Cord Byrd: “this coming Tuesday is the Fourth of July. Two hundred and thirty years ago, in 1776, our Founding Fathers declared…”

“this coming Tuesday is the Fourth of July. Two hundred and thirty years ago, in 1776, our Founding Fathers declared independence from Britain, establishing a nation on fundamentally new principles of government. Those principles, laid out in ringing tones in the Declaration of Independence and given flesh and substance in our Constitution, have stood us well for these last 230 years. That is 84,007 days, including leap years, and we are still going strong. Already, one can see the red, white, and blue bunting decorating stores, and one can see the fireworks for sale in those places where they are permitted. People are purchasing picnic and barbeque makings at the grocery stores and filling the propane tanks that will fuel the backyard grills. Next Tuesday, the Nation's air will be filled with the sizzle and aroma of good old hot dogs and hamburgers, steaks and shishkebobs, and barbeque of infinite regional variety. Sweet, luscious corn on the cob may lay atop the grill, roasting in its own leafy wrapping. Picnic tables will groan under the weight of creamy potato salad--potato salad like they make in Tennessee--tart coleslaw, egg salad or macaroni salad. Cold slabs of watermelon--Mr. President, cold slabs of watermelon--and fresh cherries will tempt some to initiate seed spitting contests. It is hard to imagine a more all-American feast.…”