Thurmond honored on 97th birthday

Senese, Thurmond

Longest-Serving U.S. Senator Landed With 82nd Airborne on D-Day

A national senior citizens group has bestowed the title "Senator of the Millennium" on Strom Thurmond (R.-S.C.) in commemoration of his 97th birthday on December 5, to go along with naming him "Senior Solon of the Century."

"Senator Thurmond is known for his longevity in the United States Senate and for his contributions to a strong armed forces, support for veterans, and preserving the Social Security system for not only seniors but their children and grandchildren," said James L. Martin, president of the 60 Plus Association.

"When I first arrived on Capitol Hill in 1962, Senator Thurmond had just turned 60 and I was in my 20s," Martin observed. "Now, I am in my 60s and head of a national senior citizens group and Strom is still going strong.

"The term 'been there, done that' so aptly describes Senator Thurmond's lifetime of public service as teacher, lawyer circuit court judge, highly decorated World War II Army officer, general in the Reserves, governor, presidential candidate, and U.S. senator."

Thurmond has the distinction of being the only person ever elected as a write-in candidate to the U.S. Senate in 1954. Keeping a promise made to the voters, Thurmond resigned in 1956 and ran in the regular election. Voters reelected him.

Thurmond has broken a number of records throughout his long and distinguished career, including:

* Oldest person ever to serve in-the U.S. Senate, a record he set at the age of 93 years and 94 days old on May 8, 1996.

* The longest-serving United States Senator at 41 years and 10 months, on May 25,1997.

* The most times a U,S. senator (9) has taken the oath of office.

* The oldest person (age 93 in 1996) ever reelected to the U.S. Senate (1996 at the age of 93).

* The longest filibuster ever conducted by a U.S. senator-24 hours, 18 minutes; in 1957.

"We were pleased to award Senator Thurmond our 'Senior Solon of the Century Award' in 1997," noted Martin. "We are now especially proud to give him our 'Senator of the Millennium' Award for his continued dedicated role in public service. He has previously been accorded the highest honor of the 60s Plus Association, its 'Guardian of Seniors' Rights' award, for the 103rd, 104th and 105th Congresses and he is well on his way to receiving it for the 106th Congress."

Martin noted that he first met Thurmond when Martin covered Congress from 1962-64 for news outlets in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina, including the State (Columbia, S.C.) Chronicle (Augusta, Ga.) and Independent (Anderson, S.C.). Also at the same bureau at the time was Lee Bandy, now the State's political columnist. Philosophy

And Fitness

Martin Later worked for then-U,S. Representative Edward I Gurney (R.-Fla.), who ran successfully for the U.S. Senate in 1968,

"Senator Thurmond campaigned for Representative Gurney," said Martin, "and many Floridians reminded Thurmond they had voted for him for President in 1948 when he ran on a third-party ticket. A key campaign aide to the Gurney Senate race back then was a young Harry B. (Buck) Limehouse of Charleston, later South Carolina's secretary of transportation."

Another campaign assistant was a 21-year-- old fresh out of college named George W. Bush, then Texas Congressman George Bush's son and now governor of Texas and candidate for the Republican nomination for President. And Harry Dent was Thurmond's chief of staff and Thurmond's helpmate in devising the famous "Southern Strategy" for Richard M. Nixon's victory in the presidential race of 1968."

Martin said Thurmond is not only to be admired for his political philosophy---of less government, more individual freedom, and a strong national defense-but also for his health habits and reputation as a fitness buff. He is truly a role model for every senior who wants to stay active and productive and healthy into their 90s and beyond."

Martin recalled that at the 1968 Republican National Convention in Miami Beach, Sen. Thurmond sat at a table next to Congressman Gurney. At the next table was John (Duke) Wayne, the movie star. "When Sen. Thurmond left the hotel," said Martin, I was to escort him to his quarters. As I hailed a cab for him, he said, 'Let's walk.' To my mortification, I soon discovered his hotel was two miles away. I took a cab back to the convention hall."

Martin noted that Sen. Thurmond is held in high regard by members of both political parties, as evidenced by the tribute paid to him in 1997 on the occasion of becoming the longest-serving U.S. senator in history.

Sen. Richard Shelby (R.-Ala.), a former Democrat himself, hailed Thurmond as one "who knows all too well that when one tails to stand for his principles, those principles will perish" and credited Thurmond as "one, who stands-sometimes all alone-- for the greatest principles on which America was founded."

Sen. Larry Craig (R.-Idaho) credited Thurmond with being "dynamic enough to make history" and also as "a real force in building and guiding America during that [20th] Century."

Perhaps, one of the most stirring tributes came from Sen. Connie Mack (R.-Fla.). who attributed Thurmond's ability to get,elected and reelected to the fact that Thurmond "is a man who truly cares about others, whose heart is filled with love."

The tributes did not come from just the conservative members of the Senate, but liberals as well.

Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D.-N.Y), who usually votes the opposite of Thurmond, paid tribute to his optimism, and courtesy, in an age "when good manners seem to elude us." He added, "Suffice it to say that if Strom Thurmond did not exist, it might be necessary for us to invent him."

Cal Ripken Of the Senate

Sen. Byron Dorgan (D.-N.D.) called him " a man of enormous courage" and noted that he had served in the Senate with "great distinction and great honor."

Sen. Joe Biden (D.-Del.) called Thurmond an absolute gentleman, unfailingly courteous and respectful of each individual's dignity" and observed that "his lifetime in politics has been such a long and productive one."

And probably the most liberal of all, Sen. Ted Kennedy (D,-Mass.), called Thurmond "the 'Cal Ripken' of the Senate" and paid tribute to his "enduring commitment to the nation's highest ideals." He cited Thurmond as an inspiration to all, "not only because of the length of his service, but because of the quality of his work and the depth of his commitment."

Martin noted that the respect held for Thurmond by his colleagues in the Senate is held also by members of the 60s Plus Association.

"We hope that Senator Thurmond will have many more years of service in the United States Senate and that naming him 'Senator for the Millennium' will bring his record to the attention of more and more Americans, especially seniors, to whom he can serve as a lasting example of honesty, dedication, hard work, perseverance and accomplishment."

When Thurmond finishes his current term, he-will bel 00 years-and 29-days-old.

During his last reelection campaign, Thurmond was running against a candidate more than half his age and reminded voters that it would take his opponent 60 years to catch up to what he could do in the next six years. The voters agreed and elected him to another term.

Martin also observed that Thurmond had caused his colleague, Sen. Fritz Hollings (D.-- S.C.), to break a record as well: Hollings is the longest serving "junior senator," now in that capacity for 33 years.

Thurmond was born in Edgefield, S.C., on Dec. 5. 1902. He received a B.S. degree from Clemson University and also holds 27 honorary degrees. Serving as both a teacher and athletic coach, he became Superintendent of Education for Edgefield County (S.C.), He studied law under his father, Judge J. William Thurmond, and was admitted to the South Carolina Bar in 1930. Over the years Thurmond served in the state senate, as a circuit judge, governor of South Carolina and then a candidate for President as a States Rights Democratic candidate, carrying four states and winning 39 electoral votes, the third-largest independent electoral vote in history.

Martin, a former Marine, noted that Thurmond took a four-year leave of absence from his judicial position for service in World War II. Thurmond landed in Normandy on D-Day with the 82nd Airborne Division and won a total of five Battle Stars. Overall, his military service has earned him 18 decorations, medals and awards, including the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star for Valor. He served as a major general (U.S. Army Reserve) and amassed a total of 36 years in the Reserve and on active duty.

From Democrat To Republican

Thurmond is on three major committees-- Veterans' Affairs, Armed Services and Judiciary-and has served as the chairman of the latter two committees. He currently is President Pro Tempore of the U.S. Senate, and is third in line to succeed to the presidency after the Vice President and the Speaker of the House. He previously held that position from 1981-1987 and began his current tenure in 1995. In this role, he presides over the Senate when the Vice President is not present, and as presiding officer he can determine points of order and sign enrolled bills.

Martin reminisced that when he first started covering Congress in 1962, John F. Kennedy was President, and Thurmond, the junior senator from the Palmetto State, was still a Democrat. (The late Olin D. Johnston was then the senior senator.) As a Democrat and, despite pleas from President Lyndon B. Johnson, Thurmond backed Sen. Barry Goldwater, the Republican nominee for President in 1964, and then switched to the Republican Party.

Over the years, Thurmond has served as a delegate to 12 national conventions, six as a Democrat and six as a Republican.

Martin called Thurmond a "proven fighter" for seniors as demonstrated by his sponsoring a bill "to abolish the most confiscatory of all taxes, the death or federal estate tax, which hurts mom-and-pop businesses and farmers who are 'land rich' and 'cash poor.' He also supported the Medicare Preservation Act to increase benefits to Medicare recipients and fought to save the Social Security surplus from being spent for reckless federal spending programs."

Copyright Human Events Publishing, Inc. Dec 31, 1999
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