Harry Reid: “we are all very proud of Senator Byrd. I have had the good fortune over my career--in the business part of it as an…”

“we are all very proud of Senator Byrd. I have had the good fortune over my career--in the business part of it as an attorney and as a government official--to work with people who, for lack of a better description, are very smart. I have to say I have not seen anyone who has more intellectual capacity than Robert Byrd. How many people do you know who can recite poetry for 8 hours without ever reciting the same poem twice? He can do that. How many people do you know have actually studied and read the Encyclopedia Britannica? Senator Byrd has. How many people do you know have used a congressional break to study the dictionary and read every word in the dictionary? Senator Byrd has done that. Those of us who serve with him in the Senate, and especially those who serve with him on the Appropriations Committee, are every day amazed at his brilliance. His congressional service has been brilliant. I look forward to his reelection this year and his continued service in the Senate. It has been a remarkable pleasure for me to serve with Senator Byrd.”