren’t using the opportunity to look like they’re taking the moral high ground here. Both sides look ugly at the end of all of this, and there aren’t any winners here.

• Republican blech When Joe Wilson shouted “You lie!” at Obama, the Republicans had an opportunity to step away from the tonal problems the health care bill has created. (The chart above is another example.) Instead, they stepped in it deeper, allowing for that tone to totally permeate the party. And now, they own this unhelpful tone to the point that they can’t find the rabbit hole again.
• Democratic spin As super-journo Matt Taibbi notes on True/Slant, the Democrats are claiming that the bill was “built on a series of principles that Republicans espoused for years.” What? Come on. This isn’t true. While the Democrats are certainly becoming more centrist, it’s certainly not the same thing. This just makes the other side mad. That language gets in the way.
• Take a step back If Congress wants to really, truly help the needs of the people, it needs to look back at the past year and figure out exactly why this country and its Congress has a tone not seen since the 1960s. It’s not taxes. It’s not racism. It’s not any of that. Can we call it a tempest in a teapot? No. If anything, the tempest shattered the teapot, and voters have to pick up the pieces.

• Did Dennis Kucinich get the UFO kickback? Tomorrow, Congress’ strangest member could announce a profound changing of mind on a bill he has fought against because it doesn’t go far enough. Obama went to Kucinich’s district for a health care rally on Air Force One over the weekend, and it could’ve changed Denny’s mind. Or maybe not. Either way, dude has more attention on him than ever before. source