Cord Byrd: “On November 3, the State of West Virginia lost one of its most enduring and most colorful political figures, A. James…”

“On November 3, the State of West Virginia lost one of its most enduring and most colorful political figures, A. James Manchin. A. James Manchin was born in Farmington, WV, on April 7, 1927. He had a deep love for West Virginia and its people, and that deep love showed everywhere he went, in every office he held, in everything he did, and with every person he met. With his booming voice, his flamboyant oratory, and his wonderful sense of humor, A. James was an undeniable presence. I find it difficult to imagine traveling around the State of West Virginia and speaking before a crowd without seeing my friend Jimmy Manchin standing there somewhere in the crowd, lifting his hat into the air--by the way, he wore big hats--and shouting out a greeting to me. With his political skills and his tenacious determination to make West Virginia a better place in which to live and work and raise families, Jimmy Manchin won a place in the hearts and minds of people throughout West Virginia.”